Pathology

A group of pathologists kill people in unique ways and see if the others can determine how the victims were done in. Their fun and games are threatened when they invite a newbie into their little fold.

This is damn fine entertainment. Sure, the film often stretches one's suspension of disbelief pretty thin, but this is one of those films I didn't expect to enjoy as much as I did. I rented it on a whim and had a good time with it. It's a pretty nasty piece of work too. I personally find this kind of thing more disgusting than the typical hack and slash. Lauren Lee Smith has a sizable role, so that's a plus, and Larry Drake pops up briefly, though I didn't realize it was him until I saw his name in the credits. Weird since he's so recognizable. Oh, and Alyssa Milano is here as well.

"Pathology" may be too clinical for some, and may be too out there for others. Personally, I thought it was a good deal of fun. I must add, I found the main character to be the least likable person in the movie. He's one of those guys who you just long to see get cut up.

Now this looks great on paper. The core idea revolves around a group of pathology interns playing murderous games after dark. Commit the smartest murder you can, submit it to the group who then have to work out how you did it. There's a quality idea in there and plenty of opportunity for a gritty and intelligent thriller exploring the darker side of our naturally murderous psyches. It's pretty obvious that's not what the writers of "Crank" are going to give you though.

In practise it all feels a tad eighties, like a cross between "Flatliners" and "The Lost Boys", and when the edgy bad boy pathologists are roaming the halls it's like the brat pack never went away. However, where Keifer Sutherland's pack of vampires were an understandably seductive prospect, it's impossible to believe that all it would take was some gentle bullying and a hint of potential lesbian action to turn Milo Ventimiglia's posh grade A super student into a murderous crack addict.

Still, suspend your disbelief and that's forgive-able. There is some good fun here, particularly in the performances which are all pretty decent, and things (ahem) perk up whenever Alyssa Milano is on screen. The main problem is how hard the movie tries to be adult, and the constant swearing, rutting and drug use has a whiff of "Hollyoaks In The City" desperation about it. It's such a constant barrage that it becomes, well, a bit dull unfortunately. Shame, there's a good movie in there somewhere and with a defter touch and a bit more maturity this could have been pretty special.

I was very surprised and a little disappointed to see the low IMDb rating this film has thus far (6.1/10). While the movie is definitely not for children, nor for those adverse to blood/gore, nor for those disturbed by scenes of kinky sex; for the rest of us this is an entertaining movie with lots of morbidly amusing moments.

After a freakish opening scene Alyssa Milano kicks off the movie moaning "F*$% Me..." The story then quickly progresses to the mortuary where several morbid scenes of pathologists ripping open bodies while cracking jokes and playing with body parts occurs. And thats just the beginning.

The cinematography is excellent and the setting is superb. The storyline and plot are mostly predictable with a few surprises thrown in. The acting is decent, nothing great yet nothing that detracts from the film. The dialog is well-written and morbidly amusing at times. This is by far the best film I've seen Alyssa Milano in although she has a relatively small part.

Pathology is pure escapism, glorifying sociopathic behavior while reveling in money, sex and power. A wildly entertaining film from a relatively newbie director.

After seeing an advanced screening, this film honestly delivered more than expected. Not being a fan of the gruesome torture-porn films so wide-spread in recent years, nor of the writers previous film (utterly ridiculous, in my opinion), I had reservations going in. Not in regards to the abilities of the cast, but as to how the concept of the film would be handled on the screen. The first 10 minutes, while well done, gave me pause as to whether the filmmakers would get beyond showing how extreme and outrageous they could be to an actually engaging story. In the end, I found the graphic and brutal nature of some of the scenes to support the development of the story and it's well drawn characters as well as the effective exploration of the darker potentials of the human psyche. My final impressions were of the solid performances of the cast and how the film was able to accomplish making the outrageous and often twisted ways of its characters seem both natural and plausible given the context of the story. I highly recommend giving this film a shot, even if it isn't a genre you'd typically see.

Apparently, pathology students gravitate towards psychosis and meth induced orgies. At least these ones do. This is an entertaining, suspenseful movie with a fresh premise. It has a few good surprise turns and is thrilling without excessive gore or jump scare tactics. There are definitely some holes though. Most notably, imperfect murders and free for all access to the facilities so our gang can party til they puke. I also found it hard to swallow that our hero fell into the craziness so effortlessly. I would have liked to have seen a little more resistance on his part. It's a good flick though. Give it a watch.