Shadows on the Wall | Arthouse Films

Shadows off the beaten path
Indies, foreigns, docs and shorts...

On this page: THE PLAGUE | PRIMATE

< < I N D I E S

See also: SHADOWS FILM FESTIVAL | Last update 16.Jan.26

The Plague
Review by Rich Cline | 3.5/5

dir-scr Charlie Polinger
prd Lizzie Shapiro, Lucy McKendrick, Joel Edgerton, Roy Lee, Steven Schneider, Derek Dauchy
with Joel Edgerton, Everett Blunck, Kayo Martin, Kenny Rasmussen, Lucas Adler, Caden Burris, Lennox Espy, Elliott Heffernan, Kolton Lee, Nicolas Rasovan, George Ion, Ecaterina Mitriou
release Aus Jun.25 sff,
US 24.Dec.25
25/Australia 1h35

CANNES FILM FEST

Is it streaming?

Building a menacing intensity through the clever use of pristine underwater photography and inventive depictions of peer pressure among 12- and 13-year-old boys, this Australian drama (set in the US, filmed in Romania) gets under the skin with its personal perspective on an intense topic. Writer-director Charlie Polinger reveals unnerving details in seemingly innocuous situations, leaning toward horror as he explores a particularly dark side of adolescence.

At a water polo camp in 2003, boys test the patience of their coach (Edgerton). Sensitive Ben (Blunck) tries to fit in with the cool kids, who have decided that Eli (Rasmussen) has the "plague" and must be shunned. Eli's offbeat, individualist behaviour sets him apart, but it intrigues Ben, who is also fascinated by the girls' synchronised team practising nearby. When Ben secretly befriends Eli, others begin saying that he has caught the plague. Sure enough, Ben begins showing symptoms. With no one to turn to for help, the situation escalates in terrifying ways.

A Lord of the Flies vibe permeates the interaction at meals, in the showers, locker-room and bunks, as over-confident alpha boys find insidious ways to assert dominance. Their feral tendencies flare when they sneak out one night for a flurry of vandalism. It's chilling to watch their mob mentality feed a false narrative that sparks crippling anxiety. Even though they all know the plague is fake, it still holds horrifying power over these boys. The fear is real.

The engaging Blunck skilfully maintains transparency as the thoughtful Ben, who can't begin to understand why bullies never feel bad about awful things they do. Martin brings vicious charisma to top dog Jake, who delights in his cruelty. Rasmussen is also terrific as the outcast with a hilariously bone-dry sense of humour. His intelligence, and his ability to see the world beyond these boys, is what scares them. And Edgerton is earthy and natural as the friendly coach who really shouldn't be this oblivious.

This is a finely made film, with sleek camerawork that adds an edge to the story's topicality, even as things get seriously gruelling. Cleverly, water polo provides a pointed metaphor with the illegal action hidden under the surface. Jake sneers ironically at Ben, "Don't let what other people think decide who you are." But most intriguing is how the coach offers knowing advice that simply doesn't resonate with Ben, who feels increasingly lost in this situation.

themes, language, violence 23.Dec.25

Primate
Review by Rich Cline | 2/5

dir Johannes Roberts
scr Johannes Roberts, Ernest Riera
prd Walter Hamada, John Hodges, Bradley Pilz
with Johnny Sequoyah, Gia Hunter, Victoria Wyant, Jessica Alexander, Troy Kotsur, Benjamin Cheng, Charlie Mann, Tienne Simon, Miguel Torres Umba, Rob Delaney, Amina Abdi, Kae Alexander
release US 9.Jan.26,
UK 30.Jan.26
25/UK Paramount 1h29

Is it streaming?

cheng, wyant, hunter and sequoyah with ben

Bonkers black humour and several extreme gross-out moments almost make this unhinged slasher-style horror movie watchable. But jump scares and shaky camerawork aren't frightening, and neither is the clearly fake chimpanzee causing the mayhem. Director Johannes Roberts makes nice use of a cool cast and setting, but the movie is shot and edited in a way that creates tension without any suspense. At least it's mercifully short.

Arriving home in Hawaii, Lucy (Sequoyah) is accompanied by best friend Kate (Wyant) and third-wheel Hannah (Alexander). She gets a warm welcome from her author father Adam (Kotsur), little sister Erin (Hunter) and pet chimp Ben (Umba). But Ben is beginning to act strangely, having been bitten by a rabid mongoose. After Adam leaves for a book tour, Ben attacks, trapping the girls in the house's clifftop infinity pool with hot neighbour Nick (Cheng). Then as they repeatedly try to find a way to call for help, Ben starts picking them off one by one.

It's obvious that Ben is mainly played by a man in a monkey suit, which continually snaps us out of the story. It doesn't help that his rubbery face is stuck in a menacing snarl. This removes any real sense of peril, although it does allow for some silly comedy, including a shoutout to an iconic moment from The Shining. And while there are witty touches in the gruesome ways the more idiotic characters meet their demise, the killings are so outrageously violent that they stop being funny.

There isn't much an actor can do in a movie like this; most are merely required to look plucky in between extended sequences in which they're screaming, running and fighting. Sequoyah has charisma as the hero of the piece, as Lucy tenaciously battles her crazed childhood friend, improbably surviving attacks that leave other characters in pools of blood. She has strong chemistry with Hunter and Wyant, and Alexander has fun with the annoying Hannah. But these are all thankless roles.

Somehow, Kotsur manages to maintain a shred of dignity amid the nutty chaos, creating the most vivid character during his relatively brief appearances at the beginning and end. But there's nothing in the script that catches our imagination, leaving us to coldly watch the grisliness. Not that we can clearly see much, because the too-close cinematography and splintered editing frustrate our attempts to engage with what's happening. So despite some mindless thrills, this is ultimately forgettable.

themes, language, violence 15.Jan.26

< < I N D I E S
See also: SHADOWS FILM FESTIVAL