Ick

Saw it on opening night at ScreamFest 2024 in LA. Was absolutely hysterical. Moves at TikTok speed and passes by very quickly even though it's not a short movie. The direction was great, the pace was quick, the cast was strong, and the soundtrack was incredible. Overall the movie was fun, satirical, and a good mix of jump scares and laugh-out-loud moments. I can't remember the last time I saw a cast that was this strong in a film that was relevant for my generation. Old people might not get it, but if you grew up in the early 2000's and after, you will.

This film won't cast a light on big world issues, but it will make you laugh at how terrible humanity is. Ick is the kind of movie you'll watch over and over again to discover new funny details in you hadn't noticed before. Ick is awesome and one-of-a-kind in the best way possible. Would highly recommend!

Saw this opening at Screamfest at The Mann Chinese Theatre. Super fun film with a great cast. You can tell watching it that everyone involved had a really great time making the film. It feels like a movie made by people who really love films especially those from the 90s and early 2000s. Parts reminded me of Eight Legged Freaks, the Faculty, and Lawnmower Man. It harkened back to a time when popular horror films were more about having a good time then being a deep intellectual pursuit. Not that I mind a brilliant brain bender, but it is refreshing to see a film not take itself so seriously.

The cast was brilliant. Brandon Routh was incredibly charming and funny as the lead, Mena Suvari was great as well. Malina Weissman really carried the film well with her grounded yet endearing performance. Harrison Cone was hilarious as the overly performative, virtue signaling douchebag. Two great breakout performances came from Taia Sophia and Zeke Donovan Jones. Their awkward goth romance added a ton a heart to the film. I suspect these two actors will be future fan favorites.

There is an eight-screen movie theater in my town, and since I'd had some work successes, I wanted to treat myself to a movie. My choices were; yet another Superman reboot, yet another Fantastic Four movie (unsure if reboot or not), yet another Jurassic sequel, Elio, a Smurfs reboot, something called "The Home," and the "How to Train your Dragon live action."

Then, there was this.

It starred Brandon Louth, which made me go hm. Since his turn as the Man of Steel, he has kept fairly busy on television, but I remember his appearance in "Zack and Miri make a porno," which was only a short while after Superman Returns. He seemed animated and relaxed in his role (a very brief but somewhat important one in that movie) and I remember thinking that if they allowed that side of him to come through in his Superman movie it might have been better received.

For the first part, he's in high school and it made me wonder if they used de-aging technology or if, with the makeup he could still look that young even in his mid-40s. I think it might be both. Happily, for the rest of the movie he got to show the side of him that was so appealing in "Zack and Miri."

The movie itself is somewhat of a rapid-fire assault on the senses and is made for a completely different demographic than me. As other reviewers have said, the "Ick" depicted in the movie might be a metaphor for culture rot so prevalent today.

And yes, it does get a little slapdash at the end, but overall it was fun to see a little creativity and fun in a movie for a change. I also got the sense that some of the easter eggs other reviewers have described might reveal themselves more in a repeat viewing.

The length and pacing hit the sweet spots for a movie such as this, and as another reviewer has said, it looks like everybody had a good time making it. I had a good time seeing it, and since Brandon was one of the producers, I want to say thank you to him for turning out something semi-original.

I swear, there is not a camera shot longer than 12 seconds in this entire movie. It is liking watching some random one and a half hour flashback montage scene, it was like the flashback opening of the film just never stopped! Kills the movie. The acting is good, the idea behind the film is okay but I think the director/writer threw too much thought into the ick metaphor and ultimately made it null and void. This should have never got a big screen release. The soundtrack is cancelled out because using tons of different songs for 20 seconds each just gets old however whoever scored the film did an excellent job, shame their talent was wasted on this mess. I definitely know Ick is not the type of film you pay money to watch.

I'm going to be honest here.

This film is pretty dumb.

But, while it comes off as random, with a creature whose existence is never explicitly explained.

Kahn admittedly does a competent job providing explanations for the unexplained aspects of the film via subtext.

You just need to wade through the ick, in order to get there...and, well, get what the film is about.

Because we are the ick.

The ick- an invasive alien plant creature that becomes more malevolent, the more it's exposed to modern humanity- is a manifestation of the worst aspects of human nature...our most cringe qualities (think of it kind of like when AI when is exposed to the internet).

Hence why the only people immune to it are those who have been humbled by life.

Take the two main characters, for example.

Both of whom had it all in highschool, only to lose it all in their transition to adulthood, when life gave them a reality check.

The protagonist of the story, having been the highschool quarterback, whose life- after being slated for the NFL- gets upended when he suffers a career ending injury (brought on by the ick) in his final game before going off to college.

And our protaganess (the most divine beauty to ever grace the silver screen), when, despite being the most popular girl in school, isn't able to get into the university of her dreams.

Though, also her best friend (and the boy she likes), who are just kind-hearted nerds in the form of a tortured artist and the smartest girl in school.

The latter being characters that are contrasted by the guy who seems to be, at least, semi-autobiographically based on the director, himself.

Though, not necessarily in a realistic sense.

Rather, how he had fantasized his life could have gone (ie gets rich, and marries the hottest girl in school...even though that, inevitably, leads to his downfall).

On top of that, Kahn clearly incorporates many of his own coming of age influences into the film, as well.

Not only in the form of a large collection of 2000's era music.

But also via other cultural influences.

Like how the main character comes off as a dollar store (read: satirized) version of Bruce Campbell as Ash in Evil Dead (right down to his iconic blue shirt).

And the one young man who is clearly fashioned after Jason Mewes when he plays Jay in the Kevin Smith films.

All in all, the whole thing is akin to a faster paced, horrorified, version of a teenage high school comedy.

Kind of it like a high octane John Hughes film, with more of an Idiocracy vibe.

Hence why I say it's a "dumb" film, despite the interesting easter eggs that are strewn throughout it.

Many of which, apparently, harken back to his earlier films.

The highlight of it all, though, is clearly our young protagoness.

She is, quite literally, a Goddess so divine, she put's Aphrodite to shame (and goddamn did she ever look good at the TIFF Q&A...the epitome of perfection).

And a great actress to boot.

But, did I love the film...well, no.

Not exactly.

It was farrrrrr too reliant upon CGI effects for my personal taste.

But it had it's moments.

As an Evil Dead fanatic, I particularly appreciated the influence he took from that series.

And I've got to give him credit for casting the right actress for the main role.

But it isn't enough to save the film from how dumb it really is.

Though...perhaps that was what he was going for.

3 out of 10.