Antiviral (2012)
Genre: Horror / Scifi
Duration: 110 minuten
Country:
Canada / United States
Directed by: Brandon Cronenberg
Stars: Malcolm McDowell, Sarah Gadon and Caleb Landry Jones
IMDb score:
5,7 (16.771)
Releasedate: 19 September 2012
Antiviral plot
"What If You Could Feel Like They Do... We Can Help."
Antiviral follows Syd March, an employee at an institution that sells live virus injections from sick celebrities to obsessed fans. Syd also provides illegal samples of these viruses to criminal organizations by smuggling them out of the clinic through his own body. When he becomes infected with the disease that killed superstar Hannah Geist, Syd becomes the target of collectors and avid fans. He must unravel the mystery surrounding her death before the same fate awaits him.
Actors and actresses
Syd March
Hannah Geist
Dr. Abendroth
Arvid
Dev Harvey
Edward Porris
Mira Tesser
Dorian
Levine
Jane
Reviews & comments
Onderhond
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- 87623 messages
- 12889 votes
Well worth the effort.
I think son Brandon comes out better than daddy David, probably because his approach is just a bit more serious. Where it often gets a bit cheesy/pulpy with David, this Antiviral suffers much less from that, so that the body horror has more effect.
They are clearly in the same street, the story full of obsession and the focus on physical discomfort could have come straight from an old Cronenberg. And however far-fetched the final plot may be, the basics surrounding extreme idolization do feel relevant.
Visually neat, a strong score and an exceptional role by Jones, who really has a very creepy presence. Thought this was surprisingly good, kind of weird that I never noticed the movie before. The poor score here must have had something to do with it.
4.0* and a extended review
Translated from Dutch · View original
sinterklaas
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- 11821 messages
- 3321 votes
Bit difficult.
Last week I had visited the very successful Possessor of son Cronenberg and was pleasantly surprised. Now he quickly got his hands on his debut Antiviral and this… Yes, I don't know.
I had to defend myself and reorient myself a bit because those bare empty white decorations, combined with an alarming slowness, already tended to be repulsive. I really liked the role of Landry Jones as Syd March, who sniffles and sneezes almost the entire film like a pale and sick wreck. I also found the spot to that whole glamorous world very well found. But the logic that fans allow themselves to be fed on diseases of their favorite celebrities, I found a bit far fetched. Not to mention its transportation; something Syd takes care of.
Like Possessor, Brandon knows how to make it quite difficult for the viewer to follow a straight line here. Have I really not overlooked anything? Am I stupid or is the director just too complex... or is this just how it is? Syd March falls under the spell of a famous female star. Now I have to read here that he also let himself be infected while trying to smuggle her disease. Gosh, sounds complicated, see?
I think the lack of pace and especially the somewhat too complicated posturing made it elude my attention. Especially the whole decoration remains so dull, empty and a bit too arty.
The well-known body horror does apply here and I thought it was a successful, but very rancid representation.
Either what's left of Hannah.
Nice setup, but with its flaws. In Possessor he fared much better.
3.0*
Translated from Dutch · View original
Duke Nukem
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- 1810 messages
- 2003 votes
Lots of white, I normally like a minimalistic approach but this is so empty. Everyone also seems to wear the same costume, lots of black suits with white shirts. Loud music that suggests that something special is happening. A good idea, original although rather nonsensical, but poorly executed. Inspirationless!
Translated from Dutch · View original
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