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Hikers find a secret grove of extra-terrestrial marijuana and must fight for their lives when they anger the other-worldly forces protecting the plants.
“Star Leaf” is a science fiction thriller that doesn’t really thrill. The film takes place in the woods of the Olympic Mountains where a couple of friends stumble upon some extra-terrestrial marijuana deep within the community in hopes of helping James’s (Julian Gavilanes) PTSD. As night approaches a park ranger finds them, just as they begin to light up. It is then revealed that Tim (Tyler Trerise) and Martha (Shelby Truax) break the rules and the group turns on each other in a fight for their lives.
On paper I could see how “Star Leaf” could be a good film because the plot has some good elements. The main problem is that they never seem to pick a road. They don’t play up the camp enough for it to be a cult classic and they don’t have the budget to make it a believable sci-fi film. This leaves the movie in film purgatory and a head scratcher, and not in the good way.
There are some fine acting performances worth mentioning. Julian Gavilanes and Shelby Truax both do a good job in their respective roles but both are only able to go so far with the limited script. The passion they brought to the roles made me remember them in a forgettable film. Maybe one day, someone will remake “Star Leaf” with a vision, or a budget, worth remembering.
Available to buy on DVD at www.starleafmovie.com
