Phase 7

The plot: A goofy slacker and his pregnant wife attempt to survive a pandemic after their apartment complex is quarantined.

Phase 7 doesn't bother being coy about its influences. It's basically the plot of Rec, music from John Carpenter's minimalist synth scores, and style of Shaun of the Dead. By itself, that sounds enjoyable enough, if you're into high concept, low budget B movies. However, it's really well done. I'm a bit surprised that the rating is so low, though I can understand why some people might dismiss it as derivative.

Phase 7 isn't overly concerned with traditional horror movie tropes, though it does toy with them. Instead, it focuses on social satire and black comedy. There are very few infected people, but, unlike movies such as Rec and 28 Days Later, the effects tend to be a bit more subtle. Similar to The Signal, people tend to become more extreme in their behavior, though you're often left wondering if people are infected or your average crazy neighbor. In the end, I think the effect is the same, and this is one of the themes of the movie. There's a bit of gore and violence, but it's sparingly used. If you're looking for a vicious bloodbath, you're sure to be disappointed. Most of the scenes are played for humor, rather than tension or horror.

I liked the characters quite a lot. Most of them were flawed in some major way, but they were all fairly likable despite it. The ways that they react to each other and the situations were quite often rather amusing, even if it did play out a bit predictably at times. If you like Shaun of the Dead, Re-Animator, Army of Darkness, and other comedy/horror movies, you'll probably enjoy Phase 7. If you're looking for something original or gory, maybe you should try a different movie, however.

Clearly the movies about the end of the world and global epidemics have saturated theaters, some time from North America, through Europe to reach South America. Phase 7 does not look nor intended to be a lot more of, since we are surrounded by family and neighborhood relations around the quarantine of a building, caused by the global epidemic that plagues the general population. Coco a sleepy and sometimes awkward man is taking complicity with his neighbor, who is fully prepared for this kind of apocalyptic scenarios, while 7 months pregnant pipi, coconut couple remains ensconced in his apartment, completely ignoring coconut scans with his neighbor Horacio through the building. Zanutto, another neighbor of coconut, is clearly the veteran stereotype that leaves no doubt of brutality when shooting in cold blood to other neighbors who came to claim him for alleged Zanutto symptoms presented; eventually come and go shotgun Zanutto by Horacio him and for his, accompanied by a coconut increasingly takes the weight of the situation. Gradually being dead most condo owners in an atmosphere of survival. When there is no more that Zanutto and Horacio with coconut, is a kind of final duel between the two sides, where every action is delimited on the end of the frame, not tell.

Positives: the relationship coconut and pipi, is almost a radiograph to current relationships with differences of character and decisions. Makes history entertaining and takes the pressure of the plot, for the situation that we are experiencing. Maintains a dark thriller that sometimes keeps one alert, but only at times. Negatives: some loose ends. Slow start to reach the climax of the story, perhaps one a bit more than usual so dynamic that exists. Character semi achieved with little justification for their actions. The end deflates a bit, but the plot does not give more.

This exciting, low-budget Argentine film by Nicolas Goldbart revolves a young couple, Coco (Daniel Hendler) and Pipi (Jazmin Stuart) living in a small, high middle class apartment complex in present-day Buenos Aires City. Suddenly, the whole edifice where they live is under quarantine due to a strange high-mortality epidemic that affects the lungs of its victims. Thus, Coco and Pipi find themselves prisoners of their own apartment. The same goes for their colorful neighbors. All residents, the local sanitary authorities declare, must remain in their apartments until the quarantine is over. None knows how long would that be. Soon food supplies start to run short. Internet is down; so is television. Things take a turn for the worse and the disease becomes a global pandemic. Authorities everywhere –we learn-- are overwhelmed in a matter of days or perhaps weeks. As millions of thousands of people begin to die worldwide, a state of complete chaos and anarchy follows. A maximum stage alert (Phase 6) is declared by the World Health Organization. Yet things get even worse. The apartment complex mirrors society as a whole as the desperate and paranoid neighbors start making alliances and turning on each other with deadly intentions . . .

A block of flats is quarantined off as a result of a deadly virus that is sweeping the world. The inhabitants quickly succumb to psychological deterioration as paranoia and claustrophobia set in.

This Argentinean epidemic movie is pretty impressive. Its setting is necessarily limited but the film-makers make the most of it. The narrative is powered mainly by a decent array of characters, well played by the entire cast. The dramatic tensions in Phase 7 come not so much from the virus but from the interactions between the neighbours. As time goes on the microcosmic society of the tower block breaks down and primal instincts begin to take over. The scenario is not unlike one you would imagine J.D. Ballard coming up with, with its look at social norms deteriorating rapidly as they are tested under unusual conditions. The movie benefits too from a nice moody soundtrack that recalls the work of John Carpenter. There is at least one very well executed – and unexpected – gore scene too. In fact, the movie moves into some quite tense thriller territory in the final third. So overall, it tries to make the most of its basic set-up and deliver some suspense and atmosphere along the way. Phase 7 is a very worthwhile psychological sci-fi thriller.

I saw this film as part of the "Imagine" film festival 2011 in Amsterdam. The story gets very close to a post-apocalypse situation. An apartment building is quarantined due to an unnamed disease. Apart from the initial appearance of health care personnel, and some helicopters we see and hear circling above the building, there are no interactions with the outside world. What we see happening is completely contained within the apartment building.

Initially I was afraid that the story would focus too much on the seven month pregnant couple with their internal struggles, tensions and mood changes. I was relieved that this was not the case at all. Dramatic developments came from interactions with various kinds of neighbors. Most of them were to be considered potentially hostile. This is not unusual when it comes to survival issues, harvesting food and weapons, and suspecting others from spreading the disease that started the quarantine.

When leaving the theater, I gave an "excellent" score for the public prize competition. As an after burner, the film makes you think how you and your neighbors would act in such a situation. It gives an extra meaning to the name of this festival.