The Unhealer (2020)

Opening with a classic song from a bygone era is a bold move for this supernatural coming-of-age story about a bullied teen who takes matters into his own hands.  Especially when that familiar chorus - as The Platters’ own Tony Williams soars vocally - kicks in and the audience witnesses Lance Henricksen as a faith healer get zapped by some electricity on a dark night before tearing off into the mysterious distance.

"well-paced, full of solid moments of shock and awe, and features some great performances from its genre heavy-hitters"


Henrickson (from Aliens and Near Dark fame) plays Pflueger, a faith healer who might be able to cure the sick and bullied son of Bernice (Natasha Henstridge, Species).  She witnesses him curing a woman of her pain when it comes to walking, so Bernice - who is at the end of her rope - thinks Pflueger might be able to help Kelly (Elijah Nelson), with the healing power that - unbeknownst to her - he comes by dishonestly as “the medicine” that he uses is not his to use.  We see Pflueger receive a warning, so what comes next should come as no surprise when he is paid to “cure” Kelly.

What is shocking is just what Kelly inherits from the blessing, but what will he do with the power he now has?  Whatever you do to him, hurts you.  Think about the possibilities.  What happens when he daydreams or has sexual fantasies with some of the girls in his high school?  Hang tight.  It's pretty wild because there is no way he can ever tel the truth about what he is going through and what he can now do with his inherited power. 

But, when tragedy strikes his home, he strikes back harder.  Just where does this end?

Directed by writer, producer, and filmmaker Martin Guigui (Beneath the Darkness, The Bronx Bull, Future World), The Unhealer is well-paced, full of solid moments of shock and awe, and features some great performances from its genre heavy-hitters.  Nothing here is phoned in and it shows as Kelly awakens to the power that now resides within him: whomever bullies him gets it twofold; unyielding and brutal.  Run him over?  Shame on you!  The Unhealer (2020)

The Unhealer stars genre favorites Natasha Henstridge (Species, The Whole Nine Yards) and Lance Henriksen (Aliens, Near Dark) and the cast  is rounded out by TikTok superstar Elijah Nelson ("Crazy Ex-Girlfriend", "S.W.A.T."), Kayla Carlson ("Why Women Kill," "Widow Detective"), Adam Beach (Suicide Squad, Cowboys & Aliens), Chris Browning ("Westworld", "Bosch"), Cristi Harris (Night of the Demons 2) and Branscombe Richmond (The Scorpion King, Hard To Kill).

With solid performances and great characters (thanks to the crackling script from J. Shawn Harris and Kevin E. Moore), The Unhealer comes across as honest in its portrayal of one teen’s sudden invincibility in the wake of tragedy.  Is it sacrificial?  It might be, but none of that stops the teenager from smacking down those who seek to do him harm.  He has the power now, but just what will he do with it as he begins to see the world and the people in it as it truly is - especially when the bullies keep crossing the line?

Following a wildly successful run on the global film festival circuit and a wide physical and digital release, Horror Business Films and Shout! Studios have announced the ad-supported and subscription based release of Martin Guigui's The Unhealer.  The blood-splattered supernatural thriller, a twist on the superhero's coming-of-age story, will be available on Roku and additional platforms this month.  It is currently available on Blu-ray, DVD and a number of digital and cable platforms, including iTunes, Amazon Video, Vudu, Comcast, Spectrum, and Cox.

With great power comes great pain. The Unhealer has arrived.

4/5 beers

The Unhealer (2020)

Blu-ray Details

Home Video Distributor: Shout Factory
Available on Blu-ray
- June 8, 2021
Screen Formats: 2.39:1
Subtitles
: English SDH
Audio:
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1; English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; single disc
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A

A bullied teenager gains the means to fight back when a botched faith healing bestows supernatural, shamanistic powers upon him. When his lifelong tormentors pull a prank that causes the death of someone he loves, the teen uses his newfound abilities for revenge and goes on a bloody rampage to settle the score. This dark horror tale features performances from genre favorites Adam Beach (Suicide Squad), Branscombe Richmond (Hard To Kill), Natasha Henstridge (Species), and Lance Henriksen (Aliens).

Video:

With an aspect ratio of 2:35.1, Shout Factory’s handling of this movie is just popping with great 1080p details thanks to its solid production design!  Crackling with fine details, you will see every moment of this coming-of-age supernatural story when this new power is unleashed upon all the bullies beating up Kelly.  Start running now!  Black levels are intense and full of layered details and the sun-bleached setting will have you sweating in no time thanks to the crisp locales and blasted enviros.  The effects are minimal , but practical and retain their grit and the fine details in the faces of the character actors are deep and edged.  Fabrics in the costumes are textured and robust. 

Audio:

Audio wise, the DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack is clear and the dialogue is never lost or hard to hear.

Supplements:

Commentary:

  • None

Special Features:

Fans of the feature get some behind-the-scenes looks at the making of the movie, which features a gag reel, some deleted scenes, extended scenes, and some interviews with the cast..

  • Gag Reel
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Alternative/Extended Scenes
  • Behind-The-Scenes Interviews

Blu-ray Rating

  Movie 4/5 stars
  Video  4/5 stars
  Audio 4/5 stars
  Extras 3/5 stars

Composite Blu-ray Grade

4/5 stars


Film Details

The Unhealer (2020)

MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime:
94 mins
Director
: Martin Guigui
Writer:
Kevin E. Moore; J. Shawn Harris
Cast:
Lance Henriksen; Elijah Nelson; Shelby Janes
Genre
: Action | Horror | Sci-fi
Tagline:
With Great Power Comes Great Pain.
Memorable Movie Quote:
Distributor:
Scream Factory
Official Site: https://www.shoutfactory.com/product/the-unhealer?product_id=7588
Release Date:

DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
June 8, 2021.
Synopsis: A bullied teenager gains the means to fight back when a botched faith healing bestows supernatural, shamanistic powers upon him. When his lifelong tormentors pull a prank that causes the death of someone he loves, the teen uses his newfound abilities for revenge and goes on a bloody rampage to settle the score.

Art

The Unhealer (2020)