‘The Plague’ Review

The Plague, the debut feature from writer-director Charlie Polinger, is a clever blend of coming-of-age and body horror and is an early contender for one of the best genre films of the year. Superbly acted and beautifully shot, it’s a sharply observant, chilling tale about peer pressure, bullying and the early burgeoning of toxic male behaviour.

Set in 2003, The Plague stars young newcomer Everett Blunck as sweet-natured 12-year-old Ben, who has just moved to an unspecified American city because his mother has relocated in order to be with her new lover. He joins the Tom Lerner Water Polo Camp, where he’s immediately an outsider because he’s a late arrival, putting him under a degree of pressure to fit in with a social group.

Ben quickly realises that cocky, popular Jake (Kayo Martin) is the ringleader of the main group, so he tries hard to fit in, even accepting the nickname “Soppy”, which he’s given after his minor speech impediment mangles the word “Stop”. At the same time, Ben is warned not to befriend social outcast Eli (Kenny Rasmussen), who has a prominent skin rash that has led to the other kids saying he has “the plague”. However, Ben takes pity on the defiantly odd Eli and hangs out with him in secret. But is the plague real?

Polinger gets terrific performances from his young cast. Blunck is achingly sympathetic as Ben – you can feel his ever-present nervous anxiety over wanting to fit in, as well as a palpable loneliness due to his parental situation, but he has an inner strength too. Similarly, Martin is superb as super-observant Jake, who picks up on every micro-expression in the other kids and exploits it to maintain his alpha position within the group.

In addition, Rasmussen makes a strong impression as Eli, who’s curiously not that bothered by his social outcast status (giving him an unsettling otherworldly quality), and there’s a delightfully understated, very brief turn by Joel Edgerton (who also produced) as the boys’ hilariously ineffectual coach, Daddy Wags – his laughably useless pep talk scene is one of the film’s highlights.

The script is excellent, cleverly leaving the exact nature of the plague ambiguous, even as the story strays further into body horror. It also functions brilliantly as an all-purpose metaphor, while also tapping into relatable memories of playground lore and bullying in general.

On top of that, The Plague really captures the anxiety of the pressure to conform and fit in, weighing the guilt of joining in with the bullying against the urge to do the right thing and stick up for the underdog. The script gives those elements a high-stakes urgency – in the same way that just one misplaced comment can lead to social disaster if Jake picks up on it – that delivers constant, uneasy tension.

In addition, the film looks superb, courtesy of cinematographer Steven Breckon, who deploys an effective colour scheme of greys, blues and greens, making it feel as if the pool area spills out into the outside world. Together with Polinger, Breckon conjures up some beautiful images, beginning with a striking opening underwater shot of the boys plunging into the pool and violently kicking to stay afloat, a handy visual representation of the drama to come.

In short, The Plague is a superbly written and directed debut that marks out Charlie Polinger as a genre talent to watch. Highly recommended.

**** 4/5

The Plague is in US cinemas now.

View this article at Nerdly.