Antiviral
Dir: Brandon Cronenberg
Starring: Caleb Landry Jones, Sarah Gadon,
and Malcolm McDowell
“I’ll never wash this hand
again.” A proud proclamation made by a fan after meeting an admired actor at a
recent film festival I attended. This obsession with celebrity is all the more
relevant with the increasing access of technology allowing immediate interaction;
it allows fans an intimate look into the daily routine of their adulated celeb.
The implication, both literal and figurative, behind this fascination is the
source material for director Brandon Cronenberg’s thought provoking first
feature Antiviral.
The film portrays an
altered society that allows fanatical followers, basically addicts, the most
damaging expressions of celebrity admiration. Popular personalities sell
intimate matters of personal privacy to the adoring public. However, this isn’t
an autographed picture, it’s the harvested viruses and infections direct from
the body of the star. Syd March (Caleb
Landry Jones) is a representative of a company that deals the collected samples
to the eager masses. Though Syd is also dealing disease on the black market; he
is tasked with extracting a sample from the beautiful Hannah Geist (Sarah Gadon) who has
recently been infected with an unknown virus. Syd, trying to get a jump on the
underground competition, injects the sample into himself just before the
superstar dies.
The first 45 minutes of Antiviral is a captivating work.
Unfortunately the remaining 60 minutes falls into the place of a contrived
metaphor and an unfulfilled idea. Cronenberg establishes the view of his
society quickly but the rolling wheel of ideas soon begins to spin in place and
interesting parallels are overlooked, like the allure of the celebrities
depicted. Scenes begin to replay themselves and the pace slows rapidly which
ultimately affects the finale.
Cronenberg doesn’t
restrain from implying meaning, essentially that the general public in his
vision of society feeds, literally, on celebrity. In the virus selling clinic obsessive fans
wait for treatment with depressed, near lifeless, expressions on their faces.
Feeling so detached from the lives of the people they venerate, the connection
with the admired grows into a force of destructive self-infliction. Cronenberg supports
these sentiments by pulling the color from his world, creating a cold and
isolated existence with stark white and black environments. The photography,
specifically the combination of close-up and wide shots, provides an
interesting perspective into the implied meanings behind some imagery; for
instance the few close-ups of reflections caught in characters eyes. Caleb
Landry Jones is a suitable pick to play the lead and he offers some nice
physical attributes to the character especially when his illness progresses.
Malcolm McDowell makes a small cameo as Hannah Geist’s medical doctor, but his
skills are under utilized in the role. Gadon plays Geist with a silent and
picturesque appeal, making a virus-ridden patient seem attractive.
Brandon Cronenberg will
undeniably be judged and critiqued in reference to his iconic father, which
might not be such a bad thing considering his first feature displays
undeniable and refreshing talent. Antiviral
begins with promise, executing a difficult concept, but the satisfaction
fades as the narrative ceases to progress ideas proposed.
Monte’s Rating
3.00 out of 5.00
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