The Horror Show
Plague
by Nick Kozakis, Kosta Ouzas
It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of nearly every Australian horror film I’ve feasted my eyes on, and Plague is a nice addition to Australian horror arsenal. While it wasn’t as stellar as last year’s zombie hit, Wyrmwood, it was stellar in its own way as it is an entirely different animal. I think this film is definitely one to watch, especially if you’re looking for an entertaining zombie flick to add to your collection.
A small group of survivors have managed to escape the clutches of the infected and are holed up in a barn in the middle of nowhere. Evie, our leading lady, has been separated from her husband, John, and while the rest of her group is eager to move on and continue their desperate search for safety, Evie is adamant about waiting for John. The movie wastes no time and dives straight into conflict, resulting in one of the survivors meeting a terrible fate early on in the film. Evie is abandoned by the rest of her group and she waits for John alone. Eventually John finds his way to Evie, but hordes of the undead have also found their way to her. A new character is thrown into the mix, the charismatic Charlie, and he has come to the rescue just in the nick of time. Charlie naturally develops into something truly more horrific than the zombies and again, conflict and terror ensue.
I won’t give away any more of the plot because truly I feel this film shouldn’t be missed. The drama and the conflict are blended wonderfully with the horror and thriller elements of the film. To me, the zombies and the plague were just noises in the background as bigger threats and dangers emerged throughout the film.
Although the plot was sometimes slow to develop, the acting made up for it and the character interactions never felt forced. There were no cheap jump scares or corny music needed to help build the tension. There were quite a few scenes where just the horrified expressions on some of the actors’ faces, specifically Evie, were enough to convey the true terror that our small group of survivors were experiencing.
I’ll say what I always say again for this review: it’s hard to stand out in the zombie genre. Plague sets itself apart, though, as not just being a story of survivors running from the dead but a story of true human conflict. Humanity’s dark side rears its ugly head in the face of the apocalypse and that was an ongoing focal point in this film which made it even more enjoyable.
Stevie Kopas, HMS
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