Infestation (2009) Director: Kyle Rankin. Starring: Chris Marquette, Brooke Nevin, Kinsey Packard, Ray Wise and Bru Muller. USA, 93 minutes. UK Cert.: 18. World Premiere (Note: This premiered on US TV on the SyFy channel on August 8th, 2009.) Trailer
The closing film of Day 1, and widely regarded as the best of the day, was Kyle Rankin's giant bug comedy Infestation. Rankin's previous work includes Alias: The Lost Episode and he was co-director of the Project Greenlight movie The Battle of Shaker Heights. The film stars Chris Marquette (Fanboys), Brooke Nevin (I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer), and Ray Wise (Twins Peaks, RoboCop). US DVD/Blu-ray release is on October 13th, UK DVD/Blu-ray release is September 7th. The film airs tonight (9/03/09) on SyFy at 7pm, (4pm Pacific on Comcast HD).
Synopsis "Slacker Cooper (Fanboys’ Chris Marquette) returns to his office to clear out his desk after being fired when a strange phenomenon causes him to black out. Awakening he’s nauseous, weak, covered in webbing and hanging from the ceiling! Struggling out of his slimy prison, he comes face to face with what was responsible – a Giant Bug. Oversize insects have suddenly taken over the world and those humans the swarm isn’t using for food are being turned into hideous half-spider monsters. Taking charge of a rag-tag group of survivors Cooper heads for the nest to destroy the colossal pests breeding within. But will they make it safely before being picked off one by one by the flying, jumping, scuttling and lethal eight-legged freaks? Writer/director Kyle Rankin’s top-ranking comedy horror is an enormously entertaining and fun creature feature with ace special effects continually propelling the inventively shudder-some creepy-crawly action." Program Notes, www.frightfest.co.uk
Reviews and Comments
"…really dumb and really fun, with some wittier, intelligent stuff chucked in for good measure. Without doubt, the best movie of the day." Jamie Carruthers, www.gorepress.com
"The clear winner of day one’s Best Film honour … with a smartly structured screenplay, some gorgeous dialogue… bang-on casting and a number of well executed bug-fight sequences. With a bit more focus and control, this could have been a genuine masterpiece of the monster movie genre but [it] still counts as a rollicking good entertainment." Brendon Connelly, www.slashfilm.com
A huge part of Infestation's charm comes from its gleeful pairing of PG-13 creature comedies like Tremors and Eight Legged Freaks!, with the awkward-guy indie comedy. I heartily recommend setting your TiVo, DVR, VCR or what-have-you or just tuning in and enjoying some post-apocalyptic bug-brained fun. Agent Orange, www.quietearth.us. From a review of the first SyFy braodcast.
The surprise of the first day … the reaction to that's been really positive … one of those really enjoyable, fun films you want to watch late at night … we recommend tracking that one down. Chris and Phil Present: Film4 Frightfest Fright Bite One! www.twitchfilm.net
Your ability to enjoy Infestation is going to be directly linked with how much you can channel that VHS loving horror hound of your youth… For the most part there’s a lightness to the movie that pervades even the somewhat less successful dark moments that the film occasionally springs on the audience. Evil Andy, dreadcentral.com
…a B-movie horror-com that’s shonky-looking, badly paced and schlocky as hell… with the odd gleefully grotesque moment, likeable leads and a Ray Wise cameo. A crap movie with good bits. Rosie Fletcher, totalfilm.com
Post a Comment