The Plague is a coming-of-age nightmare (spoiler-free review)

Everett Blunck as Ben in The Plague - Courtesy of IFC

In his feature film debut, The Plague, writer/director Charlie Polinger tackles the horrors of adolescence. The film is a twisted coming-of-age movie about the way young people ostracize each other and what exactly they'll do to feel cool and become part of the in-crowd. While Polinger's film has some flaws and a few narrative questions, it's a strong debut.

The movie stars Evertt Blunck as Ben. He isn't exactly naturally confident or popular. When his parents enroll him in a water polo summer camp, the kids, especially Jake (Kayo Martin), make fun of the way he speaks. Blunck's performance throughout the feature is one of the highlights. He conveys his character's awkwardness and desperation to fit in quite well. You really feel for the kid, especially during his first encounter with Jake at the lunch table. I suspect that a lot of viewers will recall uncomfortable middle school moments as they watch Ben's first true introduction to his peers and just how nervous he feels and how badly he longs to fit in. His emotional pain and torment will feel relatable to a lot of viewers.

Meanwhile, among the tweens, Eli (Kenny Rasmussen) is the real outcast. Everyone points at him, avoids him, and calls him names. They also state that he has the plague because of a rash that infects and reddens most of his back. Yet, Eli doesn't let this get him down. He's beautifully weird and doesn't care if he has no friends. He dances however he wants and nerds out on magic tricks, which draws Ben's attention. However, Ben keeps their quasi-friendship a secret, especially once Jake and the other cool kids invite him to be part of their inner circle. This movie certainly explores well the shifting dynamics of an in-club and who's popular and who's not.

Kenny Rasmussen as Eli in The Plague - Courtesy of IFC

As the movie goes on, Polinger heightens the tension by underscoring just how mean adolescents can be towards each other. The group's torment of Eli worsens, and Ben avoids him just so no one suspects that he's Eli's friend. By the halfway point, however, Eli's truth is discovered and without spoiling anything, let's just state that whatever Eli has is contagious. In fact, here's one of my few gripes with the film. It never explains what exactly is wrong with Eli. It's a gaping plot hole, especially since it does spread so easily and causes the tweens to rush towards the shower when they're anywhere near Eli. They scrub their body with soap until their skin reddens.

That aside, the stakes escalate in the film's second half, as Ben learns how easily people can fall in and out of the cool club. There's one particular scene in which he and Jake battle and fight in the water that's harrowing and quite vicious. The real horror here resides in the way that young people treat each other and how easily and willing they are to turn on each other. All of this leads to a rather head scratching, ambiguous conclusion that may frustrate some viewers, but I think it underscores the viciousness of youth.

Despite some of The Plague's very human horror sequences, there are touching moments, not only between Ben and Eli, but also between Ben and the coach, played by Joel Edgerton. At one point, Eli essentially asks his coach if life ever gets better. I think a lot of us had those conversations when we were younger or at least wondered if maybe the next decade of our life would be an improvement over the current one. The coach gives Eli real and raw advice, and it's one of the film's most emotional and moving sequences. In fact, Polinger's script as a whole feels authentic, be it the scene between coach and Ben, or the way the tweens talk, including some of their expletive-laced tirades. Polinger certainly has a good ear for dialogue.

In The Plague, the monsters are a group of tweens quick to turn on each other and step on each other to climb the social hierarchy. The movie is a reminder that adolescence can indeed be cruel and frightening. Despite a few narrative questions and plot holes, The Plague is a promising debut from Polinger, with plenty of tension and powerful emotions at its center.

The Plague opens in limited U.S. theaters on December 24 and then opens nationwide on January 2.