Pollen

The synopsis for the 2023 horror movie "Pollen" certainly was something else. When I stumbled upon this 2023 horror movie from writer and director DW Medoff, of course I opted to watch it on account of it being a horror movie that I hadn't already seen. And I am a big fan of all things horror after all.

But since I had never heard about the movie, I didn't know what I was in for, nor did I have any expectations. All I knew about "Pollen" was what I read in the synopsis. So I assume that writer and director DW Medoff had every opportunity to entertain and impress me.

The narrative in the movie was odd. The storyline sort of fell short of adequately entertaining me. Sure, it was a watchable movie, but I had expecting more horror, but was treated to a toxic work environment drama for the majority of the movie. Not exactly what I was expecting.

When I sat down to watch "Pollen", I was under the impression that it was a horror movie. I have to say, though, that it was not a horror movie. It was a psychological drama with very light supernatural elements to it.

I was not familiar with a single actress or actor on the cast list, and that was actually something that spoke well in favor of "Pollen", as I do enjoy watching unfamiliar and new talents on the screen. The acting performances in the movie were actually good.

Hardly a movie that warrants more than a single viewing. I wouldn't exactly say that "Pollen" is a movie that I would recommend horror fans to rush out and get to watch.

My rating of writer and director DW Medoff's 2023 movie "Pollen" lands on a four out of ten stars.

"Pollen" unfolds as a haunting tale, shrouded in enigma and foreboding, following the journey of Hera, a determined young woman seeking to ascend the treacherous rungs of the corporate ladder. However, Hera's path takes a chilling turn when she becomes a victim of a sinister act, her innocence shattered by the touch of her malevolent boss. As Hera fights to salvage her shattered career, a sense of inexplicable dread begins to seep into every facet of her existence, infiltrating not only her workplace and sanctuary but also the ethereal realm of her dreams. The movie seems to be dripping in symbolism. Would not classify it as horror. The intro song from Liana Flores - Rises the moon has a reference to the daffodil (Yellow Narcissus). This flower symbolizes rebirth and new beginnings. It's one of the first flowers to bloom at the end of winter, announcing the beginning of spring and signifying the end of the cold, dark days. Less commonly, daffodils may also symbolize creativity, energy, resilience, forgiveness, and vitality. Next, we have pollen, a powdery substance produced by flowers. It contains tiny grains that carry male gametes, or sperm cells. These grains have a protective coating and travel from the male to the female parts of plants. When they land on a compatible female structure, they grow a tube to transfer the sperm cells. If you watch closely enough, you will see that this makes sense. Cannot go into detail here. Spoiler alert! However, the longer you watch the better it gets. As the runtime is only 86 minutes, I believe you have to stick around to the end. This movie will not bore you. It also shows how horrible people can be. It's a warning that shows the serious issues of sexual assault, toxicity in the workplace, and trauma. Pollen amplifies the horrors that take place too often in corporate America and shows audiences these monsters in a very literal sense. The movie also showcases the talent of Ava Rose Kinard, making her remarkable feature film debut as the lead character Hera, brilliantly portraying both the joys of success and the depths of trauma. For those prepared for its intense subject matter, "Pollen" guarantees an unforgettable and impactful viewing experience. A very solid 7/10. And a strong recommendation to go and watch this movie and have patience.

Despite looking like a rather promising creature feature horror movie, Pollen ends up being a metaphore for the sexual abuse and metal trauma faced by women.

While being about a very real and serious subject matter , pollen is just the usual rehashed "men bad" message reheated and served in yet another format.

Quality of dialogue and atmosphere varies significantly during the movie, going from pretty decent to rather amateurish levels.

A bit sad over all, lead actress is quite good and her talentes seem a bit wasted on Pollen's meandering plot.

I personally would not reccomend this to any of my friends.

Honestly I didn't understand what I was watching. But what I think in the end, this may have just a been very unique way of telling a story about a young new hire junior analyst female being taking advantage of by her male coworker sexually who happened to be the veep and her boss and after being duped and dumped by him harbors repressed feelings of hurt in the form of a conjured up tree monster that causes her to come unhinged because she didn't know how to deal with those repressed feelings. At first I wasn't really sure what to make of the story because it started of odd, became more interesting, went full on crazy and then calmed itself back down to being a comprehensive thought out story. A one time watch, toss when finish.

I think this was written by a first year women's studies student, and not a good one. The main character is an extremely emotionally immature woman, who mistakes the work place for a mating habitat and proceeds to be taken advantage of by her stereotypical "bad-misogynist" boss. She has a fellow female co-worker who takes part in mocking her as if this is a middle school lunch room, rather than a professional work place. She then proceeds to confuse reality with horticulture, having dreams of plant monsters and a slew of non-scary attempts at being a horror film.

In the end, it's very sophomoric and not scary. If I was Miss Smith's eight grade drama teacher, I'd tell her to try harder and focus less on the made up stereotypes in her head, and more on making character real.

Yes, it's that bad; like an after school special that's not close to being special. Whoever writes this trash should be a gardener themselves, because movie making just doesn't suit you. That's not a glass ceiling, that's a concrete reinforced bunker. Find a new career.