Friday, December 05, 2014

These Toxic Characters Will Make You Sick: A Movie Review

*full disclosure: an online screener of this film was provided by Midnight Releasing.

Director: Ryan M. Andrews.

Writers: Ryan M. Andrews and Chris Cull

Cast: Christina Aceto, Richard Roy Sutton, Robert Nolan and Jennifer Polansky.

Sometimes, titles are self-fulfilling prophecies. Canadian director Ryan M. Andrews' (Black Eve) foray into the zombie apocalypse film genre is the soon to be released Sick. This title, completed in 2012, involves a viral pandemic, which leaves few survivors standing. Lacking in good acting and conflict, Sick manages to get some of the dramatic bits right. But, this film offers so many awkward scenes, that it becomes difficult to watch. As well, the film's characters are more vile than the flesheaters, themselves. Character turns against character in this disappointing sci-fi adventure. Not plot driven, Sick is an unenjoyable time spent with a group of survivors, who might be better off dead.

The film begins with a split narrative. In one story, a group of scientists are researching a pandemic, which has infected the world. They spend their time bickering in an underground laboratory. Very little actual work gets done, on finding a cure. In the second story, a terrible leader named Seph (Richard Roy Sutton) does his best to intimidate other, younger characters. Or, he tortures a friend and fellow survivor, by the name of Mckay (Robert Nolan), for no real reason. Meanwhile, the infected are winning as all of the characters fight amongst themselves. This is one group of people that you would not want to be stuck with, if you were actually in a zombie apocalypse.

Sick is not story driven. There is no drive in the film to get anywhere. There is some time spent in a research lab as two pseudo-scientists try to find an antidote to the infection. But, no one seems really interested in testing the cure, or of doing any real experiments. Instead, the scientists bicker with a group of soldiers as if the foursome was on a school yard playground. The pacing does pick up, once one of the scientists exits the underground base. On the surface, Dr. Rozetta (Christina Aceto) forms temporary friendships with Seph and McKay. But, Rozetta tells no one that she has infected herself with the virus. She also gives up on finding a cure, for herself and others; this is not very noble. She is content with dying and so are other characters. No one is determined to survive in this dangerous environment and there are few heroic moments, here. Instead, the film is an exercise in creating petty rivalries.

From acting to characterizations, there is very little to like in the film. The acting is often awkward and none of the actors are actually believable as scientists. One scientist gives a diagnosis for their predicament: "this is an apocalypse." This jargon and other phrases, do not come across as very scientific. The characters seem way out of their league when trying to perform any research. The best they can do is stare at test tubes or point at white boards. These scenes are often awkward. Later, one soldier addresses a scientist in a room, at full attention. They are having a casual conversation, but the soldier is determined to put on a show, but for whom? In still another scene, several survivors are in an open field, when they come across a woman on the ground. This is an ambush. Somehow, a character manages to get from the treeline, which is very far away, and into the scene, in the blink of an eye. Then, a group of the undead comes stalking down a mountainside, out of nowhere. Much of the action and interaction just comes across as unbelievable and poorly laid out.

Sick is not recommended even for the most devout zombie film fans. The characters are unlikable, scenes are artificial and much of the drama is not setup well. This title was initially developed as a short. While not really stretched out, something went wrong in the development of several scenes. Perhaps, there were not enough rehearsals, or planning. The film was shot in fifteen days, so part of Sick was definitely rushed and it shows. This film needed to round characters more fully. As they are, few are watchable, nor interesting. Also, much of the dialogue could have been trimmed down considerably. Certain interactions serve no purpose at all. As it is, Sick should only be taken with a bottle of Pepto-bismol.

Overall: 5.75 out of 10 (there is no McGuffin in the film, characters turn on characters despite there being an external threat, ends with a whimper, no real climax).

A trailer for this film is hosted here:

A Sick Trailer on 28DLA


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