Antiviral is a dense sci-fi film that may only be fully appreciated after several viewings, but I was too bored to ever want to watch it again.
The movie is not bad, just slow. It does pick up for a moment during the second act, when it becomes more of a mystery/thriller, but then it's right back to Vonnegut-esque sci-fi.
I think the main issue is that the movie is set in a not-too-distant future where celebrity is obsessed over by everyone, and to an absurd degree. It's not the craziest leap of logic, but it would have worked better if we had built upon that world more. Without that, it just felt like the world was full of insane people. I enjoyed Brandon's Possessor much more than this.
The only scene that will stick with me was the cotton swab up the nose. Dear Satan! Caleb gets points for dedication there.
I imagine with a little tweaking of the screenplay, this could be a very solid story, but instead of pushing the plot forward, time was given to weird imagery. This is a narrative, not a music video. And, yeah, that's really the problem here: for a movie that feels like it has something to say, it just doesn't take the time to say it.
Interesting concept with a few gross moments.
A very good theme, the critical approach of celebrity worship is portrayed in a disturbing dystopia, the pace here is more introspective, slower, a little restrained at the beginning and develops much better towards the end. The performances are great and the pale atmosphere gives the movie a more impactful tone:
I love how it attack celebrities, pop culture, and idol worshiping, but Brandon Cronenberg expressed it in the most vile and gross way possible. You definitely see his fathers influence in his work, but this is a movie I’ll never need to watch again. Oh and this movie moved very slow. I had to watch it in to different parts because I kept putting me to sleep.
This is better than the crimes of the future, good low budget movie, nowadays ppl evaluate the movies like they were top gross Disney budgets, lovely, I do beleive ppl Will come to search this movie as a cult film.
It's a weird and weirdly wonderful concept. In a world where celebrity obsession has reached new heights, industries have grown up around having something that is actually a part of that celebrity. Something that has been inside them, or is them.
A cold that has passed through them has become merchandise gold. Or meat grown from a cell sample.
And with all things merch, the black market is there. And it is horrible. This movie is perfect for those who adore the absurd and unusual. The warped and gross, without having to be a typical horror movie.
Gross, exciting, original and worth watching
This movie was the worst.
Shout by DeletedBlockedParent2013-08-10T21:55:33Z
The pace is excruciating. The characters are horrible. The story is so ridiculous that it really only serves as a means to gross out, disgust and point a finger at the audience in an accusatory manner indicating: "THIS IS YOU!"