A psychological thriller in which a deadly virus infects a small Ontario town.
Let's begin with an attempt to sum up Pontypool's plot in the most succinct way possible. Okay, here we go - Canadian Horror Film. Based in a Radio Station . And then shown on film. Now obviously there is more to the story than what I just typed, but ultimately the last few line exposes Pontypool's downfall, with the emphasises on the word 'radio'.
For the majority of Pontypool the viewer is encased within the claustrophobic setting of the radio station walls. Now having a film that takes place in only one setting or location is not a bad thing. Not a bad thing at all. I have written before on the fantastical and macabre 'Rope'. An enthralling film all set in the one apartment. '12 Angry Men' is another film that is utterly brilliant, all set in the jury room where 12 males surprising decide on a guilty or not guilty verdict. Although that doesn't necessary sound like the most breathtaking of plots, it is a superbly pieced together film that has a thrilling and engaging story that all folds together like a beautiful origami crane. So with Pontypool being set all in the one location it didn't put me off. If anything I applaud it for being so daring, extra Brownie points all the way for you there. But if a film is attempting to keep within the location, the story has to grip and keep hold of you for its entire run time. We can excuse it a few drops along the way, but for the most part you as a viewer want to sit there and have your eyes on the screen, not on a clock face. Thank goodness for spell checker there...
Pontypool has none of this really. Nope, I apologise, it does have a few positives. The recurring idea that language is power/language is a weapon is an interesting one. Not an original idea by any means, but I always enjoy an individual interpretation on that message. So for that I salute. The voice of the leading actor Stephen McHattie is a joy to listen to. It is a voice that is truly envy inducing. The face of Helen of Troy is said to have launched a thousand ships. The voice of Stephen McHattie could add a boudoir to every one of those ships. A voice and an idea are two very powerful qualities, so Pontypool could have become a very powerful film. But it didn't. When the film ended I had one very prominent thought in my mind, and that was Pontypool would have been better as a radio play. As it turned out, with a bit of keyboard research Pontypool was produced both simultaneously as a radio play and a film. I haven't listened to the radio version, but I am positive it would be more affecting than the film that came out of the production.
You only have to look at The War of the Worlds radio production in the early part of the 20th century to see the effect a radio play can have. Orson Welles' radio adaptation of H. G. Wells' novel The War of the Worlds in 1938 caused genuine panic. With it being so close to the beginning of the Second World War anxiety levels were already on a high. And with Welles' creative prowess he was able to tip the anxiety ridden scales. The reaction he may have got may not have been 'good'; as people fleeing the streets may only be looked at as being good from the point of view of an introvert. But at least he got a reaction. With Pontypool I had no reaction to it. As I mentioned previously as the film ended it was an air of disappointment that filled my living room. That living room has been filled with many an air, but when that air is disappointment, it is always slightly saddening. But looking at other reviews of the film, I may hold the minority view.
So what can I suggest to anyone interested in pursuing Pontypool as a form of entertainment? Well numero uno - Check out the trailer for the film. If you find it intrigues you, move forward onto stage numero two. That stage being checking to see if you have a big enough biscuit selection in your house. If the answer to that is yes then look into purchasing or renting a copy of Pontypool. And if you do make it that fabled stage, I do hope you enjoy it...
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Canadian zombie horror. When a deadly virus, which is spread through the repetition of certain words in the English language, sweeps through a small Ontario town, radio broadcaster Grant Mazzy (Stephen McHattie) and his team struggle to communicate warnings of the virus but only succeed in spreading it further, giving rise to extremely violent and murderous behaviour. Meanwhile, radio assistant Laurel Ann (Georgina Reilly) becomes infected inside the broadcasting booth the team has set up in an abandoned church...
Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 (Europe) or region Free DVD Player in order to play Director Bruce McDonald (THE TRACEY FRAGMENTS) teams with author Tony Burgess to adapt Burgess' own novel about a small Canadian town in the grip of a mysterious frenzy. Radio DJ Grant Mazzy and his producer Sydney barricade themselves in the office as a strange form of contagious dementia becomes virulent outside, but what has caused this outbreak and, more importantly, how can it be stopped? Age Rating 15
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