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Overall Rating : 4.5/10
Directed By : Hal Masonberg
James Van Der Beek (Dawson's Creek (TV) )
Ivana Milicevic (Running Scared)
Brad Hunt (Blow)
Joshua Close (The Exorcism of Emily Rose)
Supplied By : Sony Pictures
Film Reviewed By : Rick L. Blalock
Date Reviewed : Aug 11, 2006
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| PLOT Ten years have passed since the world's children have fallen into a coma. Tonight they're waking up and all hell is breaking loose. An un-holy battle between the generations is being waged against all adults, and time is not on their side. |
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| THE REVIEW Well, ten years ago, all of the town's children fell into a mysterious coma never to wake up until now. They wake up in the night of the 10 year anniversary, and without warning they attack the town's adults, more importantly a group of young adults headed by Tom Russel who has just been released from prison on parole for murder... the group must ward off their attackers all the while trying to figure out what caused this "plague" In the wake of a recent string of a lot of zombie films, comes THE PLAGUE, a film that tries to set itself apart from those said films, but no matter what they are all similar. In this film, all of the children "of the world" as they say went into a slumber 10 years ago only to wake up to beat the shit out of the of the only sane one's left in a small select town.... as most of these films go the half dead walk emotionless and it's aim and shoot from there. What makes this film watchable is for that gore and the choreographed fight sequences, but the only back-story we have is of the wanting to relive the souls of all people whom have done wrong, and deliver them back into the hands of god(or something like that, I think.... it was really hard to understand this angle - and the ending didn't help make it any easier.) Other than the ridiculous religious stuff that the film uses as it's backbone, we really have no background on anyone except for that Tom is an ex felon who accidentally murdered someone in a bar fight, and that Jean being his estranged wife. The other characters in the film seem rather random, they are more like filler victims for gore's sake, which in turn is both good and bad. It was entertaining for the most part with all of the guns exploding and blood splatter everywhere it makes for a fun film but, to me that's all it is, not too original, as i'd hoped it to be, it's good - just not "great" per say, The acting is also good but not to great the only two characters really focused on her are Tom and Jean played by James Van Der Beek and Ivana Milicevic, and they do a good job displaying the charisma and will to survive of their characters....but as for as portraying a "married" couple - I just wasn't feeling the realism there. THE PLAGUE produced by Horror icon Clive Barker(his involvement is in name only here) is a film that tries to be a serious one, but it just seemed to me like a really good episode of MASTERS OF HORROR, that was inspired by all things George A. Romero....if you have seen his films, then you have probably seen all this film or any one of the infinite zombie films that are coming out of th woodwork like a bad case of leaky plumbing, has to offer. | ||||
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| GORE
METER 4.5/10 The gore is quite good, and to me, the best part of the film but not as over the top as a DEAD film. |
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| MUSICAL
SCORE 3/10 To be honest, I thought the score was kinda rough and seemed rushed....it doesn't seem to embody or fit it's film correctly to me. |
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| OVERALL
IMPRESSION OF THE FILM THE PLAGUE would be a great party film, but if you are a die-hard fan of Romeo, you may see this effort as generic, and who wants generic when you can have name brand entertainment? Nevertheless, i'd still recommend it for some of the great gore spots in the film, but if you want to see some entertaining films about children who murder the old...look to BLOODY BIRTHDAY or to the more well known, CHILDREN OF THE CORN instead... This DVD will be released on September 5, 2006 |
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