Review by Josh Felty
If you've seen one zombie movie you've seen 'em all. There's always the infection (typically the most exciting part, in my opinion) which ravages the masses, whether they're just a small town or the entire globe. Then there's "the survivors", complete with its own hierarchy from the fittest to the zombie-bait. I'm just as much a fan of zombie movies as the next person, but there's really only so far such a genre can go. The internet's abuzz with anything and everything zombie, and while I haven't seen Zombieland yet (though I hear it's great), I'm really kinda fed up with the crusty creepers.
Upon watching Pontypool, you would think these "infected" people are zombies. But they're infected not by bites from other "infected" folks, not by some ludicrous gas in the air, not by some even more ludicrous magic spell.
The raving throngs in this flick are infected by words. Yes, words...as in those spoken by humans.
It's quite powerful really, when you consider it: everybody speaks (unless they're mute or antisocial, of course) and often repeat the same phrases over time. What's funny about our heroes in Pontypool is they're the morning shock-jock radio variety. This one starts out innocently enough: radio DJ Grant Mazzy is a hardened Canadian shock-jock just trying to get through another day. Imagine if Don Imus were banished to the cold northern environs of Pontypool, Ontario. He's got some lovely co-workers in Sydney and Laurel Ann; and a reporter, Ken, who's out in a "helicopter". Ken's got a front stage and center seat to the mayhem outside, while his studio cohorts really don't have a clue. They're under some church, what do they care?
Which is another interesting tidbit: they're in a radio station. The best zombie movies in my mind tend to trap their heroes in the most unlikely, yet intriguing, places...Dawn of the Dead's shopping mall, Dead Snow's snowy mountains of Norway, and even though it is not truly a zombie picture, The Children and its English countryside getaway. And the whole "infected by speech" schtick is quite ironic, considering they're on the air.
My favorite aspect of this one is that it's not really a zombie movie, per se. It's something more, without giving too much away. I was most impressed with the acting chops of Mazzy's character, played by Stephen McHattie. You've seen him in Cronenberg's A History of Violence, the awe-inspiring Watchmen as Hollis Mason, and in a few other projects over the years. He's an excellent character actor, who seriously make the best actors in my opinion. And he sounds like he crawled out from some Midwest morning radio show, Bob and Tom in tow. I also loved the performance from the young, hipster-like character Laurel Ann. She provides the movie an authentic heart, which she has in spades.
My only qualm with this is the ending, which will probably polarize a lot of viewers. It's one of those "what the?" moments that leaves you cold and lonely at the end. Then again, it's just a movie.
I could go on and on about plot details and set design and all the unnecessary specifics on how movies of this ilk reflect on society and all that bull; but we all know that's unnecessary. I liked this one so much, I'm gonna allow you, faithful reader, to rent or buy or download this and enjoy it.
Otherwise, I'm just typing a lot of hot air.