​FILMS

cooties

2015 review number 145:

Cooties: (Comedy/Horror): 65 out of 100: Although listed as a horror entry on IMDB, this film rarely takes itself seriously so it's more of a comedy with elements of horror, however there are still enough scares to please the horror enthusiast. It is definitely in the B-grade category and it's something you can easily enjoy at home. If you are a teacher, you would empathise more with the characters because there are several references to how teachers are unappreciated by the general public and the general conditions they must experience in their workplace.

 

Elijah Wood plays Clint who returns from New York to his home town of Fort Chicken. He is writing his first novel and pays the bills by being a substitute teacher. It's his first day on the job at Fort Chicken Elementary school. Among the teachers are his classmate Lucy (Alison Pill) from the days when he attended the same school, Wade, (Rainn Wilson) the PE teacher who also happens to be Lucy's boyfriend, Doug, (Leigh Whannell) the biology/sex education specialist and Tracy (Jack McBrayer). Their day is all about survival when a virus which affects people who haven't reached puberty, is spread through infected chicken nuggets.

 

This is a send-up of all those flesh-eating movies that have infiltrated the horror market over the years. Not even all the actors appear to be taking it seriously, especially Rainn Wilson and Jack McBrayer. There's often a case of overacting from these two which might annoy some moviegoers. If you take this movie seriously then you're seeing the wrong movie.

 

When the school is in lockdown mode, that's when a lot of the fun begins. The children are the serious ones here, being the killers that they are through the pandemic. There are no standouts among the cast of children, they are all serviceable as the flesh-eating monsters. Anyway, they all appear the same with their deranged and aggressive tendencies. There are two children who are not affected by the virus and they are surplus to requirements.

 

The script has been co-written by Australian Leigh Whannell who also plays a teacher. If you are familiar with his work then you will know that he's had more serious horror offerings in the past such as Saw and Insidious. He seems to be having a ball here making a joke of the horror genre. There are moments when all logic is out the window but that's what you expect from this type of film.

 

Cooties is an entertaining, silly film. Some of the actors might annoy you while the jokes at the most inopportune moments might frustrate you. Park your brain at the cinema door and enjoy the nonsense this film provides.

 

Starring Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, Alison Pill and Jack McBrayer

(88 minutes)

Parental advice: Coarse language, violence, sexual references and drug use

Additional scene during or after credits: Yes, after the credits we see the janitor alone in his storeroom quoting some words of wisdom

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_he1HiLy0A (Movie trailer)

(Reviewed on Wednesday 30th September, 2015)

 

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