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Movie of the Day: Above the Knee
Today’s movie is Above the Knee, a psychological thriller from Norway with an uncomfortable atmosphere. Though the idea of the story has potential for something intense and dramatic, the result is oddly subdued.
The story focuses on Amir, a man who suffers from Body Integrity Dysphoria. The condition causes him to have a persistent and uncontrollable desire to amputate his left leg just above the knee. He’s carried this burden in secret for years, and it’s increasingly causing major problems in his personal life. As the movie begins, Amir’s wife Kim and friend Jonas believe he is recovering from a personal crisis which is revealed to the audience later in the film. But Amir isn’t recovering. He’s getting worse, and he’s begun making plans to amputate his leg with the help of another BID sufferer, Rikke, who feels that she should be blind. Amir’s web of lies and secrets gets more complex as his life falls apart, leading him towards an inevitable decision.
I can’t say how accurately or compassionately Above the Knee portrays Body Integrity Dysphoria, but from the perspective of someone who knows nothing about the condition, the central premise of this movie is intriguing. There are obvious options for leaning into the body horror aspect of the situation. It is also a premise that could lead to intense psychological conflicts. Unfortunately, the movie doesn’t really capitalize on its potential.
On the body horror side, we do occasionally see how Amir views his own leg. He’ll look down and his flesh will be dark and rotting, spotted with open sores. Those moments are brief though, and their impact is somewhat minimal. As for the drama, Amir rarely gets emotional throughout the entire movie. Amir’s muffled emotions make sense for the majority of the story. He’s spent years trying to hide his true self from the people in his life, so he’s become adept at bottling up his feelings. But when his secrets start coming out, the reaction isn’t an explosion. He gets angry, sure, but the movie retains a sense of cold detachment from anything like true emotion. Maybe that’s intentional, but, for me, it makes the movie little more than just an interesting idea with a so-so execution.
Star Rating: 2.5 out of 5
I’m not saying I necessarily wanted a melodrama or excessive gore, but Above the Knee veers too far in the complete opposite direction for its points to land with much lasting impact. I do recommend the movie for fans of psychological thrillers with unique ideas, but it might be an underwhelming experience for some. It was for me. Above the Knee is streaming on Screambox.
In the News
- Pakistani horror film Deemak will begin playing in theaters in the UK, US, and EU beginning October 17th. The film became the highest grossing horror film ever in its home country. (Variety)
- Bloody Disgusting has images of the upcoming Indonesian zombie movie The Elixir. The film releases on Netflix on October 23rd, 2025.
- New trailers:
Birthdays
Sheri Moon Zombie was born on September 26th, 1970. Her acting roles in movies have exclusively been in horror and horror-related projects (her only non-horror acting credits are in TV shows), beginning in 2003 with House of 1000 Corpses. Her best movie is The Devil’s Rejects (2005), but she also had prominent roles in Halloween (2007) and its sequel, The Lords of Salem (2012), 31 (2016), 3 From Hell (2019), and The Munsters (2022).
Also born on this day, in 1956, is Linda Hamilton. Linda isn’t specifically known for horror, but in 1984 she starred in both The Terminator and Children of the Corn. She’s acted in many other genres after that, and she did appear in thrillers from time to time like Bad Behavior (2013) and the Syfy monster movie Bermuda Tentacles (2014). Recently, Linda co-starred in the action-horror film Osiris (2025).
More birthdays on September 26th:
- Melissa Sue Anderson (1962) – Happy Birthday to Me (1981)
- Lysette Anthony (1963) – Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995), Dark Shadows (1991), Trilogy of Terror II (1996)
- Alisha Weir (2009) – Abigail (2024), Don’t Leave Home (2018)
Events on This Day
Carnival of Souls premiered on September 26th, 1962. The film didn’t make much of an impact upon its initial release, but decades later it was rediscovered and reevaluated. Carnival of Souls is now considered a significant example of artful horror that utilizes atmosphere to great effect.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show first played in theaters in Los Angeles on September 26th, 1975. It had a quiet start, but it started to attract a cult following once it made its way to New York City in 1976. For decades now, The Rocky Horror Picture Show has been a staple of midnight screenings.
