Ganymede, the latest in a recent uptick of queer horror gems, centers around the age-old concept of the closeted gay teenager. In this case, that translates to wrestling hopeful Lee Fletcher (Jordan Doww), swallowed up by his homosexual tendencies and a deeply religious Christian family that would never accept his differences. Toss in a preachy pastor, burgeoning romance, and a gross creature for all the makings of a propulsive bite of indie horror. Life and creative partners Colby Holt and Sam Probst helm this unique feature, with the former also penning the emotional screenplay. Perhaps its metaphorical horror subtext may be a bit too on the nose—regardless, Ganymede presents a harrowing character study anchored by an assured performance from Doww, also peppered with freaky imagery.
Facing mounting pressures from his conservative parents (Robyn Lively, Joe Chrest), Lee begins to crumble mentally while maintaining the physique of a superstar athlete. Holt and Probst continue to emphasize Doww’s impressive physicality in copious shirtless scenes, but Doww never feels like mere eye candy. Rather, his commitment to training attempts to mask the vulnerabilities below the surface. Kyle (Pablo Castelblanco), an openly gay classmate, signs up to pick up trash alongside Lee, and their encounter with two obnoxious bullies strengthens a bond started when the duo once read To Kill a Mockingbird together for class. Lee sticks up for Kyle and punches one of them out.
Catcalls of “fags” leave a lasting imprint on both, but especially for Lee. He cannot seem to even wrap his head around potential feelings. The second anyone comes close or Lee must confront ugly truths, he hallucinates a demonic entity adorned with a chain of leather around its neck, lying in wait. Kyle tries to get closer to Lee—the creature, however, seems to have other plans. Lee’s screaming breakdowns become more frequent as the so-called Ganymede can pop out without warning. Clearly, Lee’s sexuality presents a major obstacle in his own functionality within his family, as a self-righteous pastor insists there’s a way to expel the sinful gay Ganymede from Lee’s life entirely.
Ganymede is something of a hybrid, mainly functioning as a coming of age queer drama commingled with the horror. Tying in family history makes it feel even more personal, especially when Lee’s parents seem irredeemably awful for the bulk of the runtime. As mentioned before, Doww’s performance does the majority of the heavy lifting. There are a few cliches frequently found in LGBTQIA+ stories, but for the most part, Holt and Probst craft a wholly original drama well worth the watch. Carrying the baggage of emotional trauma and gay shame, Lee needs more than a hug to get him through. In the end, a hopeful message peaks out, tinged with an aching sadness. Ganymede teaches an important lesson that will speak to many young people struggling with their sexual preferences, especially amongst problematic family members.
Expel the Ganymede when it unleashes its demonic presence to Cable VOD and Digital HD across the U.S. and Canada on Tuesday, August 6th.
I wanted to like this movie, but I feel like it was one-sided and unfair for the religious community. I know there are churches that exist that are radical, but this point of view was a little overdone. No wonder people are afraid to have a relationship with any churches because media and Cinema make it seem terrifying. They made the Christians seem either really stupid or angry. I grew up in several different types of religions and a lot of my friends were gay. I never met anyone like what they portrayed in this movie.
This film is moving, sad, painful to watch and yet it’s someone’s daily reality. So much to take that it can seem one sided. Religion has a way of making some be very extreme and others feel totally left out, and it is all based upon someone else interpretation. I will say take caution when watching, wacht with an open mind and give yourself time to process and let it fall where it will. We do need stories like this to be told.
As for whether the movie is fair to Christians, the guidance counselor told Lee that she goes to church. Perhaps more could have been made of that – “Lee, you need to understand that there are different ways to interpret the Bible, and there are gay Christians who worship at my church” – but the fact remains that there are a lot of families like the Lees and churches like the one they attend. (Although I doubt any of them are equipped with ECT equipment!)
This film far exceeded my expectations. (Admittedly, I wasn’t expecting much – just a schlocky gay-themed monster movie.) It’s more of a coming of age drama than true horror, but the the monster is an interesting metaphor for Lee’s fear and self-loathing. Nice review, Josh!