‘It wants to consume us all’
The Spore is a 2021 sci-fi horror film about a mutated fungus that is killing everyone in a small town.
Written and directed by D.M. Cunningham (3 Demons; The Mangler Reborn; Decampitated). Produced by D.M. Cunningham, Keith Golinski and Brian Hillard.
The Night Prowler Video production stars Jeannie Jefferies (Attack of the Killer Chickens: The Movie; Midnight 2; Dawn of the Dead 1978), Haley Helsip, Peter Tell, Jackson Ezinga, Jovonnah Nicholson and Justin Golinsky.
Plot:
Fleeing from civilization as a horrific plague ravages mankind, Meadow (Jovonnah Nicholson) gets a lift from a stranger. When she sees that the driver is gruesomely infected, Meadow escapes and takes refuge in a cabin that’s abandoned… or is it? The apocalypse started days earlier when an evil spore, long-dormant beneath an ancient ice field, was awakened by global warming.
Now, as ten strangers try to evade the madness, some must succumb to the hideously mutating fungus and claim the survivors as their bitter prey…
Review:
The Spore benefits from some great cinematography by Keith Golinski and a few wonderful body horror meltdown effects. That’s where the positives end, unfortunately. There is simply no decent narrative flow, with an ill-defined protagonist wandering the woods for the first thirty minutes while way too many radio voiceovers are heard in the background attempting to provide context.
It’s all very vacuous and even the most ardent horror fans will begin to lose interest. Still, the film slogs on when we focus on other characters whilst some poorly-lit night scenes inside a car (while the radio carries on reporting, ad nauseum) and nonchalant dialogue hardly help matters. From then on, it’s all more talk… talk… talk.
Meanwhile, a ponderous synth score from the aptly named Dreaming In Neon doesn’t propel the lack of a story forward. Beyond the astonishingly poor pacing, it beggars belief that a name company such as Lionsgate are now desperate enough to pick up The Spore, for release as it doesn’t have enough plot for a decent short let alone a feature.
Trailer:
Release date:
The Spore was screened at Grimmfest in the UK and is now available to rent or buy on Digital. It is also free on Tubi.
The film was released in the USA on DVD by Lionsgate on November 9, 2021. Special features:
Filmmakers’ Commentary
“The Spore – Random Acts of Filmmaking” Featurette
Trailer
Cast and characters:
Peter Tell … Israel; Jeannie Jefferies … Vera; Haley Heslip … Serena; Brian Hillard … CDC Agent J. Reader; Jackson Ezinga … Thomas; Zoe Cunningham; Jovonnah Nicholson … Meadow; Justin Golinsky … Lowell
Notes:
83 minutes in there’s a shot of a creature with tons of teeth that’s presumably a homage to The Deadly Spawn (1983).
External trustworthy recommended reviews:
Bloody Flicks
Geek Legion of Doom [YouTube]
Horror Obsessive
Killer Horror Critic
Love Horror
Screen Stars [YouTube]
