There is no way of getting around the atrocities committed in American history. Whether it be towards indigenous tribes or black people, there is a pattern of stolen lands and stolen lives. Many have brought the resulting hurt and desire for justice to screen over the years. Filmmaker Raven Carter tells a new story of reclaiming power in Noseeums.
College student Ember has only one goal: Enjoy a Spring Break trip with her friends and not think about her ex. A secluded waterfront house in the Florida wilderness seems like the perfect place for exactly that. As soon as Ember arrives, however, she is immediately struck by a wrongness to the place. It is a feeling that grows as certain connections between the house and herself become apparent. Ember must find what the presence wants before she loses herself completely.
Almost immediately in Noseeums, we are hit by how Ember, played with a confidant presence by Aleigha Burt, is a person pulled in multiple directions. A dedicated student, she ignores calls from her mother and knows little about her family's past. She's close with her friend Jazz, who can't understand Ember's desire to get in with the rich girl group. It's easy to understand Jazz's point when nobody in the friend circle even seems to like each other. Not to mention the deluge of racist micro-aggressions that even my pasty white arse could recognise and feel discomfort from.
Abigail, the queen bee of the group, is the worst offender. Actress Tabby Getsy is a little over the top in terms of her performance, but she is essentially a broad-strokes caricature of American white privilege. The only one in the group who has some idea of what Ember is experiencing is Jasmine Gia Nguyen's Tessa, but she is too cowed by Abigail and her issues to do anything. Going away with this group seems like the worst way to spend Spring Break, even without the ghosts of the past rearing up. Ember starts experiencing events that happened on the property in the past, specifically the black couple who owned the land before a mob of white men stormed their home and took it from them.
The core ideas are solid. The problem is in the execution. The setup of going to a secluded house to party feels very bad 80s slasher, and not in a way that can be seen as deconstructive. There is certainly an atmosphere of heaviness to the location at least, even if it feels like the film could have taken more advantage of it.
Apart from one early moment involving a tree, the scares land flat and are mostly of the door slam and projectile nightmare variety. They feel like an afterthought or obligation; the film is more interested in the mystery of what happened in this place and how it connects to Ember. Although even then, there's not really a mystery, as you can connect the dots of what is happening almost from the first few minutes, and the plot hinges on one heck of a coincidence. It's not necessarily bad storytelling; it's just a bit clumsy.
The titular Noseeum, a type of biting fly, is brought to life through CGI. Very poor CGI. It isn't integrated into the scenes very well and looks oddly flat. When they fill the screen, it resembles a bad, grainy film effect. Instead of feeling like it's building to a crescendo, the final act just stumbles along before petering out entirely and ending on what the titular Noseeum, a type of biting fly, are brought to life through CGI. Very poor CGI. It isn't integrated into the scenes very well and looks oddly flat. When they fill the screen, it resembles a bad, grainy film effect. It's a shame that the end effect of the film is so underwhelming. Carter is a capable director, and the cast has its moments.
Noseeums is an interesting story of historical horror and rage. However, it lacks the style to support its substance.
Noseeums had its world premiere at FrightFest 2025 on 23 August
