A perfect example of a movie that really could've fumbled if it were in the wrong hands. The proposition of a pandemic slasher doesn't sound promising, and while the script can be somewhat flawed in its exploration of the early days of the pandemic, SICK is a brutal, suspenseful, and perfectly paced thriller. John Hyams's direction elevates the material, and it makes me really excited to see him work on bigger projects. The latter half of this film, which pretty much works as an extended chase scene, is some of the most thrilling genre filmmaking I've seen in quite a while. It sucks that a thriller as good as this got dumped onto a streaming service, as this would've been a treat to see on the big screen with a crowd.
Sick is a covid inspired slasher film following protagonist Parker Mason as she and her friends try to survive a sick and twisted killer. I normally find it quite cringe to see a film try to include pandemic elements as a part of its story, but here it works somewhat. Unlike Glass Onion, Sick is completely based around the quarantine and being isolated, so it felt more natural for these elements to be heavily prevalent in the story. That being said, it does not take away from the story as the main chunk is a classic slasher.
I found the action and shot selection to enhance the overall violence and brutal nature of the film. Unlike most slashers, the killer is human acting and behaving in a super realistic manner. When he is cut, he bleeds and screams, when the victim runs, he chases at an incredibly fast speed. This high-octane conflict mixed with incredible quick and shaky cams creates a very visceral experience. My only complaint is the body count was pretty low, the movie could have thrown a couple more friends into the mix.
The acting and story are where this movie starts to lose some major points. The story starts off fine, but the payoff at the end is so out of pocket and corny. It would have worked if this movie was going for a more horror comedy approach, but the majority of the first and second act were quite grounded, even though it had some major social commentary elements. This completely threw me off and hurt the overall story. The acting was good in most parts, but the conversations in the beginning between the teenagers felt off. I am not sure if that is due to the awkward writing or the line delivery.
Overall, Sick provides a classic slasher experience filled with brutal action and pretty great cinematography. The story does not keep the same quality but does enough to progress the plot and facilitate the action.
Score: 64%
Verdict: Decent
A decent slasher movie. I enjoyed this more then I thought I would. The story works and none of the characters of unforgivable stupid.
