Pontypool - Zitto... o muori

I would have watched a series with Stephen McHattie playing a small town DJ. With his cowboy hat on. Man he's good in this.

Pontypool is one of the few horror movie that used a little creativity and proves you don't need a high budget to a make horror film. The story circles around a local radio station and its crew of three people. As the day moves on they slowly start to here reports of violence happening all over the region. This includes riots, people killing each other and intervention from the Canadian Government. Soon they find themselves hiding in the station from the horror out side they are reporting. If that was not bad enough, they can't figure what's going on. Pontypool takes a very different and more effective way at trying to scare its audience. Most western horror these days seem to mainly focus on jump scares or brutal kill scenes alone. Pontypool on the other hand gives a few vague descriptions on what's actually going on out there. For most of the movie you really are just listening to a broadcast and testimonies of eye witness. This leaves the viewer having his own imagination working against him for a big chunk of the film. For me this was the most strongest for the first half of the film when we don't know what's causing the hysteria. I actually only have one real complaint which I felt the ending could have been better. I didn't hate the ending it just feels kind of weak compared to what we see earlier. I would go into more detail but that would results in some spoilers.

Overall it's a fun creepy horror movie that could be enjoyable for Halloween. I give it a few extra points for what they were able to pull off on a low budget and for an interesting experiment in horror.

Thats why I give this radio broadcast from hell an 8 out of 10.

Indeed, Pontypool is one of those movies that will appeal to a certain number of people, but it's just not for everyone. However, it does feature some refreshingly new twists and turns to the classical zombie-infestation-overflows-a-village horror story. These new twists and differences are beautifully explained during the movie, and won't leave you with any questions at the end, something that doesn't happen often enough in this genre.

The acting by Stephen McHattie and Lisa Houle is decent enough, especially for a horror movie. Especially the first part of the movie, where the tension is built up, relies for the most part on their acting and they pull it off nicely. The camera-work is good but nothing special, the setting is dark but what can you expect from this genre of film!

All in all, I believe Pontypool stands out of the bulk of today's horror movies. It won't make it to be an all time classic of the genre, but it's a nice movie to watch (atleast for once), especially if you like a somewhat mysterious atmosphere and less blood and gore than is usual for a zombie movie. If you, on top of that, try to really comprehend the new twists and turns and the explanation for the zombie infestation and use your imagination, this film will leave you wondering and ensure you'll have had a good time.

*First review ever*

A remarkably fresh & highly original example of restrained craftsmanship that's clever, captivating & at times amusing, Pontypool is a smartly structured, patiently narrated & brilliantly performed Canadian horror that establishes an aura of unrelenting tension & mystery with immaculate precision during its first half but loses some of its potency when it lets the cat out of the bag in the remaining half.

The story of Pontypool takes place in the titular town and unfolds at a radio station where a radio announcer is going through his usual morning schedule with two of his associates before they are interrupted by one of their reporters who feeds them disturbing intel about an uprising in the small town that is rapidly getting out of control, but they are left shell-shocked when they learn the true nature of it.

Directed by Bruce McDonald, the first half of Pontypool is a thrilling exercise in tension building as it provides only bits n pieces of information regarding the horror that's unfolding in the town, that too through second hand accounts instead of taking the viewers right into the middle of the crime scene, thus bringing their imagination into play. Less is more is the approach here and McDonald employs it really well for the most part.

The script is penned down by the author of the novel this film is adapted from, and the decision to narrate the story like a radio play gives Pontypool a uniqueness of its own. Its minimal & enclosed setting helps in sustaining its already tense ambiance as our characters are just as oblivious as us and have to rely on reported accounts to make a sense of what's happening outside. However, when we do get to the part when the secret comes out, it all seems a bit absurd.

The camera rarely sways its focus away from the characters inhabiting this tale and it makes really effective use of close-ups throughout its runtime. Editing in the first half is nearly flawless but the next half is a hit or miss, depending on how the big reveal works out for you. The cast comprises of Stephen McHattie, Lisa Houle & Georgina Reilly, with McHattie carrying the entire film on his own with a cool, confident & charismatic performance and is finely supported by Houle & Reilly.

On an overall scale, Pontypool works amazingly well during its first half, takes an unexpected turn in the middle that requires some time to get comfortable with but the film still wraps itself up on a satisfying note with a finale that's heartbreaking yet brims with heartfelt warmth. Whether you approach it as a zombie film or a psychological horror, this Canadian flick is a welcome entry in the world of horror that's undeterred by budgetary constraints and finds creative ways to realise its own ambitions. Definitely recommended... recommended... recommended...!

I remember purchasing this book back in 2008 because it was a Canadian zombie story that takes place in a little nowhere Ontario town called Pontypool. The back of the book had me laughing and intrigued by the description.

A virus. Flesh eating zombies. A body count in the millions has decimated Ontario's population. What if you woke up and began your morning by devoting the rest of your life to a murderous rampage, a never-ending cannibalistic spree? And what if you were only one of thousands who shared the same compulsion? This novel depicts just such an epidemic. It's the compelling, terrifying story of a devastating virus.

I will not tell you how you catch it so as not to include spoilers, but once it has you, it leads you on a strange journey—into another world where the undead chase you down the streets of the smallest towns and largest cities.

If you are expecting a night of the living dead style film... this is not it. This movie does a fantastic job of drawing you into the world of the characters, their relationships and everything falling apart around them; you are not an outside observer. You are for all intensive purposes just another Pontypool citizen wondering "Wiskey-Tango-Foxtrot".

This movie is a great treat for four reasons 1) The focus on the actors as the actors were perfectly cast. You may recognize an actress from the recent release of Dark Room 2) The choice to follow the "Aliens" model of never placing the source of "fear and unease" front stage. By not letting you in on the whole thing and only providing glimpses, your imagination will take the scenes further than any expensive CGI ever could. 3) The writing and angle of the movie. You feel like you are part of the movie as you only know what the main actors know... nothing more! 4)The intro and the voice of the main actor really pull you in like a warm sedative as you spiral downward into the insanity of your own imagination.

Enjoy... we did!