Grafted

The 1950s, a time when color film was still pricey and beyond the reach of the independent producers, was the decade when horror came into its own. There were no tropes and set pieces because everything was new and fresh. Often the scripts were written on the back of a napkin, and the ending was more about how much money was left in the budget than anything else. The good news is that GRAFTED captures this spirit perfectly, the viewer never knows what is going to happen next. The bad news is that a film should be about more than grabbing attention, it really should have a sense of direction. And this one does not. Nice start, but clearly the budget ran out somewhere along the way. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

One of the most important, yet somehow still so often neglected elements of storytelling - virtually any storytelling - is empathy. After all, you have probably heard of the Six Deadly Words ("I Don't Care For These People") but are they not really fundamentally about the failure of empathy? Not so much on the side of the viewer that is, but rather because the creator failed to write characters worth emphasizing with - often because they are written as mere tools and lack an inner world you can relate to.

Empathy is exactly what sets this New Zealand thriller apart in its first half. Sasha Rainbow's previous experience consisted of two documentary shorts which both chronicle the lives of the underclass in two cultures very different from hers, and here, she is able to depict the clash between the immigrant protagonist Wei and her second-generation, fully Westernized cousin Angela remarkably well for this kind of film. You can easily understand well why both of them act the way they do, and even the supporting cast also feels a lot more humanized than usual (certainly FAR more so than the cast of The Substance - since the comparisons between the two films are practically inescapable due to the unfortunate release timing, I might as well get it over with now.)

Funnily enough, the 2nd half, which delivers what most of the audience must have come here for, actually felt like a letdown to me in comparison, as it feels much more "on-rails". The performances are still effective and one character's demise is so painfully unfair it cuts through emotionally much more than most horror deaths do. The "grafting" is filmed well enough considering the limitations of low-budget filmmaking, though it would have certainly been more impressive in the pre-Substance world. On the other hand, the plain murder scenes themselves can be quite contrived and often aren't really convincing when compared not just to, say, something relatively recent When Evil Lurks, but also rather older films like Alleluia.

On the whole, though, this is a very admirable debut effort and I believe Sasha Rainbow is going to be the one to watch. I would also like to point out that this is the first movie I have seen in 2025 where I almost immediately looked up the OST after watching the film. To me, it's that good, at times absolutely carrying a scene which would have probably fallen flat otherwise.

There's some compelling drama in the first half of the movie. Things spiral out of control in an organic, chaotic way.

We get a very strong character development.

It's body horror but nothing too crazy. It could have gone for a little more gore but it's adequate how it is.

This is not an incredible movie by any means. But it has a fair amount of compelling story that is often lacking.

It deserves more than 5. But also doesn't have enough of an "it" factor to be a great movie.

There's some character and situational cliches.

It's a very entertaining movie with some emotional elements.

Ultimately it's a pleasantly average movie. Not sure why I'm writing this review other than 5/10 seeming a little too low.

It's something you can throw on if you need a movie.

I ADORE horror with female leads, especially ones where it deals with deeper issues

But honestly, this movie disappointed me. The message was clear within the first half hour as to what it wanted it's message to be about and I was intrigued but after about 45 minutes, it all just became a bit silly.

The acting felt like overacting and the pacing was just off. I kept finding myself checking when the movie was finally going to be over. I think the idea for this movie is brilliant but this delivery was just 100% not it for me. I kept getting taken out of it and all together, was very unimpressed.

From the very first scene, Grafted, directed by Sasha Rainbow, pulls no punches. The opening is gruesome watching the protagonist's father slice open his mouth with a razor before dying sets a disturbing tone for the film. It's easy to see why the main character is so deeply traumatized by his death, and why she becomes obsessed with continuing his work.

A Descent into Obsession After her father's death, she earns a scholarship to a university in New Zealand and moves in with her aunt. What starts as a quiet and reserved personality soon unravels as she fixates on her father's research--a special formula designed to fix skin deformities and blemishes. The idea itself isn't entirely new in film, but the way Grafted explores it, especially through her psychological unraveling, makes it feel fresh.

Mistreatment and Isolation Her obsession grows more dangerous over time, fueled by the way people treat her, especially her cousin, Angie, who is anything but welcoming. It's no surprise that she starts making bad choices, but once she crosses a certain line, there's no going back. Her mistakes compound, pushing her further into desperation, and eventually, murder.

From Quiet to Psychotic One of the most compelling parts of the film is watching her transformation. She goes from being this shy, socially awkward person to someone completely unhinged. The shift feels gradual yet inevitable, which makes it even more disturbing.

A Flawed but Underrated Film While Grafted isn't a perfect film--the acting, script, and editing could have been stronger--the concept and execution still make it a gripping watch. The psychological depth behind her actions is well thought out, and despite her horrifying choices, you can't help but understand how she got there. The film definitely deserves a higher rating than it has received.