‘The Plague’ Review: A Haunting Portrait of Bullying and Body Horror

by

In the unsettling film The Plague, a group of bullies relentlessly torment a solitary classmate, pushing their cruelty to disturbing extremes. Writer and director Charlie Polinger delivers a striking first feature, delving into the harsh realities of teenage bullying and peer pressure. The film’s dark visuals, unsettling music, and graphic horror elements create a genuinely creepy and gripping story. While one particular issue could have been improved, the film is overall deeply disturbing and memorable.

The film takes place in the summer of 2003, during the second week of a water polo camp. We meet Ben, played by Everett Blunck, who is having trouble keeping up with the other players. He’s a new camper, quiet and unsure of himself, and easily intimidated by the more forceful boys. When the coach, known as Daddy Wags (Joel Edgerton), asks him to explain the basics of the sport, Ben stumbles over his words and is immediately ridiculed by Jake (Kayo Martin), who seems to lead the other boys in a pack. Ben also notices Eli (Kenny Rasmussen), an unusual boy in a long blue rash guard, sitting by himself at the side of the pool, quietly talking to himself.

Ben awkwardly joined the others for lunch, trying to lighten the mood with jokes. Jake teased him playfully, without any real anger. However, the atmosphere shifted when Eli came to join them. Everyone quickly got up, grabbed their food, and moved to a different table, avoiding Eli. A confused Ben followed along, not understanding why they had all moved.

That night, back in their dorm room, Ben felt uncomfortable as the others talked crudely about girls. He cautiously asked why they were avoiding Eli, and discovered the reason for Eli’s isolation: they believed he had a terrible disease – “the plague.” It starts by decaying the skin, then attacks the mind. They warned Ben that even touching Eli could spread the illness, which is why he acted so strangely.

We experience the story of The Plague entirely through Ben’s eyes. He’s the newcomer, eager to fit in and avoid trouble. As the story unfolds, we learn more about why Ben is hesitant, but initially, he’s simply trying to understand why Eli is being treated so badly. Ben is naturally compassionate, and he finds himself in a difficult position: he wants to be accepted by the popular group, but doesn’t want to participate in Eli’s mistreatment. This empathy leads him to connect with Eli, which unfortunately exposes them both to even greater danger.


Independent Film Company

There are striking parallels between The Plague and Lord of the Flies. While the setting isn’t a deserted island, the summer camp feels isolated in the same way. The adult in charge, Daddy Wags, is notably absent during crucial moments when guidance is needed, allowing the boys – who are around 12 or 13 years old – to run wild. They quickly form a rough, animalistic group led by a boy named Jake, and are largely unsupervised. This leads to increasingly primitive behavior, including destruction, fighting, and inappropriate sexual activity. The boys’ actions in the dorms and locker rooms are likely to be deeply unsettling.

Ben is struggling with a difficult decision and things take a painful turn. He realizes bullying Eli is wrong, but he’s frustrated that Eli doesn’t seem to want to fit in. Ben believes Eli’s unusual behavior only invites trouble, and wishes he would just try to be more like everyone else to avoid being targeted. Ben is haunted by the saying, “The nail that sticks out gets hammered,” and tries to convince Eli to change. He soon discovers that bullies thrive on fear and won’t stop just because someone tries to appease them – in fact, it often makes things worse. Blunck, who recently starred in and captivated audiences with Griffin in Summer at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival, is a remarkably talented young actor with a promising career ahead of him.

The film’s unsettling atmosphere is largely thanks to Polinger’s masterful production design. He uses extended shots, dim lighting, and carefully placed slow motion to transform the camp into a truly frightening place. Instead of showing water as fun and carefree, Polinger presents it as a chaotic and dangerous environment where the actors seem trapped and struggle wildly. He further enhances the creepiness with unsettling sound effects – a discordant mix of hissing, humming, and heavy strings – that create a constant sense of dread throughout the film.


Independent Film Company

What is actually happening to Eli? Ben, too young to understand, dismisses it as a childish game, hoping it’s nothing serious. He struggles to grasp what’s different about Eli, lacking the maturity and experience to understand complex issues like autism or genetic conditions. With no adults to guide them, Ben’s fear and confusion start to take a frightening turn, creating a genuinely unsettling and disturbing situation.

Subscribe to the newsletter for deeper film analysis

Crave sharper insight into films like this? Subscribe to our newsletter for thoughtful coverage, director profiles, thematic breakdowns, and critical perspectives that illuminate unsettling cinema.

Subscribe to the newsletter for deeper film analysis

Crave sharper insight into films like this? Subscribe to our newsletter for thoughtful coverage, director profiles, thematic breakdowns, and critical perspectives that illuminate unsettling cinema.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s
Terms of Use
and
Privacy Policy
. You can unsubscribe anytime.

I almost gave The Plague four stars, but it stumbled a bit in the second act. There’s a plot point that really bothered me, and honestly, I can’t say much without giving things away. The director, Polinger, introduces this big issue but then doesn’t really address it, which left the ending feeling a little empty. Still, I can tell Polinger has a real talent for filmmaking, and I’m definitely excited to see what they do next.

The film The Plague is a collaboration between Spooky Pictures, The Space Program, and Doublethink et al. It will first be shown in select theaters on December 24th, and then become widely available across the country on January 2nd, courtesy of Independent Film Company.

Read More

2025-12-25 00:42