Plot: What’s it about?
After the death of a friend, seven people from varied lives return to their old hometown and rekindle their friendships. Some have went on to immense success, even fame in one case, while others are more content living a normal, but stable lifestyle. As time passes and the funeral comes to a close, the friends decide to spend a little more time together, to talk about the past, the present, and of course, the future. But the future is very cloudy for these seven friends and for some of them, the future will never arrive as planned. The group agrees to spend a weekend at their old vacation spot to kick back and catch up, as well as have as much fun as possible. They will not be alone inside this house however, as a strain of mutant flies also calls the place home and soon enough, they will introduce themselves. A lot of houses have flies, but these mutant flies not only feed on human flesh, but they prefer to infest their victims and by turn, devour their human hosts from the inside out, in horrific fashion. Is there some way to stop these killer insects, be it insect repellent, smoke, or even fire? Or will the seven friends return to their hometown for one funeral, only to turn that one into five additional services?
This is one of those movies where you can tell the filmmakers wish to be involved in more important, dramatic projects, but are stuck in a movie about killer insects. That’s because for the first half hour or so, Infested plays like an episode of thirtysomething, complete with yuppie angst and often downright dull meanderings on life. I had to slap myself to keep awake through this mess of poor dialogue and unlikable characters, but after about thirty minutes, Infested turns into the campish, insane picture it was meant to be. Yes, this is another one of those movies that’s so bad, you can’t help but have a ton of fun as you watch. I admit that first third of the film is unbearable, but some of the writing is so poor, it supplies good MST3K style fodder, but once the party starts, this is some great B movie fun. The special effects are hilarious and a load of laughs, thanks to some of the fakest computer generated insects you’ll see, the kind of bees that make you glad The Swarm is such a realistic, immersive picture. Plus its fun to see Zach Galligan back in the horror genre and of course, former Pink Ranger Amy Jo Johnson is as hot as ever. I found this to be a very entertaining session, as far as bad horror movies are concerned. I do wish Columbia had included some extras, but even bare bones, Infested is worth a look for genre fans.
Although she is best known for her work on television in shows like Felicity and Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, Amy Jo Johnson has also done some feature film projects. And since she is a solid performer, she has done well in those roles and of course, should be able to continue her career without much trouble. Johnson has been in mostly lower profile movies thus far, but even in a low budget horror movie like Infested, she seems on her game and never sleepwalks, which is a testament to her skills. A lot of performers would simply go through the motions in this kind of movie, but Johnson is able to deliver a good effort, even when the material slips and she is forced to make the best of things. Plus, she remains as cute as ever and in a horror movie, you can never too many good looking babes. Other films with Johnson include Without Limits, Cold Hearts, Perfect Body, Pursuit of Happiness, and Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie. The cast also includes Zach Galligan (Gremlins, Waxwork), Lisa Ann Hadley (Dead Above Ground, Jerry Maguire), and Nahanni Johnstone (The Real Blonde, The Cutting Edge).
Video: How does it look?
Infested is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. The image here is clean and very sharp, with no inherent defects to speak of. The print is in terrific condition, with minimal flaws to mention, though shimmering is evident at times. The detail is very high however, so even subtle visual textures come through well, a strong presentation in terms of sharpness. The colors are bold and vivid also, while flesh tones look natural throughout. No troubles on the contrast front either, as black levels shine and provide well balanced visual presence. Not much else we could want here, as this is as good as Infested can look on DVD.
Audio: How does it sound?
I was kind of surprised to not find a 5.1 option here, but the included 2.0 surround track is solid, though unmemorable. There is some decent use of the surrounds, but not as much as you might expect, save for whenever the insects swarm and attack. Even in those sequences however, there isn’t much to praise, as the audio is more active, but lacks creative or immersive presence, which is a let down. But there is some surround use and while unimpressive, it never sounds forced, so not all is lost with this soundtrack. The music sounds good and dialogue is smooth & crisp however, so don’t assume this is a bad treatment. I just think it could have been better, given the killer insects and all, but this track is still more than acceptable. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, French, Korean, Thai, and Portuguese.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s trailer.
