MOVIES YOU NEVER SAW: "PONTYPOOL"

Over the course of several decades years we have seen zombie movies come and go along with their zombie-like cousin movies.  Now we all know that zombie movies are the more popular of the two...so much so that we automatically label movies such as '28 Days/Weeks Later' and 'The Crazies' "zombie" movies when they're really not.

The funny thing is that most people find the zombie-like cousin movies to not be as good as their originator counterparts, and I can understand why.  I, however, have always liked these movies...sometimes more than zombie flicks.  Why?  Because I feel that zombies are safe (figuratively speaking)...now don't go running into a herd of walkers during the zombie apocalypse believing this because the last thing going through your mind (other than zombie teeth) will be the thought that I lied to you about them being safe.  I say they're safe because, for almost all zombie movies, there is no origin for them and trauma to the brain alone is what kills them.

The zombie-like cousins, on the other hand, are still very much human and can die as any human can.  Still being human gives one a sense that they may still be able to be saved.  What makes them scarier to me is that they have no fear because of whatever has infected them, unlike zombies who don't necessarily lack fear but are just not aware of whatever is around them because they're just focused on their next meal.

Pontypool is one of those zombie-like cousin movies.  It's along the lines of The Crazies but has a weird reason for the infection that turns people into zombie-like drones.

What separates this film from the rest is the environment and execution.  It all takes place in a basement radio station in Canada where there's an outbreak of people going bananas and killing each other.  You hear about everything going on and your imagination takes over as you hear the gunshots and screaming.  During the movie you get treated to really creepy scenes with some of the drones appearing, but mostly you hear the news about what's happening and it's delivered VERY well.

On the negative side, the cause of this infection is extremely strange, impossible and a little corny, but thank God that by the time you hear the explanation you're already invested in the movie and will want to watch til the end (which is very good as well).

"The reason for them becoming killers is WHAT?!?!"

The acting was great, the creepiness was definitely there and although the explanation of the infection was kind of dumb, I found myself watching it three times!  Make sure to listen through the end when the credits come up as you'll hear more news coverage on what transpired during the movie, it's pretty awesome!

If you're a reader and want to check out the original story (which is not just better but told on a larger scale of the Earth, not just Canada) called "Pontypool Changes Everything".

This movie is NOT theater material, but is good for an evening scare in your home on Netflix Instant.  Check it out!

My Rating:

3.857691789054 out of 5 stars


See you on the other side

Jay