The Final Patient (2005)

Director:

Jerry Mainardi

Writers:

Michael J. Mainardi
Jerry Mainardi

Genre:

Thriller

Tagline:

Every miracle has its price.

Plot:

A country doctor discovers the fountain of youth, but his curiosity is clouded by addiction and the results are deadly.

Plot Keywords:

Addiction | Doctor | Miracle | Strength | Snake

Awards:

4 wins

Cast

Matthew Borish	...	Billy
Guy Boyd	...	Sheriff McKnee
Jason Scott Campbell	...	Willy Jenkins
Bill Cobbs	...	Dr. Daniel Green
Desmond Confoy	...	Matt
Alex Feldman	...	Cameron Streckman
Andrea Havens	...	Night-Shift Nurse
John Benjamin Martin	...	Bar patron
Lizan Mitchell	...	Elizabeth Green
Victor Velez	...	Dr. Hernandez
Cheryl Williams	...	Nurse 1

Directed by
Jerry Mainardi

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jerry Mainardi
Michael J. Mainardi

Produced by
Michael J. Mainardi	....	producer

Original Music by
Ron Burns

Cinematography by
Joe Vandergast

Film Editing by
Jeff Candelora
Jerry Mainardi
Michael J. Mainardi

Casting by
Elizabeth Gans
Rawleigh Moreland
Elsie Stark

Makeup Department
Jeremy Selenfriend	....	special makeup effects

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Colleen Casey	....	second assistant director
Amy D'Alio	....	second second assistant director
Claudio Kuhn	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Karyn Gerred	....	scenic charge
Dennis Madigan	....	assistant property master

Sound Department
Brian Jordan	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Holly Selenfriend	....	special effects assistant (as Holly Wisniewski)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Goraj Jr.	....	key grip
Quint Klinger	....	best boy electric
Jim Marshall	....	assistant camera
Kevin McGlinchey	....	best boy grip
Kevin McGlinchey	....	dolly grip
Gregory Ries	....	gaffer
Anthony J. Sortino	....	company grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sara Webster	....	wardrobe assistant
Angeline Zeigler	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Andy Williams	....	colorist

Other crew
M.P. Cherkowsky	....	production assistant
Garrett Hardy Davis	....	production assistant (as Garrett Davis)
Federico Ferreri	....	production assistant
Rudi Fischer	....	production assistant
Brandy Hartley	....	location manager
Nick Murphy	....	production assistant
Kevin Streckewald	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• The Final Patient Productions LLC

Distributors

• Echo Bridge Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Be Best in DVD (BBI-DVD) (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• M.I.B. (2006) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Monster in my Closet

Other Companies

• DIVE  conform editing, audio mix, and color-correction
• Shooters Post and Transfer  post-production facilities

Also Known As:

Runtime:

USA:100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

UK:15

Filming Locations:

Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

The Final Patient Productions LLC

I agree with another review here.

This really isn't a bad film at all. In fact, it's a fairly good one, and is a refreshing change of pace for the horror genre nowadays in that it entirely hinges on character and performance. That is, until its misfired finale that is much too conventional and disappointing considering just how much build up is in this thing. The excellent veteran character actor Bill Cobbs shines in a rare lead role; it's a good thing that he should get such a major showcase for once. He plays a septuagenarian doctor / farmer with an ill wife who needs looking after. One day, on his property, a local kid is playing around and gets pinned under an old tractor. Dr. Dan (Cobbs) then proceeds to exhibit some superhuman strength and lift the tractor off of the boy so that he can be moved. Word of this miracle spreads to two college kids, Willy (Jason Scott Campbell) and Cameron (Alex Feldman), and Cameron is determined to find out all of Dans' big secrets - some of which he does reveal to him, in a standout sequence where Dan spills out his big back story, having heard of a powerful drug used by monks in ancient times which Dan has been able to replicate. As a result, he's in much better shape than he should by all rights be; he can outrun his dog, for one thing. But on the dark and stormy night that Willy and Cameron pay a supposedly social visit to the solicitous, friendly senior, bad things soon start happening. One element that helps bring "The Final Patient" down a peg or two is the way that co-writer / director Jerry Mainardi doesn't seem too keen on explaining just a bit more, at least in regards to the motivation of Dans' wife Elizabeth (Lizan Mitchell); what exactly is her deal? Affecting music and good acting can only do so much to keep this thing interesting; Campbell and Feldman aren't on a level with Cobbs, but deliver basically creditable performances; also on hand is another solid and under-rated actor, Guy Boyd (the sardonic detective in 1984's "Body Double") as the local sheriff. The film really is very light on horror until its final act, but the horror that takes place is nothing special. There's some good gore, but the makeup effects on Elizabeth really aren't that great. (One thing's for sure, and that's that the big reveal of her appearance wouldn't be as ineffective if it weren't advertised on the back of the Blu-ray cover.) Overall, this would have to rate as a nice try that just doesn't properly deliver in the end...especially given how clichéd that end is. Cobbs pushes up the rating by a point. Six out of 10.