Antiviral - Cronenberg: the next generation

Back in the eighties, writer/director David Cronenberg delighted (and disgusted!) audiences with his weird and horrific visions of technology merging with human flesh. Now, some years later, his son, Brandon Cronenberg, is doing much the same thing.

Antiviral is about a world where (believe it or not) the population can buy illnesses that have once infected the celebrity of their choosing, so they can be ill like their idol!

It's certainly a different type of film when you compare it to those other `horror' movies of today, however, it's probably more at home with Cronenberg Senior's work back in the eighties. At first it took me a while to get into. I, a horror fan, didn't realise quite how much I'm used to `horror' simply being a man in a mask slicing up overly-attractive teenagers. Therefore, I found this a little slow at first. However, I'm glad I persisted.

It certainly won't be everyone's cup of tea. It's very slow-moving and the characters do tend to mumble a lot (I have to admit I was turning the volume up on many an occasion). Yet it has its own sick charm, helped in the most part by the lead character. He's certainly not your average hero. In fact, he's horrible and you won't have that much sympathy for him at the best of times as he steals and infects himself with celebrities' viruses. The lead actor is truly creepy in himself. Once you've seen him walk through a door, you'll know what I mean. He just has a way of doing it that spells out `weirdo.'

There are a few - not many, but a few - horrific moments that are not for the squeamish, but Antiviral's strong-points are not its gore, but its atmosphere. It is truly a dystopian world we're witnessing and there's more than a few social digs at our culture's obsession with celebrities.
I find it hard to recommend to people in general. I would only say that if you've seen David Cronenberg's work and enjoyed it, then you should like this. However, I can see plenty of people finding this slow and boring (I did find it slow in parts).

A good film...if you know what you're getting.

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that