Ganymede, the most recent addition to a growing list of queer focused horror, tactfully addresses the stigma surrounding the ‘gay’ experience among many teenage boys. More specifically, Lee Fletcher (Jordan Doww), an aspiring wrestler is completely consumed by his repressed emotions and the fact that he hails from a staunch Christian family which would never accept him. Throw in a condescending pastor, a blossoming romance, and a revolting monster and you have the perfect ingredients for an interesting slice of low budget horror. Colby Holt and Sam Probst are the life and directing partners of this interesting feature with Colby being the one who wrote the sensitive story too. Maybe the film’s metaphorical horror undertone is bordering the overkill still, Ganymede, while not especially pleasant , manages to offer an engaging performance by Doww set in a gruesome and visually powerful background.
As the story progresses, Lee appears to be mentally cracking under the considerable pressures exerted upon him by his conservative parents (Robyn Lively, Joe Chrest) despite still being the physical embodiment of a star athlete. Holt and Probst keep reminding the audience of Doww’s impressive physique in many shirtless shots, yet Doww still never appears to be just a pretty face. Instead, he tries to conceal bothersome weaknesses inside by devoting himself to training. A gay classmate Kyle (Pablo Castelblanco) decides to volunteer to pick up litter with Lee and after being bullied together previously this day, they strengthen the initial bond forged through reading To Kill a Mockingbird for their literature classes. Lee defends Kyle and gets into a fight with some bullies, knocking one out.
Words are oftentimes the most vicious of weapons, and for Lee, catcalls of “fags!” become not just rhetoric but things that darken his soul over time. He can’t even grasp what feelings there may be. The moment he senses closeness or that he has to face unwelcome reality, he paints in his imagination a worst case scenario: a malevolent figure with a leather collar, lurking in the shadows. Kyle wishes to press the matter further. The creature has other ideas. Lee screams and screams because of his loud and the abnormal Ganymede is always ready to show itself. Most certainly, this is primary reason why Lee cannot pull himself together and function fully in his family: there are self righteous preachers who know how to cleanse Lee of the sinful gay Ganymede once and for all.
Ganymede oscillates between a drama that follows hazards of growing as a queer and a horror in itself. It makes it much more relatable when family history is involved, especially when most of the time, Lee’s parents appear to be the worst people one can think about. And as mentioned earlier, it performance that does most of the heavy lifting. Some common clichés of stories do appear, however on the most part, Holt and Probst create a vastly interesting and unique drama which is great to watch. Having the burden of emotional scars and gay shame, it is obvious that Lee cannot go through just with a simple kiss. The only thing that stays is fascinating sorrow and what appears like an encouraging message towards the end. Ganymede sends a message that many young people will be able to relate to as they try to find their sexual preferences, especially if they come from difficult families.
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