‘You’re not safe inside’
Sick is a 2022 American slasher horror film about two young women who decide to escape the pandemic by quarantining alone at the family lake house alone – or so they think.
Directed by John Hyams (Alone; One Dog Day; Universal Soldier: Regeneration, Dragon Eyes, Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning) from a screenplay written by Katelyn Crabb based on a story by co-producer Kevin Williamson (I Know What You Did Last Summer; Scream franchise). Also produced by Bill Block and Ben Fast. Executive produced by Andrew Golov and line producer Michael J. Zampino.
The movie stars Gideon Adlon (The Craft: Legacy), Bethlehem Million, Jane Adams, Dylan Sprayberry, Marc Menchaca, Charla Bocchicchio, Jihae Song, Duane Stephens, Logan Murphy and Kimberlee Kraczek.
Plot synopsis:
As the pandemic steadily brings the world to a halt, Parker (Gideon Adlon) and her best friend Miri (Bethlehem Million) decide to quarantine at the family lake house alone – or so they think…
Reviews:
” …I love how scary this movie is. It doesn’t spend time on unnecessary things like developing the characters or creating misleading scenes. This horror movie is anything but fun. It’s a nonstop rollercoaster of terror, from the first scene to the last. There’s no slowdown, no respite from the fear. Home invasion has never been so horrifying.” All Horror
“Arguably the least successful element of the film is the big last reveal. There is a killer motivation for all of this wanton death and destruction, but the politically-minded explanation will undoubtedly prove divisive. Audience mileage will definitely vary. Thankfully the rest of the film is so strong that this is an easy recommendation.” Bloody Disgusting
“It wastes no time over-developing its characters or creating unnecessary misleads. Instead, the horrors of home invasion ramp up quickly and never settle back down until the closing credits. And while it might be hard to categorize it as “fun”, the pace is bullet quick…” Dread Central
“Parker and Miri fight tooth-and-nail to survive their assailant, never accepting the fate of being victims […] Some audiences may question whether it’s too soon to make a movie like this, especially with some of its revelations. However, there’s no denying its effectiveness in being both scary and gripping. Sick is a white-knuckle thrill ride with no shortage of adrenaline-pumping suspense.” DVD Talk
“Though its last act reveal is a bit ropey in conception, Sick works pretty well as a pulpy meditation on the impossible horrors of being young in a pandemic and balancing personal responsibility, hedonism, and social health, as well as the futility of putting a face on an amorphous villain like COVID. If Sick ultimately mines much of the same thematic territory as It Follows, where the only way to vanquish a curse was to sexually transmit it to an unsuspecting new host, it does so in a refreshingly grimy and less moralizing way…” Film Freak Central
“Despite itself, Sick works with one glaring issue in its direction. Hyams presents an over-reliance on the “shakycam” gimmick for his moments of horrific struggle between the protagonists and the killer, of which much of the mainstream horror genre had wisely left in the past. Scenes of supposed terror are rendered illegible and indistinguishable…” Film Pulse
“To take the unique story of a killer stalking makes the mind wander so much. Isolation would be the best stomping grounds for a killer, right? While we were all joking about vaccine zombies and toilet paper, a real fear was presented right under noses. What the hell would you do if someone is trying to kill you but you’re not allowed to be in contact with anyone? it’s scary and Sick does a great job exploiting that.” Horror Movies Uncut
“Kevin Williamson has done it again!!!! I wasn’t sure how I was going to receive another piece of media about COVID-19 but this blew my expectations out of the water. when I wasn’t in complete awe of Beth and Gideon on my screen, my heart was palpitating. a very timely and very good slasher!!” Kadija, Letterboxd
“Clocking in at a swift 83 minutes definitely helps as it gets right to the point and doesn’t waste time. This is definitely a benefit to the Sick, which essentially never felt like it was dragging its feet to get to the next struggle. Most horror films subscribe to that ninety-minute mark, and it usually is for the best. In the end, Sick is a film that is bogged down by its own premise.” 61% Keith Loves Movies
“As a film with only a few locations, the action and tension is solid when we’re contained to a house, with expert blocking from Hyams and strategic camera movement. The film also thrives when they’re out of the house, with a bigger playground. The chase scenes feel like the most inspired by home invasion films.” The Movie Buff
” …the humor in this film, while not derived from a critique of the horror genre tropes, has a familiar energy due to the pandemic critiques. Hyams brings out a solid balance of humor and nerve-wrecking energy to this film, making solid points about the state of the world during the pandemic, while offering us an avenue to laugh at ourselves, and be absolutely frightened while doing so.” 9 out of 10, Nerd Union
” …too much of the screenplay feels like Williamson trying to convince himself and us that he’s still the audacious convention-breaker of his “Scream” heyday. The film goes completely south in the final section as not even the wild bloodshed on display can distract from how the ultimate explanation of why our heroines are being attacked turns out to be idiotic and borderline offensive.” RogerEbert.com
” …Sick is essentially Scream with a killer motivated more by COVID-19 paranoia than horror movie trivia. However, the plot is less about building a body count and more about a fight for survival, with the entire second half of Sick being an extended chase sequence. Altogether, Sick ends up being a pretty solid and timely slasher film.” Sean Kelly on Movies
“In the end, Sick mostly elects to tie up narrative ends in almost perfunctory fashion. The film’s denouement also betrays the fact that Williamson can at times seem woefully out of touch when it comes to writing for the Gen-Z market; while he’s known for his acerbic self-awareness, he misses some opportunities to comment on his characters’ über-privileged and social media-savvy existences.” Slant
“While Sick does suffer from a couple of twists that are well past the point of being a surprise and cliches such as people who don’t stay dead. But it’s the reveal of the motive for all of this that is most likely to elicit groans from the viewers. As you can guess from the film’s setting, COVID is involved, and the motive does make sense. But the way Williamson and Crabb implement it pushes the boundaries of credibility.” 3.5 out of 5, Voices from the Balcony
#Sick #SickMovie #TIFF2022 #horror #slasher #trailer #JohnHyams #KevinWilliamson #GideonAdlon #BethlehemMillion
Donate to MOVIES & MANIA
$1.00
For YouTube reviews, the trailer and more movie info click the page 2 link below
MOVIES & MANIA provides previews of new films, our own movie reviews/ratings, and links to other reviews from trustworthy recommended sources - all in one handy web location. Plus, links to legitimately watch 1000s OF MOVIES FREE ONLINE via platforms such as Amazon Prime, Plex, Roku, Tubi and on YouTube. As an Amazon Associate, we earn a very tiny amount from any qualifying purchases.