The Seeding

“The Seeding” unfolds like a nightmare you can’t wake up from.

Writer/director Barnaby Clay’s “The Seeding” plunges into some unsettling territory and boasts one of the most astonishing opening scenes I've encountered in a long time. If you’re easily unsettled and have no stomach for the macabre, “The Seeding” isn’t your cup of tea.

“The Seeding” is the disturbing story of Wyndham Stone (Scott Haze), a hiker/photographer who becomes lost in the desert and ultimately stumbles upon Alina (Kate Lyn Sheil), a woman living alone in a ramshackle house at the bottom of a canyon. With no way to exit the canyon once entering, Wyndham must settle into a life with Alina that will leave him teetering on the brink of madness and longing for the life that lives just beyond the canyon walls.

The duo is relentlessly terrorized by a gang whose savage acts are only matched by their perversion. After another night of terror, Wyndham and Alina share a moment of intimacy that results in her pregnancy and the revelation that Alina might not be the innocent victim he thought she was.

“The Seeding” is a disturbing film that’s a slow burn that sizzles throughout from the tension. The film isn’t without its flaws, such as dragging in a few moments here and there, but when it hits its beats, it is so much fun to watch. In addition to its great opening scenes, it also contains a unique finger-painting scene that will catch your attention.

Another element that Clay uses to perfection is the film’s location. With the use of the canyon and having many scenes confined to the house, we feel the walls closing in around Wyndham, which suffocates us just as much.

Haze and Sheil shine brightly in the film, with each actor giving performances I adored. Haze’s masterful descent into madness as Wyndham and Lyn’s measured, stoic command of the scene is terrific and shouldn’t be missed. Sheil is just a treasure to watch work her craft and lives up to one of the best actresses in independent cinema.

“The Seeding” is a disturbing film that chills from the start and unfolds like a nightmare you can’t wake up from. Easily one of my favorite indie horror films in recent memory.