Spoiler Alert: Blood FlowerFrom Malaysian director Dain Said — starring Idan Aedan and Bront Palarae — the Shudder exclusive Blood Flower was a pleasant surprise for horror fans and critics. Taking a unique approach to exorcism, chocked full of great scares and gorey effects, the Malaysian movie is worth checking out for those always looking for something exciting and fresh in the horror genre.
To celebrate the recent release of this gem on the Shudder platform, we look at the scariest moments in Bloodflower, ranking up to a scene that is bound to go down in infamy as one of the grossest and scariest sequences committed to film.
10 The Thing in the Corner of the Room
The sealed-off room that houses the mysterious creature gets plenty of moments in the movie, with several scenes culminating in facing the monster inside the small room. Horror fans will know as soon as the kids tore down the protective seal at the door that there will be issues, but the first glimpse of the monster is something else altogether.
Barely visible in the corner of the room, the form is difficult to contemplate fully, and the ambiguity elicits both fear and wonder as to what it may be. It is one of those scenes that calls viewers closer to the screen to figure out precisely what they are witnessing — a perfectly chilling way to introduce the monster.
Back to the dank and dirty room that oozes Hellraiser vibes. By this point, Blood Flower has showcased the monster in a few dread-inducing scenes, but this was to terrify young Iqbal from a distance. It is not until another visit to the room that the creature finally reaches out, just short of grabbing the boy.
This is a perfectly crafted scare for the audience as Iqbal reaches for a sheet, unaware of the creature hovering behind him. Then after a brief pause where it appears to have left, a hand shoots out and almost grabs him!
8 A Ghastly Premonition
After Iqbal and his friends release the creature in the room, he begins to be haunted by visions of death. This provides a few notable moments of terror, including an unwelcome guest grabbing a seat beside him at a movie theater. However, the first instance of this, which frames how the demonic entity messes with Iqbal, is perhaps the scariest despite its simplistic delivery.
Awaking one night to find a woman with half of her head caved in puts into question what exactly is happening to Iqbal. Moreover, it proves hard to shake that initial shock which also acts to set the violent and gory tone of the film that follows.
7 Exorcism Is a Family Business
Exorcists…what a peculiar family business to have, but it seems out of necessity as father, mother, and son open up the movie battling against one such possessed woman and struggling to gain control. This intense exorcism works to establish the trauma Iqbal and his father face later in life, as their failures cause one of the family members to pass. As a bonus, there is a ‘neat trick’ the demon pulls off for the kill that is gnarly and darkly comedic in a complimentary sense.
6 The Elevator Is Currently in Service…by Evil!
The way the demon presents itself to victims outside of Iqbal is less about terror and more to the point of getting the job done. Following up on the first premonition, a woman at a hospital finds it is stuck when accessing the elevator, opening and closing randomly. The slow reveal comes that the two evil entities are inside that are holding up the lift, ready to cast an evil curse on the unsuspecting woman.
How the ghastly woman and the giant monster come as a package always makes for a disturbing image. The idea that their mere presence can cause people into extreme actions of self-harm frames the kind of malicious evil Iqbal is dealing with.
5 Don’t Be Shy, Let’s Have a Good Look at You
As the monster starts to make its presence more known, the viewers also get a closer look at the creature, which resembles an adult Groot, albeit more nightmarish. Admittedly, seeing more of the monster does lower a bit of the terror, even though the design and execution are excellent.
Still, The best look we get at the creature paints it in a menacing light, and even though it was more terrifying from the shadows, it is still one of the better-designed monsters in recent memory — a fact that will undoubtedly impress horror fans who favor practical effects and an emphasis on creature design.
4 Horrors Beyond Human Comprehension
The closing scene of the film The Beyond by the Italian ‘godfather of gore’ Lucio Fulci is one of the most memorable horror sequences in the genre’s history, leaving audiences in a state of existential dread at the concept of other plains of existence that are incomprehensibly different from our own. Blood Flower does a similar spin on this, including several scenes wherein an abstract and dark world is presented as housing the creature.
There is an additional allure here, as those unfamiliar with Malaysian folklore and beliefs may further be challenged by interpreting its meaning. Is this a version of hell according to the teachings of Islam (the religion-focused in the film), or is it grounded in the animistic beliefs of folklore that include other planes of existence? Either way, the monster’s image carrying a victim into the unknown is a unique vision of terror.
3 Let’s Hope This Goes Better Second Time Around
While this scene does beg the comical question of why they don’t bind those possessed in any manner, the exorcism of Iqbal’s friend is an extended sequence chocked with disturbing and scary imagery that will have viewers squirming in their seats. From the initial shock of the woman force-feeding her mother to the grabbing of Iqbal by his teeth to drag him under the bed, there are a lot of moments one can point to here.
However, the most shocking scene comes out of left field, and after a long battle, a moment of pause is given for the young girl to give an impromptu birth to… something… What that thing was or where it ran off to becomes irrelevant under the pure amazement of it coming into existence.
2 The Origins
The explanation behind the creature, and the woman that sometimes appears with it, is left until close to the movie’s final moments. It is a choice that is worth the wait, considering the depth of depravity and the unspeakable action that acted as a catalyst to create and tie it to the blood flower that Iqbal and his family are keeping. The scene ties up everything nicely, with a brutal death followed by sweet, sweet, revenge.
1 You Don’t Want to Know What the Secret Ingredient Is
This scene… Oh boy. Once you have seen it, you know it, and it will likely resonate with you longer than any other disturbing image, which Blood Flower has no shortage of. Seemingly entranced in a somnambulist state, Iqbal, at one point in the movie, is called down to the dinner table, where he eats a gross-looking meal. He returns to reality and pulls out bloody entrails from his mouth.
However, that is not the worst of it. Not only is his server cutting into herself to feed him, but he also has a guest at the table. What that guest is eating…is best left unspoken. Still, those who struggle with horror movies depicting violence toward children will likely be covering their eyes for this moment.
This scene makes sense later in the film, but it does not dull the extreme visceral horror that bubbles up having to watch Iqbal sit across the dinner table from such a dreadful feast.