FANTASTIC FEST 2022 | MOVIE REVIEW: "Sick" Drowns In Its Own Bloodbath
7/12 ForReel Score | 3/5 Stars
Sick is a new home invasion slasher from the mind of Kevin Williamson (Scream), written by his assistant on the 2022 requel, Katelyn Crabb and directed by John Hyams (Alone). Set in April 2020 as colleges are closing their doors, best friends Parker (Gideon Adlon, The Craft: Legacy) and Miri (Bethlehem Million, And Just Like That) need to quarantine before heading home to their families. The two decided to isolate themselves at Parker's lake house. Miri is very strict on Covid protocols, while Parker couldn’t care less. Upon nightfall, a bloodthirsty killer breaks into the cabin and the girls must fight for their lives.
Williamson’s story is nothing new in the sense of its structure. The plot follows the typical rhythm of a slasher; set up the story, help the audience bond with the main characters, sprinkle in a few fake-out jump scares, then just as the viewer gets comfortable, turn up the violence. What sets the film apart is its visual style. Cinematographer Yaron Levy (Saw) captivates the audience with his hand held approach, never relying on shaky cam, but rather letting the camera float through the scenes. Levy’s long takes adds to the character’s panic while also encapsulating their vision, turning to catch their point of view, then returning back to displaying a frightened face. He continually keeps the audience engaged, keeping them in a state of terror.
Hyams doesn’t play around with the violence, every kill is gruesome and bloody. Makeup artists Rey Medrano (The Green Knight) and Kelly Donahue (Thirst) brilliantly capture the gore. Every slice, stab, and injury looks so realistic. At one point while looking at a broken leg, my stomach was turning. Medrano and Donahue’s work rivals Evil Dead (2013) and Suspiria (2018). It goes to show how irreplaceable practical effects truly are as a majority of the time, they can exceed far beyond what VFX can make believable.
Aldon or Million’s performances were solid, but could have been improved upon. I don’t believe it to be of their own faults, but rather, a result of deficiency in Crabb’s script. Much of the dialogue felt unnatural and the tidbits of comedy never seem to land. Gen Z has a particular way of communicating and it’s glaringly obvious when little thought is put into it. The script didn’t need to be as bombastic as a film like Bodies Bodies Bodies (read my review on that one here), but the dialogue could have been more seasoned.
The Covid-era slasher leaps above initial expectations, but sadly, it falters close to the finish line. The third act of the story loses any sense of plausibility. To many, the early months of 2020 felt like the wild west. Some people barricaded themselves indoors while others partied like it was the end of the world, but no level of Corona hysteria would justify the killer’s actions. The film tries to take a stance on how irresponsible people have been throughout this pandemic without saying anything meaningful. In a way, the last kills are so brutal they make up for the plot’s misgivings, however as the credits rolled I was still let down by the final act. In my opinion, the story should have dropped the Covid quarantine idea and just been a spring break cabin slasher - or perhaps it could have gone heavier into the psychological panic.
Sick is an enjoyable watch, however, 2022 has been a stacked year for horror and the film is not up to par with many of this year’s prior releases.
Acting and Casting - 1 | Visual Effects and Editing - 2 | Story and Message - 1 | Entertainment Value - 1 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 1| Reviewer's Preference -1 | What does this mean?