Movie: The Plague (2025)
Directed by: Charlie Polinger
Starring: Everett Blunck, Kayo Martin, Kenny Rasmussen, Joel Edgerton
Review by: Kirk Dulin
Review Type: SPOILER FREE

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TW: The Plague (2025) displays events of Extreme Bullying between an isolated group of young boys. Those events will not be explicitly discussed below.

WHAT ARE YOU IN THE MOOD TO WATCH TONIGHT?

The tone of a movie can create an inseparable bond between the film and its audience – like me with Matilda (1996) – OR it can instantly embed extreme disdain, activating a lifetime personal vendetta to warn everyone – like me with Supergirl (1984).

ENTER first time director Charlie Polinger. There are CLEAR signs that Polinger is already a master storyteller. THE PLAGUE tells the story of Ben (Everett Blunck) who is currently attending a sleep away water polo training camp in 2003. That’s pretty specific. Storytelling is often theorized best to reach broad audiences, but the specifics of the characters’ circumstances are paradoxically more universal than people think. 

At the camp, we are practically given our own bunk bed, speedos, and anxiety as we are thrusted into the lion’s den of 12 year old boys away from their parents and under  limited supervision. If you enjoy pressure cookers and psychological dramas, you’ve found the perfect date night movie in this (please confirm with your partner’s movie genre preferences before viewing). We’re also given a front row ticket to a mysterious “plague”, seemingly “gifted” from a parting camper, and used as a control method for those in social power in the boys group.

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TO THE WINDOW, TO THE WALL, TIL THE SWEAT DROP DOWN MY _ _ _ _ _

Maybe “tone” doesn’t make sense to everyone. So let’s try this, imagine you walk into a room and you can FEEL the atmosphere shift with your added presence. You get an instinctual gut punch, cued by darting eyes and people turning their backs to you, that indicates you were unexpected by the existing group of people.

Whether we admit it or not, we yearn for acceptance and inclusivity in a group. Our tribal instincts draw us to find people and find community. Unfortunately, even when newcomers have the best intentions, there are alphas who will test, prod, and abuse in a guise of “loyalty”, which really is the assertion of their power over a group of people. Yes, even over 12 year old boys. 

The push and pull of “do they like me” in THE PLAGUE will be all too familiar for many viewers (unless you are/were the Regina George, Biff Tannen, or Scut Farkus of your friend group). This drives the momentum of the story, guiding the audience with intentional scenes towards a very rewarding conclusion. We follow Ben from being an outsider, nudging his way into the group, asking normal questions that soon feel dangerous, then navigating a moving target of social expectations in this exclusive group.

Bonus points if you are a millennial. Since the story takes place in 2003, there are authentic cultural references to the time period that directly impact what the characters are experiencing.

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STAND BY ME

I love to champion films that are centered around a single outstanding actor. And the more movies I watch, I am equally and sometimes even more impressed when the creative team creates and executes a fantastic ensemble. This has BOTH a strong lead actor and an extremely cohesive ensemble. There’s not a single bad performance here. From memory, one of the most iconic child ensembles in film is in Rob Reiner’s Stand By Me (1996). This heavily matches that same chaotic boyhood energy only in a different era. 

Of note, Everett Blunck “holds his own” against the established friend group. Kayo Martin plays a terrific villain. Kenny Rasmussen fully embodies a child with an innocent heard and great fascination for the world, but delayed social finesse. Joel Edgerton won me over again (see Train Dreams). And Caden Burris BROUGHT THE VIBES. The rest of the ensemble creates authentic moments that enhance both the plot and the atmosphere, spotlit very well by the director.

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STRESS DREAM

Movies are made for a million reasons. Sometimes for fun, sometimes for art, and sometimes for history or awareness. When it comes to selecting a movie for your “entertainment”, why would someone select an anxiety-inducing psychological drama with hints of body horror and resurfaced memories from their own middle school years? Because it’s important. If we don’t tell these stories, then the actual bullies will take the narrative and tell them FOR us. 

Words will also fail us at one point or another. Movies fill that gap. Yes, the movie has a script with words, but the visual storytelling in this film will fill you with empathy, joy, fear, and in more ways that neither of us can articulate.

Here’s a spoiler free example that we get to see at the first frame of the movie: We, the audience, are immediately placed underwater with some TENSE music. No words. We are just underwater, and the camera moves slightly OR the overhead lighting moves in a way that feels like the top plane of the water is shrinking our open space to swim freely; to escape. Those are the best words I can describe it to you…but the weight of that opening scene feels like something way bigger than myself.

I encourage you to dive into this movie when it becomes available near you. No lifeguards on duty though; swim at your own risk.

Score: 9.5/10 kernels
Review by: Kirk Dulin

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The Plague hit theatres with a limited release beginning December 24, 2025. Its wide release begins on 01/02/2026.

Film Production Credits: