I have seen many films about demons and possessions, but this is the first time that I had the opportunity to watch a horror film that dealt with Islamic beliefs, and that is because Blood Flower is the first Shudder Original from Malaysia.
Blood Flower
Blood Flower (Harum Malam) was directed by Malaysian filmmaker, Dain Said, and stars Idan Aedan, Bront Palarae, Nadiya Nisaa, Arnie Shasha, and Remy Ishak. After witnessing his mother’s (Nadiya Nisaa) death while she was performing an exorcism, Iqbal (Idan Aedan) tries to keep his healing abilities secret from his friends. Afraid that his son will be killed like his wife, Norman (Bront Palarae) has a local priest bind Iqbal’s power. This turns out to be a big mistake because it isn’t long before Iqbal and his friends unwittingly release a horrifying entity living inside their neighbour’s apartment.
Most of the scenes take place inside a rundown apartment in a poor section of town. When Jamail (Remy Ishak) asks Norman to take care of his exotic plants, which include a huge plant called Titan Arums (Blood Flower), while Jamail is out of town, he warns Norman not to unlock a certain door.
Conclusion
I really don’t want to reveal too much about Blood Flower, except to say that this film was what I would call a top-quality horror film. The entire film centers around Iqbal as he tries to protect his family and friends, while understanding his powers. The fright scenes are pure genius…and at the end, we find out how the creature was created. I not expecting this, but let’s just say that Karma is best served with a green thumb. You can watch Blood Flower on Shudder.
