Ashes and an Apocalypse of Greed: A Movie Review

*full disclosure: a screener of this film was provided by Osiris Entertainment.

Director: Elias Matar.

Writers: Edward E. Romero, and Elias Matar.

Cast: Enrique Almeida, Joel Bryant and Chris Trouble Delfosse.

When the subtitle of the movie poster of Ashes simply says, “We All Fall Down,” the connection this film is making with the classic nursery rhyme, “Ring a Ring o’ Roses,” is almost appropriate. Ashes is just a variation of “atishoo,” an onomatopoeia for a sneezing sound.

Had this film actually made more of a fuller emphasis with the verse, more people would be making the same leap of faith that director/writer Elias Matar has made—he believes the poem is about the bubonic plague.

But with this movie, the necrosis that develops is far worse. It numbs the nerves and dulls the brain. Eventually, all these patients are going to become zombies. But that is not what this film is about. Instead it begins with exploring the origins of a disease and showing what the medical community is trying to do to put a stop to it.

When Ashes begins with young Jesus, a Mexican boy, playing in the sand and getting stung by a starfish, just where it goes is interesting. Matar’s story explores the possibility that the creation of this disease is both a natural part of evolution and man-made. The rapid transmission of HIV happened because of unsafe practices, but as for the origins of the immune deficiency virus, that has been hotly debated.

This fictional product suggests that a number of factors were involved. That could have included transmission of a poison from another species into the human populace and unsafe testing of vaccines on patient zero, where it could have potentially become airborne. Biting, unsafe sex or even sneezing on another victim will only further exasperate the problem.

And therein lies the beauty of this movie. It’s a perfect metaphor for a system—any system—that has failed mankind. When Dr. Andrew Stanton (Brian Krause) thinks he has the cure for HIV/AIDs, he’s only creating a new retrovirus that will bring on a zombie apocalypse. Krause plays the role of a misguided, tired, doctor well. Since he finds solace in his job, the subplot of his feelings towards his wife and daughter gets forgotten.

The other subplot of secret agendas that tries to push Stanton away only furthers the point that greed succeeds need. And for him to create a cure will never happen. That’s the true horror this film is making a statement on.

Since this tale is heavily multi-layered, this film can be read on so many levels. That is the mark of an exceptional story. The fact that viewers do not even see anything remotely horrendous only shows that terror is better off implied. With gunfire happening in the final dark moments of the film, that’s all that’s needed to signal the apocalypse.

Overall: 9 out of 10.

*this title releases February 7th, 2012 on DVD.

Ashes at Osiris Entertainment w/plot details:

Ashes at Osiris Ent.

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