Cannes 2025: Spectacular Thriller ‘The Plague’ from Charlie Polinger
by Alex Billington
Might 24, 2025
A contemporary new debut from a filmmaker who has actual expertise. Probably the greatest first movies on the 2025 Cannes Movie Competition is titled The Plague, an American indie thriller made by filmmaker Charlie Polinger. In the course of the intro at its world premiere, actor Joel Edgerton (who additionally runs his personal manufacturing firm referred to as Blue-Tongue Movies – although they are not concerned on this movie) acknowledged that he’d already seen few of Polinger’s brief movies earlier than studying the script for this & could not look ahead to him to lastly make his mark together with his first characteristic. That second is right here and, sure, he has undoubtedly made his mark. Even after watching many different movies over the course of the pageant, this one nonetheless stands out, it nonetheless lingers in my thoughts and the rating nonetheless haunts me. Even when the story about bullying is a bit apparent, and even when it by no means dips into any full-on horror regardless of the sensation usually that it would accomplish that, it’s nonetheless a formidable debut with prime notch filmmaking throughout the board. The Plague plunges viewers into the chilling realm of youngsters choosing on different children and it is correct freaky stuff.
Written & directed by Charlie Polinger, The Plague is ready within the early 2000s and tells the story of a gaggle of youngsters at a water polo summer time camp. I do know these sports activities camps as I went to a couple once I was rising up & they had been all the time awkward experiences for me, too. A bunch of feisty, younger, bored children thrown collectively for per week (with none mother and father). Newcomer Everett Blunck stars as a scrawny child named Ben, who tries to realize the camaraderie of the opposite group of youngsters that already know one another. Kenny Rasmussen co-stars as Eli, a bizarre boy who has some pores and skin issues that seem as rashes on his physique. The opposite children suppose that is some scary illness they dub “The Plague” and act as if it is horrible, all the time making enjoyable of him, continuously choosing on him, not going close to him. However Eli would not appear to care and simply does no matter he desires to do his personal method, even when they maintain bullying him. Kayo Martin additionally co-stars as Jake, the bullying ringleader who’s all the time the one discovering one thing to choose on with any child. The performances from Everett Blunck and Kayo Martin are a number of the greatest younger performances I’ve seen in fairly some time. They don’t seem to be solely convincing but additionally difficult, diving right into a disquieting dynamic that’s vital for this story to work in addition to it does.
Except for the children being legit of their roles (and Joel Edgerton as their coach), that is correct filmmaking firing on all cylinders. There’s some extremely distinctive cinematography by DP Steven Breckon, framing the pool and the buildings and each shot in a method that’s immediately peculiar or unsettling but additionally entrancing. This man has a watch, that is for certain, and I am glad he teamed up with Polinger. The rating guidelines – it is a stirring horror rating constructed round “aaah” and “oooh” vocals sampled into percussive music. The singer / composer Johan Lenox is the ingenious musician behind this rating and he deserves further consideration for creating this particularly freaky rating. Nonetheless excited about it on a regular basis… It is a part of what makes this film so chilling to look at, holding viewers on the sting of their seat even when it is not really horror. In the end the story is much less about bullying and extra about being your self, not letting any peer stress or conformity get to you. Not a simple process, particularly while you’re a child rising up who desires to be seen as cool and accepted within the group. It is a helluva good movie that is completely unique and gripping – Polinger immediately proving he is received the chops.
Alex’s Cannes 2025 Score: 8 out of 10
Observe Alex on Twitter – @firstshowing / Or Letterboxd – @firstshowing
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