Antiviral (2012) d. Cronenberg, Brandon (Canada)
Considering that we’re probably not going to see Daddy David return to his horror/sci-fi roots any time soon, it’s somewhat heartening to see his offspring picking up the mantle in such an unabashed fashion. That the subject matter lives and breathes in an identifiably Cronenbergian realm almost goes without saying, but it’s a brave gesture to embrace it so fully – knowing the temptation would exist for comparisons, BC opts to meet said criticisms head on by showing us what his version of body horror looks like.
Caleb Landry Jones gives a fearless and physical performance as a sales rep for a firm that peddles celebrity germs and infirmities, the latest rage in superstar worship, as well as infecting himself to unload black market versions of same to underground dealers. When his latest acquisition turns out to be more active than usual, it opens a dark, swirling cesspool for both Jones and the industry he serves. A stinging indictment of society’s elevation of their peers above them, simply because the media tells them to, as well as a fascinating glimpse into the glamor of the grotesque.
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