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I rented Pontypool yesterday. I feel bad for my friend, we watched it together, and he rented it on my recommendation. I felt like a fool. It was that bad. This is obviously a Canadian film, besides being filmed in Canada (not that it would have mattered where you filmed it) and being scripted by Tony Burgess, the Canadian author of the book that the movie was based on, it had NO BUDGET. None. What. So. Ever. They probably filmed this whole thing over a long weekend with about $500.
Foolishly I had assumed that the movie would in some way resemble at least one of the story lines from the book. It did not. The only things that were remotely related to the book was the use of the word Pontypool (it's a small town in Ontario), some of the characters names, and how the Zombi-ness if caused/spread. Other than that, there was really no relation. In the book there is mention of a radio station, and the first main character does a police interview in the basement of a church. So then from that, the movie adopted the use of a church basement, and a radio station.
Sorry to spoil it if you're actually considering seeing this film, but THE WHOLE FUCKING THING TAKES PLACE IN A CHURCH BASEMENT!!!! Other than the opening of the movie where the radio station host is driving himself to the church, the rest of the movie you get to hear descriptions and sound effects of the action that you would WANT to see in the movie, but no, oh hell no, you don't get to see any of it. I guess the budget was too small, so instead of seeing the action, it is described to you while you watch the DJ describe it to the radio audience. Worst idea. The only good part of the movie is when the two main characters beat a young girl to death. You know a movie sucks when that's the best part. What was even worse than that was that when they were beating the infected girl, the camera focuses on the WALL above what is going on, so again, you are treated to sound effects but nada on the visuals.
I don't know who's terrible idea it was to make a movie this way, but hopefully they will never be allowed to do so again. I spent the first 30 minutes of the film waiting for them to show something outside of the radio station/church basement. Once they ushered in a band of white people in brownface dressed like terrorists to sing a song on the radio I gave up. I just KNEW we weren't going to see anything good. The book could have potentially been adapted into a watchable movie, but they failed. I can't even bring myself to write anymore about it.
It should have come with a warning: This film has no action. Acting is minimal at best. Don't expect to see any Zombie carnage.
I give this movie .5/10
Foolishly I had assumed that the movie would in some way resemble at least one of the story lines from the book. It did not. The only things that were remotely related to the book was the use of the word Pontypool (it's a small town in Ontario), some of the characters names, and how the Zombi-ness if caused/spread. Other than that, there was really no relation. In the book there is mention of a radio station, and the first main character does a police interview in the basement of a church. So then from that, the movie adopted the use of a church basement, and a radio station.
Sorry to spoil it if you're actually considering seeing this film, but THE WHOLE FUCKING THING TAKES PLACE IN A CHURCH BASEMENT!!!! Other than the opening of the movie where the radio station host is driving himself to the church, the rest of the movie you get to hear descriptions and sound effects of the action that you would WANT to see in the movie, but no, oh hell no, you don't get to see any of it. I guess the budget was too small, so instead of seeing the action, it is described to you while you watch the DJ describe it to the radio audience. Worst idea. The only good part of the movie is when the two main characters beat a young girl to death. You know a movie sucks when that's the best part. What was even worse than that was that when they were beating the infected girl, the camera focuses on the WALL above what is going on, so again, you are treated to sound effects but nada on the visuals.
I don't know who's terrible idea it was to make a movie this way, but hopefully they will never be allowed to do so again. I spent the first 30 minutes of the film waiting for them to show something outside of the radio station/church basement. Once they ushered in a band of white people in brownface dressed like terrorists to sing a song on the radio I gave up. I just KNEW we weren't going to see anything good. The book could have potentially been adapted into a watchable movie, but they failed. I can't even bring myself to write anymore about it.
It should have come with a warning: This film has no action. Acting is minimal at best. Don't expect to see any Zombie carnage.
I give this movie .5/10
