The bullies in the movie operate in a gang, reflecting a "multi-generational approach" to tormenting Kelly. The film highlights how bullying creates a cycle of abuse that only escalates when the victim gains the upper hand. 2. Desperation for Normality
If you enjoy supernatural revenge tales with a bit of "90s video shop" charm, The Unhealer is a solid choice. It holds an from World Film Geek and is praised for its lead performance and unique take on the "immortal teen" concept.
Desperate for normalcy, Kelly’s mother takes him to see a faith healer, Pflueger (played by horror icon Lance Henriksen), who acts as a wandering charlatan dealing in stolen Native American magic.
Kelly Mason is a high schooler suffering from pica (an eating disorder involving non-food items) and relentless bullying. His mother hires a faith healer named Pflueger (Lance Henriksen), who accidentally transfers his mystical Shaman powers to Kelly upon his death. Kelly discovers that while he can no longer feel pain, his body reflects any damage dealt to it back to the person who caused it—a power he eventually uses for a bloody revenge rampage. Cast and Crew as Kelly Mason. Lance Henriksen as Pflueger. Natasha Henstridge as Bernice. Adam Beach as Sheriff Adler. Director: Martin Guigui. Parent’s Guide
If you could cure your child's cancer by giving a papercut to a stranger, you would. But what about a broken leg? A heart attack? A stroke? Where is the line? The Unhealer lost that line on day three.
: It feels like a throwback to the 80s/90s horror era—think with a dash of Stranger Things
Once Kelly realizes his power, the film shifts from a drama about bullying to a revenge thriller. The bullied becomes the tormentor.
But what drives someone to become an Unhealer? There can be various motivations behind this behavior:
In the landscape of modern horror, the revenge fantasy is a well-trodden path. Films often depict a bullied protagonist who snaps, acquiring the power to fight back against their tormentors in increasingly violent ways. However, the 2020 supernatural horror film takes this familiar premise and injects it with a truly unique and twisted mechanic that sets it apart from the crowd. Directed by Martin Guigui and released in 2021, this independent horror-thriller offers a fresh, albeit dark, spin on the idea of what happens when a victim gets the ultimate advantage.
The Unhealer steps away from the conventional slasher format. Instead of a masked killer, the danger is entirely internal, born from an innocent soul corrupted by the sheer volume of cruelty he endures. The horror is psychological—what does it do to a person to know they can kill with a thought?