Movie review: ‘Antiviral’ needs a shot of substance
Even if the horror-thriller “Antiviral†wasn’t written and directed by David Cronenberg’s son, Brandon, this meat locker of a movie might still invite comparisons to much of the elder filmmaker’s signature output.
Stark, startling and weirdly inventive, “Antiviral†is set in a vaguely futuristic dystopia where the cult of celebrity has become that much more, well, cultish. The deal: Fans can get closer than ever to their favorite superstars by being injected with famous folks’ viruses, which are harvested and brokered by high-security clinics.
Amid the metaphor-heavy madness is Syd March (Caleb Landry Jones), a young clinician working both the legal and underground sides of this icky fame game. Pale and androgynous with an addictive lust for the infectious ooze of a gorgeous media star (Sarah Gadon), March proves a unique, tragi-vampiric creation. However, as an involving hero — or, actually, antihero — he’s far too remote.
Cronenberg opts for style over substance throughout, filling his debut feature with surface characters, hazy narrative rules, icy, white-on-white set design and shots so precisely composed they look feng shui-ed. Even the picture’s selective gore (fetishistic close-ups of needle injections aside) feels overly studied.
Still, “Antiviral†is often fascinating to watch. If Cronenberg’s not yet a dead ringer for his iconic dad, he’s taken an intriguing first step.
--------------------------------
“Antiviral.†No MPAA Rating. Running time: 1 hour, 48 minutes. At the Downtown Independent, Los Angeles.
PHOTOS AND MORE
Roger Ebert: Career in pictures
ENVELOPE: The latest awards buzz
PHOTOS: Greatest box office flops
Only good movies
Get the Indie Focus newsletter, Mark Olsen's weekly guide to the world of cinema.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
