Antiviral (2012)

In a blackly satirical near future, a thriving industry sells celebrity illnesses to their obsessed fans. Employee Syd March's attempts to exploit the system backfire when they involve him in a potentially deadly mystery.

Director:

Brandon Cronenberg

Writer:

Brandon Cronenberg (screenplay)

Stars:

Caleb Landry Jones, Lisa Berry, Sarah Gadon

5 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Caleb Landry Jones	...	Syd March
Sarah Gadon	...	Hannah Geist
Lisa Berry	...	Lucas Clinic Receptionist
Douglas Smith	...	Edward Porris
Nenna Abuwa	...	Aria Noble
Donna Goodhand	...	Woman in Waiting Room
Adam Bogen	...	Lucas Clinic Security Guard
Salvatore Antonio	...	Topp
Matt Watts	...	Mercer
Dawn Greenhalgh	...	Jane
Katie Bergin	...	Talk Show Host
Nicholas Campbell	...	Dorian
Lara Jean Chorostecki	...	Michelle
Reid Morgan	...	Derek Lessing
Elitsa Bako	...	Vera

Storyline

Syd March is an employee at a clinic that sells injections of live viruses harvested from sick celebrities to obsessed fans. Biological communion - for a price. Syd also supplies illegal samples of these viruses to piracy groups, smuggling them from the clinic in his own body. When he becomes infected with the disease that kills super sensation Hannah Geist, Syd becomes a target for collectors and rabid fans. He must unravel the mystery surrounding her death before he suffers the same fate.

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Plot Keywords:

looking at oneself in a mirror | buddhist | celebrity death | bleeding mouth | celebrity | 

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Taglines:

What If You Could Feel Like They Do ...

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film is director Brandon Cronenberg's feature debut.

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Goofs

Before Syd puts the virus into Edward Porris's lip, we see the plunger of the syringe has been pulled back a bit, as it would be had Syd filled it with the virus. However, in the close up of the needle piercing the skin, you can see the plunger is all the way down, so when it was stuck into Edward's lip there was nothing in it.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Lucas Clinic Receptionist: [on the phone] Yes. Yes. Wonderful, I'll transfer you to booking.
[to visitor]
Lucas Clinic Receptionist: Can I help you?
Edward Porris: Edward Porris. I have an appointment.
Lucas Clinic Receptionist: Porris...
[hands him a clipboard]
Lucas Clinic Receptionist: Just have a seat.

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Connections

References Broken Tulips (2008)

User Reviews

Not worth your time.

This film fails to be entertaining as you have no sympathy for anyone in it, the premise is ridiculous. I usually find these semi-futuristic social commentary science fiction films entertaining, even when mediocre. But the premise here is overliteralised and brought to a level of unreal-ism that makes empathizing with anyone impossible. Why would anyone do what they do? Infecting yourself with celebrity HIV's? its a bit of a stretch. The storyline forced the actors into a single track behavior pattern, that does not fail to make you feel sick, but is simply frustrating as they have done it to themselves and with no real benefit or psychological study behind their motives. Its like watching trainspotting and knowing the heroin provides them with no effects of euphoria. Suddenly the addiction becomes all the more ridiculous than it already is. The directing style was cool, and the acting was OK, but just based on originality and concept i believe it could have done a lot better.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

Canada France

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 February 2013 (France)

Also Known As:

Antiviral

Filming Locations:

Bel-Air Grill, 673 Barton Street East, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

CAD3,200,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$61,808

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alliance, TF1 International, Téléfilm Canada

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1