Review of Pontypool (2009) by Lena L — 20 Jun 2010

Pontypool is a highly original horror film based on a viral outbreak contained within a small town in Ontario, Canada. What makes it so unique is that the entire film is set within a small radio station and we see practically none of the outbreak itself. Instead all details are given through eye witness accounts as people ring into the radio station and explain what is happening outside. At first our three main characters believe that it's a hoax until the calls becoming increasingly disturbing and eventually the outbreak catches up on them in their small radio station.

Pontypool is an exercise in creating serious tension without ever showing what's happening. It really was an excellent decision by director Bruce McDonald to leave almost everything to the viewer?s imagination; the mind is a much scarier place than anything that can be shown on screen. Sadly though the last twenty minutes don't match up to what came before it as the outbreak reaches the station and we actually see some of the infected people. Still even how the virus is transmitted and what happens to someone once infected is highly original and something that hasn't been seen on screen before.

The film is excellently acted from the three main actors, especially Stephen McHattie who steals the show as DJ Grant Mazzy. It's excellently directed, the slow build and small filtered details of the outbreak make for some great tension and suspense and works much better than most viral outbreaks films out there.

An excellent horror film that slightly lets itself down in the last 20 minutes some strange scenes, Pontypool is definitely worth a look and is proof that low budget independent horror films are still producing the goods.