Review
Grafted (Horror) (2024)
Director: Sasha Rainbow
Writer: Sasha Rainbow, Lee Murray, Hweiling Ow, Mia Maramara
Stars: Joyena Sun, Jess Hong, Sam Wang, Eden Hart
Being awarded a scholarship, a Chinese student travels abroad, finding it a strenuous endeavour to fit in, leading to drastic measures of revenge after feeling betrayed by those around her.
In Sasha Rainbow's debut feature, a body horror takes shape. Centring on beauty ideals and cultural disparity, this independent feature was initially shown at the New Zealand Film Festival before being released through streaming. It was produced by Propaganda, FluroBlack, Head Gear Films, Metrol Technology, and Mister Smith Entertainment, as well as Shudder also distributing the feature on its horror-oriented streaming service.
Born with an unusual skin defect, Wei (Joyena Sun) is treated as an outcast, only supported by her father Liu (Sam Wang), from whom she assumedly inherited said condition. Intending to develop a serum to regenerate unhealthy patches of skin using a grafting technique, his research proves fatal, the added tissue taking on wild growth, leading to Liu suffocating. Without any family to take care of her, and having been accepted on a scholarship, Wei moves to New Zealand to live with her Aunt, Ling (Xiao Hu), and cousin, Angela (Jess Hong). Finding it a struggle to fit into a vastly different culture, she applies to be her professor's lab assistant, allowing her to work on the research her father left behind. Still, Wei is consistently shunned and mistreated due to her visual condition and unfamiliar customs. It's so severe that it causes her to snap and take action against those who mistreat her.
Beneath a gruesome horror flick lies compelling drama, taking advantage of unrealistic beauty standards and the experiences of being seen as ethnically different in Western society. Shocking with the cold open, Sasha Rainbow's script further delves into Wei's trauma, exposing it later in life, and presents a well-pictured introspection of her character as she attempts to fit in while everyone seems to be against her.
From an intentional fright, with skin graft research gone wrong, Rainbow's "Grafted" manages to produce an arduous journey, as a brilliant scholarship student is bullied, shut out and abused by those she should be able to trust. There's a multi-sided tale present, as both said beauty standards and an inability to fit in as an immigrant challenge Sun Wei, who gradually grows dissatisfied towards her cousin and others who spitefully harm her endlessly. What is initially presented with capable effects and an eye for perspectives transforms into a body horror with aspects which we saw in the cold open.
Portraying Wei as a vulnerable and timid immigrant works wonders, completely shut out and seen as odd or even grotesque from the outset. Her inner dialogue is slowly adjusting, hoping to connect with anyone.. Even her cousin, who is perhaps the most spiteful, presents as immensely jealous, seeing her as a challenger instead of an added family member. Once betrayed, Wei enters a tailspin, internal thoughts warping an intelligent mind into a dark device. She was never quite normal, having spent most of her youth in her father's lab, but outside factors making her situation significantly worse. There's a method to the madness that the creators of this film have designed, yet the rapid degradation, despite these stacking factors, leads to an evolution that feels regrettably rushed.
As "Grafted" unravels, it's almost a shame; the parts fit together yet seem unnatural.. Given additional time and more gradual development, it would have made it feel less like a forced Horror flick, allowing the social commentary to shine through. There is promise for Sasha Rainbow and any future projects that might be in her future. "Grafted" should be a memory with the positive moments used as fuel for their own growth.
Verdict
Roughly sewn skin heals poorly.
5,5
