We all remember those days right? They seemed to go forever. You had no idea what portion of the week or bottle of Sauvignon blanc you were on. People were walking around with cans of Lysol and the hand sanitizer, who can forget the hand sanitizer? It was the pandemic folks and everyone was freaking out so why not make a horror movie about it. Snag the very talented John Hyams to direct the Kevin Williamson written feature and why not call it SICK? Sounds like a lot of fun no? Well it is from start to finish as SICK drops us into a small portion of that treacherous time and turns up the heat. Having the writer of SCREAM gives you all the slasher feels you want. Honestly it's the best part of SICK. No thinking, no surprises (well come on now) just a straight laced horror flick looking to spark you lust for a blood count.
I knew I would enjoy SICK from the minute the films starts. There is way too much Williamson written over these scenes which for me was great. As with the review for KVA, stick with the formula folks it works. Gideon Adlon and Bethlehem Million star as two friends escaping college for isolation at a very posh cabin in the woods. Seclusion seems like the right answer until some shadowy strangers show up to cause a little ruckus. From that moment on the viewers needs to strap in and enjoy the ride. It's possible there is a bit of predictability on certain parts but still enjoyable enough not to dissuade you. Kevin Williamson has always been able to resonate with current generations and pairing him with Hyams feels very reminiscent. We aren't comparing him to Wes Craven but the pairing feels close to each other. Hyams has such a great eye with his beautifully shot films that the crossover appeal of SICK is tremendous.
Outside of SMILE and DECISION TO LEAVE , I feel SICK will hit the mainstream audience running. What happened during that time period is fresh in our minds. To take the unique story of a killer stalking makes the mind wander so much. Isolation would be the best stomping grounds for a killer right? While we were all joking about vaccine zombies and toilet paper, a real fear was presented right under noses. What the hell would you do if someone is trying to kill you but you're not allowed to be in contact with anyone? it's scary and SICK does a great job exploiting that.
4/5
SICK is directed by John Hyams
Writers: Katelyn Crabb and Kevin Williamson(original story)
Starring: Gideon Adlon, Bethlehem Million, Jane Adams, Marc Menchaca and Logan Murphy.