Writer: Hal Masonberg, Teal Minton (Screenplay)
Starring: James Van Der Beek, Ivana Milicevic, Brad Hunt, Joshua Close, John P Connolly, Dee Wallace, Brittany Scobie, Arne MacPherson
Plot: Ten years have passed since the world’s children fell into a coma. Tonight they’re waking up and all hell is breaking loose. An unholy battle between the generations is being waged, and time is not on the side of adults.
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: Standard
Story: The Plague starts like any other morning when David (MacPherson) finds his son in a coma only to rush him to the hospital as we learn the world’s children under 9 have all gone into a coma like stance. Ten years later the world still has no children in it with all new-borns being born comatose.
We go onto meet Tom Russell (Van Der Beek) who has returned to this small town to rebuild his relationship with the people he walked away from with his brother David and doctor Jean Raynor (Milicevic). When all the children suddenly wake up Tom must lead the rest of the adults to safety because the children seem to be hell bent on killing their elders.
The Plague has what I feel is a great concept for the film where the children become comatose and the human race looks like it will face extinction, but this all goes wrong when the children turn into blood thirsty monsters searching to kill any adults. I could see so much potential in this but not have a reason for what has happened doesn’t help this and then a series of terrible decision making pulls this film apart. This is such a standard zombie film that ends up offering nothing new to the genre.
Actor Review
James Van Der Beek: Tom is freshly out of jail for a manslaughter charge where he returns to his home town searching for a way to rebuild the bridges he burnt. When he returns the children just so happen to awake from their comas and Tom must lead the fellow survivors against the children who seem to be after blood. James is solid in this role but he doesn’t really pull off the bad boy image well enough.
Ivana Milicevic: Jean is the doctor who has been treating all of these patients during the coma spell, she has seen all of the side effects but stayed by their sides but now she must fight them off just to survive. Ivana is solid in this role but even as a leading character she seems to fall into a supporting role.
Brad Hunt: Sam is the brother of Jean and good friend of Tom’s whose been struggling with the effects when he needs to fight off the children. Brad struggles to make the true impact on this film really never looking like a leading man.
Support Cast: The Plague has a supporting cast which comes off very generic for the style of film which doesn’t help push the story along enough.
Director Review: Hal Masonberg – Hal gives us a very generic story that doesn’t push any boundaries when it comes to the zombie style of film.
Horror: The Plague has elements of horror but not enough to reach any of the real high points needed in the film.
Settings: The Plague tries to keep everything within the small town even though the story is going on worldwide.
Special Effects: The Plague has very basic effects that come off looking cheap throughout the film.
Suggestion: The Plague is one to try when it is on late night on television because it doesn’t hit all the essential points but is an easy watch. (Late Night TV)
Best Part: Concept sounds good.
Worst Part: Just comes off like a genetic zombie film.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Runtime: 1 Hour 28 Minutes
Tagline: And the children shall lead them .
Overall: Bog standard zombie film that fails to use the concept well enough.
Rating