Good story, Not enough for a whole film

A Disappointing Continuation

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Thanks to a friend that recommended this movie I got to see how amazing this underrated film is. As the horror genera plots are very saturated, this movie takes a new angle.I had no expectations at all nor did I read what it was about ,I saw it and it blew my mind, this movie feels more like an intellectual film rather than a simple horror movie as it makes you think and use you imagination, a lot of it is tell rather than show as you have to paint images in your mind to get an idea of what's going on, it builds more in suspense and tension instead of shocking visuals and gore. Think of a cross between Orson Wells war of the worlds and George Romero night of the living dead. It can feel claustrophobic at times as most of it takes place in a basement with a blizzard going out side, the cold tones and the dark surroundings with a creepy atmosphere are all over the place it keeps you wanting to find out what's out there.My explanation or trying to understand what's the virusThe virus is part of that world, is an invisible entity and dose undeniably exist, the characters are aware of it. A event just happened and we will never understand it, it's a phenomenon if it defies logic then we disbelieve in its existence, accepting things we will never fully know the answer it's unquestionably, it's simply just a fact. In actual history there's what we know and there's a lot of it we don't understand

A remarkably fresh & highly original example of restrained craftsmanship that's clever, captivating & at times amusing, Pontypool is a smartly structured, patiently narrated & brilliantly performed Canadian horror that establishes an aura of unrelenting tension & mystery with immaculate precision during its first half but loses some of its potency when it lets the cat out of the bag in the remaining half.The story of Pontypool takes place in the titular town and unfolds at a radio station where a radio announcer is going through his usual morning schedule with two of his associates before they are interrupted by one of their reporters who feeds them disturbing intel about an uprising in the small town that is rapidly getting out of control, but they are left shell-shocked when they learn the true nature of it.Directed by Bruce McDonald, the first half of Pontypool is a thrilling exercise in tension building as it provides only bits n pieces of information regarding the horror that's unfolding in the town, that too through second hand accounts instead of taking the viewers right into the middle of the crime scene, thus bringing their imagination into play. Less is more is the approach here and McDonald employs it really well for the most part.The script is penned down by the author of the novel this film is adapted from, and the decision to narrate the story like a radio play gives Pontypool a uniqueness of its own. Its minimal & enclosed setting helps in sustaining its already tense ambiance as our characters are just as oblivious as us and have to rely on reported accounts to make a sense of what's happening outside. However, when we do get to the part when the secret comes out, it all seems a bit absurd.The camera rarely sways its focus away from the characters inhabiting this tale and it makes really effective use of close-ups throughout its runtime. Editing in the first half is nearly flawless but the next half is a hit or miss, depending on how the big reveal works out for you. The cast comprises of Stephen McHattie, Lisa Houle & Georgina Reilly, with McHattie carrying the entire film on his own with a cool, confident & charismatic performance and is finely supported by Houle & Reilly.On an overall scale, Pontypool works amazingly well during its first half, takes an unexpected turn in the middle that requires some time to get comfortable with but the film still wraps itself up on a satisfying note with a finale that's heartbreaking yet brims with heartfelt warmth. Whether you approach it as a zombie film or a psychological horror, this Canadian flick is a welcome entry in the world of horror that's undeterred by budgetary constraints and finds creative ways to realise its own ambitions. Definitely recommended... recommended... recommended...!

Without giving too much away, this movie depends on a plot premise that requires an extremely high level of willing suspension of disbelief. Other reviewers have commented on the scientific absurdity of this key element of the drama, and they're quite right. But it's no more absurd that time travel, zombies or, quite frankly, homeopathy. Get over it.Pontypool could have been made as a stage play or, as other have suggested, a radio play. They say that as if it's a bad thing; but the fact that a convincing drama can be presented without big-budget Hollywood visuals does not lessen its appeal -- quite the contrary. For a single-set, four-actors presentation to work, it needs strong dialogue and acting, dramatic tension, and an interesting (if infeasible) plot. For the most part, Pontypool has these things.Part of the movie's appeal for me lies entirely in the unconventional presentation. It is a zombie movie, or at least a zombie-type movie -- a genre that is badly overcrowded with unremarkable gore-fests. Pontypool, however, is not like anything I've seen before in this genre -- It doesn't rely for its effectiveness on visual shocks or violence.As other reviewers have mentioned, I think that Pontypool does start to unravel a bit in the last half hour. I suspect, in fact, that most of this segment could simply have been cut entirely, with no great loss.Still, an interesting and unusual movie -- something we haven't all seen a dozen times already.

I really wanted to like this film. I thought its premise was interesting - rehash a 'War Of the Worlds' scenario for a modern audience and see what happens. This movie, though, was so full of holes that it distracted from its believability.First of all, it was too artsy-fartsy. That, in itself, is thrilling if nonsensical jargon is your thing. If it is then you'd think this was a sublime film that deserves an Oscar for best script.The four main actors were pretty believable up until the movie turned sour. A virus that is spread by words? I'd think if they illustrated this idea instead of just presenting it as plausible then perhaps the movie would, indeed, be something to behold. But if I am to just accept that viruses can be spread by words, why stop there? Let's see carcinomas created when the kitchen light goes on or watching Sesame Street breaks your legs.I stayed all the way through with this film because I was hoping it'd suddenly turn around by its final scene as it did in Dogtooth. But I was robbed. It was just full of talking for talk's sake. The producers should put a warning that 'Pontypool' is just a yam-fest. I would've kept my distance. I gave it two stars because it was an interesting film poorly executed and contained too many distracting holes.