Directed by Bruce McDonald and based on the book Pontypool Changes Everything by Tony Burgess(who also adapted it for the screen), Pontypool takes a minor budget and utilises it to the fullest. Set entirely in a radio station, the film is able to create a massive amount of tension without ever showing anything. The film begins as disc jockey Grant Mazzy (Stephen McHattie) heads to work in the early morning on Valentine’s Day. Of course the day starts off like any other until bizarre reports begin to slowly come in about a crazed mob of people. This was very effective as the reports could not at first be confirmed, and we get to watch how Mazzy realises that things are much worse then they seem. Since this all occurs in a radio station, the majority of the film is told through dialogue giving the film old time radio show feeling. Since most horror movies are about visual scares I kept expecting that something was going to be shown and when it wasn’t, that’s where the film pulled me in. As with most Zombie films there is a unique cause that turn people into ghouls. I am not going to spoil what it is, as it is what makes the film so good. I am not sure if I could even describe it in a way that would completely make sense, but it works and I have been thinking about it ever since. It is so different that it will divide the audience. I see many comparisons to Stephen King’s Cell in this, so if you liked that book definitely check this out. This film is not for everyone though, and standard horror fans will probably be disappointed if they go in thinking this is the same as all horror films. Creating scares through sound effects and dialogue allows for the mind to create its own image of what’s happening, and I find that more effective than showing gruesome effects. This movie was great, and is one of the best horror films of the past five years. Definitely a candidate for best Canadian movie ever made. (A word of advice, stay for the entire credits)
A Golden Banana
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