Oh, Canada! You’ve given us beautiful scenery and great vacation spots. You’ve given us entertainment in sports with your 2010 Winter Olympic Hockey win. And now you’ve given us one of the most interesting and original zombie flicks I’ve ever seen with Ryan M. Andrew’s Sick.
Where do I even begin with this one, folks? Where do I even begin? Zombie movies are easily the scariest films in the horror genre. While very unlikely, an apocalyptic disease that causes cannibalism and extreme aggression is somewhat plausible. Imagine sitting in your room, looking out your window, and suddenly the news broadcasts start coming in. The outbreak has reached extreme proportions and governments across the globe are crumbling. This is where we briefly find Sick‘s lead character Leigh (played by Christina Anne Aceto). However, this is just the beginning of a flashback and we quickly find Leigh back to reality in a government facility.
She is the lead scientist searching for a cure to the zombie epedemic. Her only allie is Claudio (played by Jennifer Silveira), a former murderer and scavenger known as a “vulture.” With all of her test samples running low, Leigh decides to venture out into the wilderness to find new samples and to visit her childhood home. On her way to her old neighborhood, Leigh runs into two survivalists, Seph (Richard Roy Sutton) and McKay (Robert Nolan). This unlikely trio must head into the city to seek shelter from the infected and soon become unwilling friends. Their brand new relationship is soon tested as secrets are revealed and the dead start knocking at the door.
I think the most important quality I would to get out there about Sick is its originality. It does not follow the typical zombie film symmetry at all and forges its own way. Never before have I seen a zombie flick that didn’t play by the rules so much and absolutely kept the unexpected as just that…unexpected. This is the only zombie film I’ve ever seen where the characters gain it all, lose it all, gain it all back and then some, only to lose more than imaginable. I wish I could explain to you what I mean, but it would spoil most of the last quarter of the film. Total originality and it will be a huge pleasure to any film viewer. I can’t thank Ryan M. Andrews and Chris Cull for thinking outside the frickin’ box! Finally!
Obviously, zombies are the biggest antagonists in Sick, but the film is still character driven. I would say the zombies are secondary antagonists with the biggest threat being the lack of time and resources. The three characters who drive the plot along the most Leigh, Claudia, and Seph. I found myself drawn to Leigh and Claudia the most; and to me their scenes were the most enjoyable. My only question is – how come they couldn’t be lesbians? I felt such lesbian tention from them and they could have been the Willow and Kennedy of zombie films. I also have to mention that horror icon Debbie Rochon has a supporting role in Sick. She plays a scientist on the other side of the country who constantly vlogs her virus study updates.
I love the way that Sick was filmed. The quality of film and the almost misty texture to the picture was very fitting. This made the blood almost appear black and that was cool. The audio production was flawless, absolutely flawless. As a cohesive production, Sick is the perfect piece of horror cinema. The only real error I saw was in one of Ms. Rochon’s scenes. She says she’s in a new location in a new country, but clearly filming from the exact same office. This I can easily over look because for an indie film, one small continuity error as the only critique speaks to the level of devotion and professionalism the cast and crew gave to Sick.
Sick is unfortunately not available for purchase just yet. I think it’s currently premiering and doing the festival route, but I can guarantee this is going to be a hit. Sick is an original zombie masterpiece, driven by both characters and blood, and filled with an extreme sense of urgency and hope. If you ever get the chance to see it, take it! You will not be disappointed.
Official Site: https://sicksurvivethenight.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sickthemovie
Saw this flick in its early stages and it was fantastic from the start!
Saw it in blood in the snow film festival and I must say, you think it is just a regular zombie flick, until half way. Half way in the film it flips and true drama and character depth is introduced carrying a much more meaning and engaging story. Well done..a movie worth seeing.