Actor Jeremy Gardner is known for his offbeat and lightly weird horror chops. 2022 sees him star in two Christmas horror movies, “The Leech” and “Christmas Bloody Christmas.” He is a blessing in both films. Previously he starred in cult favorites The Battery, Spring, and, After Midnight and he always brings his A-game. The Leech is part of a holiday lineup being offered by the streaming platform Arrow and can be watched from December 5th, 2022. Writer/director Eric Pennycoff (Sadistic Intentions) wants you to see Christmas from a religious angle.

There is plenty of Christmas spirit being offered in The Leech and Father David’s generous soul is trying to shepherd his flock in the only way he knows how. With God’s love. Father David (Dementia: Part II, Sequence Break), wants to be heard. However, his life as a Catholic priest is proving more of a struggle than a blessing. With not many churchgoers and a less-than-the-ideal number of followers of his devout blog, David’s discovery of a man sleeping in the pews might be his road to fulfillment.

Christmas Horror Movies 2022

Terry (Jeremy Gardner) is still outside when David locks up the church to leave. After a quick exchange, David offers him a ride home. His first of many acts of kindness instantly serve up complications. When they arrive at his house, all his stuff is outside in a garbage bag. Again the man of God turns the other cheek and is quick to offer him a place to stay instead of sleeping under a bridge.

“The Church is like any living organism. It shrinks and it grows.
Quote from the movie The Leech 2022

After a night explaining the house rules David comes downstairs to discover Terry’s girlfriend Lexi (Taylor Gardner, Sadistic Intentions) has also been offered lodgings. The next day David provides the two a more permanent stay over the coming weeks with one condition. He will provide counseling and they must open their hearts to the healing of God’s love.

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished – The Leech

David tries hard to convert the two strangers into becoming part of his flock. However, as time passes, it becomes a testament to David’s own will to follow the ways of Christ. The Leech is the type of film that doesn’t want you to have a character to root for. Instead, it constantly leads you astray with a selection of dubious souls. Even David has his twisted moments and by the end of The Leech, it becomes more and more convincingly so. Themes like pro-life, New versus Old Testament beliefs, and simple rhetorics about society as a whole are unremorsefully in the dialogue.

The Leech is billed as a horror and comedy movie. Don’t go in expecting laugh-out-loud gags because the type of humor used here is as dark as the washed-out red hue used to drench most of what happens on screen. Flickering lights fuel some nightmarish scenes that are used beautifully instead of relying on flashbacks to tell the story of who David is.

The Leech is a great homage to all the things people think they need to give versus their motivations for doing it. A wonderful ensemble cast leads the way into a garish finale that you know is coming. You just don’t know from whom it will come.

The Leech is rated

4 “Maybe man doesn’t want to be saved” out of 5

Mother of Movies score

You can watch The Leech (US/UK/CA/IRE) from December 5, 2022, on the Arrow platform. For more ways to stream this thinking man’s horror movie check the link below.

The family that prays together stays together.
Quote from The Leech 2022

Where to Watch The Leech

The Leech is streaming on:

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Writer/director: Eric Pennycoff.

The cast of “The Leech” includes:

Jeremy Gardner
Graham Skipper
Taylor Zaudtke