Genres

Visitors Review

2012-05-15 18:18:55

So Dumb

Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb movie. The concept was almost interesting but still a dumb dumb dumb dumb dump movie.

McQualude 2012-05-15 05:18:16

The really scary part is how many Pontypool zombies are already among us.

I really, really, hate to give anything away but many people seem to bemissing the obvious... that words hold power, they are infectious andcan lead to unintended consequences. Stephen McHattie steals the showas the cowboy hat wearing radio talk show host Grant Mazzy. Mazzy wasrecently fired from his real gig and is now the morning show in thesmall town of Pontypool. Between reports of school closings and trafficreports, Mazzy tries to provoke (wake up) his audience with chargedlanguage but Mazzy is about to learn that words have consequences.First he offends his producer and a casual joke turns out not to befunny when it hits too close to home. Then reports of mob violencestart flooding the station. As the bloodshed escalates and threatensMazzy and his morning crew they slowly learn the true nature of thethreat and the power of their own words. Pontypool holds relevantlessons for us all. There is some blood and mild gore but the reallyscary part is how many Pontypool type zombies are already among us.

lastliberal 2012-05-14 08:46:27

Dix. Neuf. Huit. Sept. Six. Cinq. Quatre. Trois. Deux. Un.

It's not the word, but our understanding of the word that allows thevirus to spread. If that is so, then radio jock Grant Mazzie (StephenMcHattie - Captain Healy in the Jesse Stone movies) is spreading thevirus.The action takes place in the radio station with Grant, Sidney (LisaHoule) and Laural-Ann (Georgina Reilly), with Grany really leading theshow. Dr. Mendez (Hrant Alianak) joins them later.We only see glimpses of the zombies. The action is confined to reportsfrom radio listeners or other broadcasters until the last reel. If youare expecting blood and gore, you will be disappointed in thisgenre-bending film.

2012-05-13 20:56:07

Excellent Beyond Words: Pontypool Rules the Screen

PONTYPOOL is by far one of the most excellent "zombie" films in the history of cinema. When one considers the fact that some who worked on the film did not consider it to be a "zombie" film, it serves to outline the reasons the film works so well. The "happenings" that occur in the small town of Pontypool can be seen in many different ways. Certainly, the strangeness of the movie make the situational horror manifest itself within the confines of several interpretations. The "bad" guys can be seen as zombies, insane, victims, etc. What makes the movie so incredible is the Oscar worthy acting by Stephen McHattie. McHattie's portrayal of Grant Mazzy is dizzying. His performance is by far one of the most outstanding and riveting in any genre. When this fact is coupled with one of the most intriguing plots in the history of film, the viewer gets a rare recipe for greatness. PONTYPOOL is a must see for zombie fans, horror fans, and serious film buffs. It was simply one of the most outstanding films I have seen in a very, very long time. Do not miss it!

2012-05-07 01:49:38

PontyPool, PontyPool, PontyPool

This review is from: Pontypool (DVD) A movie that unquestionably stirs the imagination to no end. It isn't your run-of-the-mill zombie flick. Rather, it's a masterpiece of a psychological horror film that provides a completely unique perspective of impending doom and the unknown as the world collapses around the main characters. Grant Mazzy, "taking no prisoners", played by Stephen McHattie is remarkable, shining in the lead role as the town's skeptically humorous radio broadcaster. Highly recommended movie -- PonyPool, PontyPool, PontyPool.

tsunamipap 2012-05-06 18:31:43

Worst movie ever

I saw this movie and I really thought the first half of the film wascool, and I liked the acting, and the different perspective on a"zombie" movie. I was overall entertained, and thought this could bequite good. Then about 1 hour into the film, they reveal how peopleturn into zombies, and it was the f****** lamest idiotic idea I haveever seen or heard. It spreads by words. And the doctors acting is sounbelievably bad, I don't even think he as an actor can pull it off,because the things he has to explain to the others are so incrediblylame. Then he moves on to explain that it's the understanding of theword that triggers the virus, and then they start writing stuff downinstead of saying them out loud, but the understanding of a word is thefreaking same, even if you read it or hear it. I had to f****** stopthe movie because it got so lame. Too bad, because I thought it wasquite decent until then.1/10

2012-05-06 13:13:35

From Brilliance To Messiness

If you've seen Insidious, you know how frustrating it can be to have afilm so fantastically scary, intense, and all-around amazing in thefirst half, and then so violently crash into crap in the second.Pontypool, unfortunately, follows suit to this plague.In one of the early scenes, we hear of a recent "explosion of people"outside of a doctor's office, where the people are eating and killingone another. One of the on-scene reporters for the radio stationdescribes the scene and his encounter with a couple of these infectedpeople. The amount of intensity in this one particular scene is soincredibly raw, that alone marks Pontypool in one of my most memorablehorror moments ever. Hearing the man struggle for his life over theradio line did so much more than watching him go through it could everdo. There was obvious, genuine fear in all aspects of the word forevery character in the film, and we as the viewer felt it pulsingthrough us along with them, a feeling that is all too forgotten andunattainable in most horrors today.When it came time to explain the process of the actual virus, the filmslowly but surely got a bit messy and dull. Towards the end of thefilm, it seemed to have focused more on the comedy aspect of thecharacter's survival, rather than the all-exciting thrillseeker it wasin the beginning. Once the zombies came hoarding into the radiostation, their mundane and (ironically) lifeless performance began toreflected my mood: bored. The zombies did more for me when they wereout of mind, and were just figments of the imagination, than they didlive and on-screen And the reasoning behind the outbreak added anotherlevel of slopiness and all too confusing logic to back it's story."Kiss is Kill" was one of the dullest cop-outs to a 'cure' I have seenin a zombie film, and disappointed me on so many levels.All in all, the beginning half more than makes up for the finale, whichis a huge let down. Is it worth seeing? Definitely. The beginningtricks the viewer into thinking this is a serious, full-on horror filmthat will bring the rain that the horror film desert has so desperatelyneeded, but, it ultimately lets us down by becoming more of anot-so-joke.

scott8823 2012-05-06 07:29:16

McHattie's performance carries the film. Worth a viewing if you like word-play.

McHattie's performance, as well as his real life wife, Houle's carriedthe film. If you enjoy reading, and enjoy clever word-play, you'll findthis movie interesting. If you are only watching for a zombie flickperspective, you'll be less than thrilled. In fact, traditional fans ofzombie movies may find themselves disappointed with the twist on thezombie genre. However, that very twist makes the theme interestingintellectually. This movie will cause you to reflect on the power ofwords. The idea of the movie is creative.So, this movie is something different, and for that reason, you maywant to give it a viewing. You won't need to give it more than one,though. The final post-credit scene with McHattie and Houle, where sheis in an oriental fabric, and where he is wearing sun-glasses detractedfrom the film. Another reviewer commented on this, and that person iscorrect.

2012-04-28 17:59:01

Unique

Zombies are going the way of the vampire (trendy), but this one is worth seeing. The suspense is amazing for what seems to be a low budget film with great cinematography!

T K 2012-04-28 06:23:43

This should be rated higher! And this is why.......

I am appalled that this fantastic little horror film is not in the 9bracket. I am sick of these types of movies, for those of you who haveseen the film, you know of what sort I am referring to. But, Pontypoolhas renewed my love of them, a total mould breaker, intelligentconcept, supremely acted,especially by McHattie. This was filmed on alow budget and with a low cast list. The suspense that builds up in youas you watch the plot unfold, reminds me of the Orson Wells version ofWar of the worlds.The acting being as good as it was, I found imaginingbeing on the other end of the radio, listening to the eventstranspiring, utterly terrifying. I have not been so blown away by ahorror in a very,very long time. If you do not get the concept orwanted more gore, fine, but please do not allow yourself to vote such alow score because it was not generic enough for you. Be warned thisfilm is a genre buster and it will leave you thinking, what if! But, ifyou want masses of gore,blood and violence, I would advise you look forsomething else,try 'The SIgnal' or 'Tokyo Gore Police'....This is athinking persons monster movie.

2012-04-25 23:53:42

Not Quite a Zombie Film - But a Great Film nontheless!

Don't expect a gut munching zombie gorefest. If that's all you can relate to - find a Bruce Campbell Film. But if you like your horror eerie, atmospheric and smart - look no further! GREAT FILM

Monsieur_Poopoo 2012-04-25 12:34:03

One of the Greats

Very rarely, films transcend their medium and break through into someother dimension. These are not merely technically superb films withfine cinematography and wonderful performances. Rather, something elsehas been addressed; at the risk of seeming pompous, I'd call it "whatit means to be human." Maybe some of you know what I'm talking about.After the film is over, you walk out into the world and your life haschanged in some fundamental way. You actually experience colors andshapes and smells afresh, as though you've re-emerged into a differentuniverse.I can think of several films that have had that effect on me. EricRohmer's "Summer (Le Rayon Vert)" and Kieslowski's "Decalogue" springto mind. But "Pontypool" approached the core. I'm not Catholic, wouldpronounce myself an atheist if that didn't suggest the arrogance ofcertainty, but this movie comes as close to touching the soul as anyI've ever seen. It is one of the most shattering, delightful, andprofound works of art ever created. After first seeing it, I sat in mycar, clutched the steering wheel, and sobbed for half an hour.Since that day, many weeks ago, moments from it continue to haunt me.I'll be walking down a street lined with trees and remember the reportsof people having bizarre seizures. Out of the blue, the looks on thefaces of the just-married young couple as they begin developing strangespeech patterns and evoking horrendous acts of violence . And, ofcourse, the image of the villagers watching the lone wagon disappearinto the darkness is one which will live with me until I die.In short, as I stumble my own way through life, this film is one of thetouchstones that reminds me why I'm here.Dr Monsieur Poopoo, University of Paris Laarbeeklaan 103, B - 1090Walloon Region

ametaphysicalshark 2012-04-22 16:03:07

Uniquely Canadian intellectual zombie thriller relies on suggestion, subtext, and wit in place of gore

Social and political commentary in zombie films is hardly a new thing,but "Pontypool" does it better, and with more subtlety and grace thanany recent movie I can think of. "Pontypool" does what I thought wouldbe impossible: it breathes new life into the zombie genre. Well,perhaps that's a bit inaccurate, but it does provide a truly original,smart, intelligent take on the concept of 'zombies' (though this isagain a viral infection and not the walking dead).The film is, I will admit, an acquired taste. Not all the humor willwork with every viewer, I have already seen the character of DoctorMendez, who worked perfectly for me, criticized repeatedly as theweakest point of the film. However, what every viewer should be able toappreciate is the creative, intellectual, witty, sometimes hilariousscreenplay by Tony Burgess, as well as the truly rare sort ofbrilliance shown by Stephen McHattie in the lead role here. He doeseverything in the film. Cocky, vulnerable, sad, happy, terrified andtriumphant. He simply does not miss a beat for the entire film, and nowthat I've seen it twice I really do believe, regardless of whether ornot anyone agrees with me (and keeping in mind that McHattie hasreceived unanimous praise from Canadian critics for his perforrmance),that his is one of the very best male performances of the decade. Burgess' screenplay is based on his own novel, and is around as greatas the novel. Burgess' novel is in its original state 'unfilmable', andit would take an absolute genius to make it work as it was originally,and as much as I truly do like Bruce McDonald, he's not quite the rightdirector for that. I don't think there is one. Burgess doesn't betraythe original work however, and his screenplay has as much wit andintelligence and mystery as his novel does. I can praise the screenplayfor its sharp commentary on several aspects of Canadian life (whichwill be lost, I suspect, on most American audiences as the Canadianaudience I saw it with the first time, nearly 300 people strong, hadshockingly simplistic questions for Bruce McDonald at the Q&A after thescreening), but it works tremendously well as a thriller. It's funny,smart, witty, and uses one of my favorite not-used-enough things incinema: the verbal clue. "Pontypool" earns comparisons to Hitchcock's"Blackmail!" for that, and to his "Lifeboat" for succeeding in making athoroughly engaging film on one set and with few actors.Bruce McDonald has grown a great deal as director, and shooting on aRed digital camera (a deliberate aesthetic choice, as he told me afterthe first time I saw the film), he has succeeded in making the most ofhis presumably tiny budget and his actors. The film, as previouslystated, takes place entirely (aside from the opening scene in a car) ina church basement, which is where Grant Mazzy (McHattie) hosts hisradio show from. "Pontypool", despite the limitations of budget andset, succeeds in achieving a great scope. We see a BBC report, and wehear a great deal. This film is unique in its emphasis on the auraleven more than the visual, and it's where the film gets its scope from.Ken Loney, for example, the town's weather reporter (who, in true metafashion, isn't really in a helicopter, but in a car on a hill, playingsound effects on a speaker) Ken Loney is a major character, but wenever see him. The film could play out as a radio play and not changeall that much. McHattie's performance has even more to do with theexpressiveness and charisma of his voice than with the physical, visualperformance he gives. If "Pontypool" were animated it would be one ofthe greatest bits of voice acting in a long time. Lisa Houle is alsovery good as Sydney Briar, Mazzy's producer and the other majorcharacter in the film. I realize I have been rather vague about the film, but that's becauseyou really should go in without many spoilers. The film doesn't exactlyrely on twists, but the plot takes several turns which are veryintriguing, and the main concept is very cool and you should reallyjust watch it unfold on screen. Even if you never warm to screenwriterBurgess' sense of humor, even if the commentary and subtexts meannothing to you, see it because it's a damned good minimalist horrorthriller, and see it for McHattie's absolutely genius lead performance.It's a great movie, one which relies on wit, psychology, suggestion,and subtext instead of gore.

2012-04-22 05:15:30

What a let-down...

This movie was stupid. And that is as intellectual a statement as I can make about it. What promise it had though... Could have been great.

2012-04-20 19:32:14

liked it

i would not add this to my collection but i am not sorry i watched it. typical three star movie. reminds me of the happening with less gore. the actors made it believable.

2012-04-20 15:10:45

Disappointing

I watch a lot of low-budget horror and independent movies. At the end of the day, the lack of resources can force filmmakers into exercizing their creativity at a high level. However, sometimes it just results in a cheapjack movie. That's "Pontypool."The first 45 minutes play like a stage play. That's because, aside from a brief car ride in the snow, the entirety of the "action" takes place in a single set. Indeed, most of this entire movie takes place in that singular location. The actors are excellent, but the script they're working from is a bit too long and talky. The central conceit of this movie, the mechanism of transfer of zombie-ism, is interesting and creative; however, we get it too little, too late.I'd have been inclined to give this movie another star, but for its predictable ending. What is it about Canadian low budget film being the new postwar German cinema in terms of the endings? I won't spoil the ending, other than to say it happened for no particular reason, kind of like the ending of "Cube," another film that could have easily gone a different direction in the last 30 seconds without changing the theme of the film but didn't out of sheer mean-spiritedness.Zombie completists will watch this regardless of any reviews. I'm sure it's better than a number of microbudget entries in the genre. But, it's still not good. Avoid, or rent if you must see it.

fahadkashmiri7 2012-04-15 15:21:30

Interesting but bit overrated...

How many times have you heard about a virus which infects peoplethrough a language or speech and that also English? This Canadian flicktakes zombie genre to an altogether new altitude. No second thoughtsabout it. But the movie has its share of flaws and it has loads....After watching the first 30 Min's you'd wonder if you are watching theright movie or no. The opening 30 Min's of the film sucks big time.With all the talkative radio jockey crap taking the story nowhere. Butkudos to the screenplay writer for writing such a water tight scriptand ably supported by some brilliant acting by Stephen McHattie & LisaHoule. All in all a decent indie horror for a one time watch.Refreshing and original but a bit overrated.

Greg 2012-04-15 08:21:40

An intelligent zombie film. Who knew?

Zombies – as I have written in many a review – are maybe the mostboring of horror film villains. Although 28 Days Later and ZachSnyder's Dawn of the Dead did their best to revamp the genre, zombiesfor all intents and purposes are boooooring.Yet, there doesn't seem to be a week that goes by that a new zombiefilm doesn't hit the DVD shelf or have a limited run at the localhole-in-the-wall theatre just outside of town.At age 39 (yeah, that's right), I had come to believe that the best ofall the zombie films were behind me and that there would be nothing newfor the genre to show me that hasn't been done in everything from DeathBecomes Her to Pet Cemetery.I am gleefully happy to report that …well, that I was wrong. And ittook a small Canadian film to show me that you can still take a stale,boring, near dead genre and breathe fresh crisp air back into anunsuspecting audience.Pontypool stars Stephen McHattie as Grant Mazzy, a talk radio DJ thatjust so happens to be on the air when reports start to come in aboutstrange mob behavior in the Northern Ontario town of Pontypool.He along with Sydney and Laurel (Lisa Houle and Georgina Reillyrespectively), spend most of the movie sitting in the station trying toput the pieces together through various call-ins from town locals. Itis a fascinating trip where the audience uses their own imaginationfrom the descriptions to accompany any horror or violence that isensuing within the town borders.Information comes slow at first. They are told that a mob of hundredsare attacking the office of Dr. John Mendez. From there, reports ofmurder and horror come in spurts. All unconfirmed but all trulybelievable thanks to the convictions and the terror in the voices ofeach caller.Later, in fear for his life, Dr, Mendez stumbles across the radiostation and he helps connect the dots that might sound ridiculous, butare shear genius. Seems these zombies are not created the old fashionedway wherein one bits a living person and thus transforms them thanks tothe transfer of fluid.Nope, director Bruce MacDonald (based on a script by Tony Burgess),instead has people becoming violent and insane for the taste of deathdue to a virus spread by words in the English language. If youunderstand and hear a certain word, it can trigger your transformation.Genius.What results are Mazzy, Mendez and Sydney using French and writing downall communication as to not trigger a response.If all this sounds confusing, well, I am sure that is exactly whatBruce MacDonald wanted. Taking something as simple as zombie's andputting it under a whole different microscope.The result is a movie that is fresh and powerful even though you haveto wait a full hour before a zombie even appears on screen (and atthat, the gore quotient is lower than my SAT scores).When it comes to zombie films, you are never going to get me to knockDawn of the Dead, Lifeforce, Dead Alive or The Re-Animator out of mytop 10, but Pontypool finds itself right along side some of theseclassics.An intelligent zombie film. Huh. Who knew.

mdnobles19 2012-04-13 02:24:24

Disappointing!

I thought Pontypool started off as a pretty strong slow burning,startling, intriguing, clever, witty and suspenseful virus/zombiethriller or whatever it was. It ended up eventually spinning out ofcontrol into something ridiculous, outrageous, confusing and silly thatmade me roll my eyes a few times and it was like this whole big buildup to nothing thrilling. The acting was strong and believable and thecharacters were likable and relatable and were worth rooting for butagainst what kind of left me hanging. The filming and atmosphere wereOK but it kind of bugged me that it took place in a radio station thewhole time and all the action and chaos happened mostly outside and weonly heard the comotion on the airwaves but it did keep me on the edgeof my seat. I think some horror fans might be disappointed that thismovie isn't that gory at all and is mostly about its characters andsuggestion and suspense than scares and fast pace action but to me thatdidn't pay off very well at all and just left me hanging and wantingmore. Overall I liked their idea and thought it was pretty fresh andsmart but the execution of it could of been better and clearer, thisreminds me of the movie The Signal which was a little bit better andmore entertaining than this one so if your a fan of this genre checkthat one out but don't expect much from that one either. Skip it! Moreof a 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Martyn 2012-04-12 08:01:18

The best zombie thriller I've ever seen.

This film has such a great and original plot, such strong acting and directing, that I simply cannot think of a better horror movie. Maybe there are scarier films, and maybe there are more stylish ones too, but I have never found such an unsettling film. Let me try to explain.Pontypool focuses on a devastating virus contained within the English language, as it spreads aggressively through a small town in rural Canada. The film follows radio shock-jockey Grant Mazzey (Stephen McHattie) and his production crew, who become trapped inside their station in an effort to survive. McHattie gives an excellent performance, and his sense of fear and amazement are an integral part of the films thick, tense style. The tension is masterfully created, boiling slowly like a kettle, and there is a very unique sense of threat about this film.The best thing about Pontypool, though, is that it somehow jumps right out of the screen and into your head. Somewhere along the line, it bleeds into your conscience and starts to blur the line between fiction and reality, affecting your sense of the room that you're in, and the people that you're next to. By the end of the film, you feel unsure of whether or not you should be as afraid as you are. I have rarely seen a film with such power to immerse the viewer.Stop reading and just watch it.