Film Review: Pontypool

Look out zombie aficionados, there’s a new cause for panic and mass hysteria. “Pontypool,” is a psychological horror film that tells an intimate story about a zombie infestation in a style closer to “Signs” then “Dawn of the Dead.” Directed by Bruce Macdonald, the film is slated for a May 29th limited release and is worth checking out if it’s playing near you.

Some hardcore genre fans may feel this movie lacks the amount of gore that one should expect to follow a zombie infestation. Others will find a more intimate and psychological film then the plethora of revivalist zombie flicks made in the past few years. Screened at both Toronto international and South by Southwest film festivals, this indie flick was picked up for distribution by IFC films.

“Pontypool” takes place in a small Canadian town by the same name. Washed out shock jock DJ, Grant Mazzy (played by Stephen McHattie), tries to rekindle his big city career by hosting the early morning show on the local radio station, CLSY. Broadcasting from the basement of the town’s church, Grant’s normal routine of school closures and local advertisements is interrupted by bizarre reports of rioting and violent behavior. The reports become more frequent and escalate in size despite nothing appearing on any of the news wires. The question is obvious for the DJ and his crew: Do they have the break on the story of the year, or are they the victim of an elaborate hoax? Before long, the question becomes one of survival. The answer is hidden in the one thing Grant knows best, the English language.

Based on the Tony Burgess novel “Pontypool changes everything,” this film is beautifully brought to life with perfect casting. You may remember Stephen McHattie as the masochistic grand inquisitor from Darren Aronowfski’s film, “The Fountain.” Here he’s dropped the robe and rosary and transformed into the deep voiced, single-malt-scotch-smooth DJ.

Alongside him at the CLSY radio station is his super balanced producer Sydney Briar (Lisa Houle) and the beautiful Iraq war veteran and know it all station techie, Laurel Ann Drummond (Georgina Reilly).

The film runs very close to real time and almost takes place entirely inside the radio station. This single location allowed the film to be shot chronologically in just 15 days. As ambitious as their schedule was, the film looks amazing and is a testament to the quality of movies shot entirely on video. For fans of J.J. Abrams, the fictitious CLSY station was built in a church that housed the “Fringe” pilot.

Overall the film is engaging and well paced, but it falls victim to a fault common of zombie films. They always feel the need to rationalize, or scientifically explain the cause and cure of the infestation. I would love if this film just focused on the drama inside the station, and stopped trying to give the audience a fake biology lesson on stopping zombies.

“Pontypool” presents an explanation for the unfolding events that is difficult to grasp and leaves a little too much WTF feeling for my tastes. The suspension of belief was immediately lost when the screening audience laughed at the solution presented to our heroes. The ending quickly turned into a big distraction from the great cinematography and performances instead of being a cohesive resolution.

I feel zombie fans will find something new and different in this thriller that they haven’t seen before. Check it out for the visuals and wonderful performances, but avoid hoping for a plot that makes sense. I give this film a 6.5 out of 10.

If you don’t have the chance to see it playing locally, “Pontypool” is part of IFC Midnight’s video on demand channel from May 27th till August 25th. Check your local listings for availability.