It’s been a while since I felt compelled to write about a cultural artifact, but the tide is turning. A couple of days ago I was in the twilight zombie state between consciousness and sleep, browsing the US Netflix site for something stupid and fun to watch, when a description caught my eye:
Antiviral – This wild sci-fi vision imagines a freaky future where diseases caught by celebrities are put on the market for injection by their obsessed fans.
The concept of commodified bug-chasing piqued my interest, and “Wild” and “Freaky” seemed like appropriate tags for stupid/fun entertainment, so I clicked, knowing nothing more about the film and expecting a low-budget, mediocre “romp”. Fifteen minutes in I began to realize my mistake.
The washed-out, icy palette set the mood for a dystopian future only slightly more obsessed with celebrity than our present, where Syd, a (hot, creepy, ginger) clerk at a luxury clinic, peddles viruses with lines like, ” She’s perfect somehow, isn’t she? More than perfect. More than human.” and, after a sale, offers words of encouragement: “The fever should kick in just in time the long weekend.”
Unease began to set in. I went into this expecting satire, and indeed there was some pitch-black humor to be found: stray bits of newscasts alluding to the current it-girl’s downstairs mix-up, butcher shops selling lab-grown celebrity steak, video billboards advertising famous smiles topped with herpes sores. But there was also more substance than I’d signed up for. The stark cinematography, the (mostly) sophisticated special effects, the creeping pace and the intense, physical acting of the lead, who smuggles viruses in his own body to sell on the black marker, and spends a lot of time looking like a damp, sallow Ann Demeulemeester editorial, drew me in. Dread mounted, disease spread, acerbic sarcasm didn’t let up and then, Syd had a fever dream where the virus became a mass of protruding machine parts inside his body. Suddenly I knew I was in a familiar place. It was… Cronenberg!
Not the Dangerous Method or, god forbid, Cosmopolis Cronenberg, but the David Cronenberg whose body horror themes fused into the fabric of my visual vocabulary when I was a teenager. The Videodrome, ExitenZ, Naked Lunch, Dead Ringers and Crash Cronenberg, who remains one of my favorite filmmakers to this day. But how could this be? I knew that David Cronenberg’s new movie wouldn’t be out til next year, and it’s impossible that a release from him would fly under my radar, anyway. This, then, had to be someone giving a massive nod to one of my favorite film guys.
At that point I felt really conflicted. Antiviral was beautiful, grotesque, engaging – a film I genuinely enjoyed, start to finish. It did all the things I’d been missing in David Cronenberg’s recent work – 2007’s A History of Violence being the last of his movies I’ve liked. Was the value of the movie diminished by its recognizable influences? Should I not have liked it as much as I did? Confused, I decided to find out more about Antiviral, and quickly learned that it was made by a Cronenberg indeed, albeit not David, but his son, Brandon, Antiviral being his directorial debut. Strangely, this discovery made it all better for me, and now I want to pick your brains on this subject.
To me, Brandon’s movie delves further into the themes his father’s work explored, and breathes new life into a filmmaking style I’m fond of – I actually hope for more from him along these lines, as long as he continues to elaborate and innovate. My question to you is: is this lazy? Is it lazy of me, as a viewer, to enjoy someone referencing something I like so heavily? Is it lazy of Brandon, as a filmmaker, to rely so much on his father’s works, or can this be viewed as more of a torch-transfer? Whatever your answer may be, I’d love to hear from you.
I think that it’s definitely entrenched in the legacy of his father’s work, because he grew up around it. I’m sure he has many of the same influences because of being his father’s son and also his dad perhaps showing him *his* favorite influences. That said, I do think he broke new ground in many ways, and the story was really spectacular, in my opinion.
Plus, as you said, the muted palette was really EVERYTHING. I adored the stark contrasts and the vivid richness to what colour there was. I don’t think I’ve ever been more creeped out by red nail polish in my life.
I also loved the film, but felt no conflict in Brandon’s very clear paternal influence. After the film, I talked for a while about it with my boyfriend (who watched it with me). The whole famous director’s child striking out on their own thing reminded me of Jennifer Lynch’s attempts at filmmaking. While I ADORE Boxing Helena, i love it for its ineptness. the whole dreamy concept of the film is somehow helped by it’s terrible script, stilted acting and awkward direction. Her more recent movie, Surveillance, felt like she was forcing this kind of Lynchian vision into her own original work. It didn’t work for me and while the film had some redeeming qualities, I thought that for the most part it was terrible. Brandong Cronenberg, on the other hand, seems genuinely inspired by his father’s work. Antiviral didn’t feel derivative at all. Actually, in response to your lazy comment, i’d say that calling the film a copy of his father’s work is the lazier response. it’s easy to connect the stylistic approaches and theme of the film with David Cronenberg’s movies, but it felt very different and like a very genuine approach. While it definitely felt like a first film, the casting was outstanding, the script was very good and the visuals were quite stunning. I remember in one point there was a plane flying in the sky, but initially it looks like a bug–very inspired stuff! But that’s just it for me, I guess. Good works are often inspired by or emulate great works. And I can see Brandon Cronenberg is inspired by his father but has all the natural artistic vision required to be a great filmmaker.
also, holy hell–Caleb Jones was so hot/creepy as Syd! At first I was repulsed by him, but maybe that made him even hotter :-p
Meredith and Deja – definitely agreed about Brandon breaking new ground here and doubt anyone would accuse him of copying dad’s work.
Imagine how much must have embedded itself in Brandon well before he was able to “get” it! I read a few interviews with Brandon, and he mentioned not being interested in his father’s work until later in life, which makes sense – it’s common for us to not be able to understand and appreciate our parents’ lessons until later in life, when we’re not so close to the source anymore.
And, Deja – don’t even get me started on Boxing Helena. It’s one of those movies I was really into when I was twelve, only to re-watch it later and be hilarified. So much so, I still haven’t been able to bring myself to watch “Surveillance”.
Julian Sands is still awesomely repugnant in that role, though – same category as Syd, I’d say. Repulsive-yet-hot leading men need their own term. Ideas?
Well now – thanks for tonight’s entertainment. That was thoroughly… interesting.
Now that you’re in the EU – any plans to visit the mainland? :)
Moohoohoo, I aim to please! And – not yet, but if/when that happens I will let you know.
Boxing Helena has forever made me lol about Enigma sexy time music!!
Antiviral report by @zoetica I totally agree with http://t.co/sZKhytGLoS (one of my 2013 movie crushs!)
You as a viewer, as a consumer, and a fan have a desire for a product that hits a sweet spot. If you find that product, it’s up to you to find out if you want to enjoy it.
What if this same film was made by Michael Bay? Or Steven Spielberg? When I purposely don’t research a film I’m about to watch, I try to really take in the film before I learn about who made the film because as soon as I learn about the film I have two sets of considerations. I have to consider the film by itself and I have to consider everything around the film. If there’s one thing I don’t want, I don’t want to like a bad movie because the guy behind it made good movies before and after.
My question is did you like Antiviral more after you found out who made it?
The first time I watched Antiviral was at the Sitges Film Festival last year. It was my favorite movie from the whole festival. I met Brandon and he is such a nice guy, very introvert.
I understand what you feel about the film but, as David doesn’t make that kind of films anymore, I’m glad there is another person making them. Also, yes, it’s Cronenberg but it’s his own thing. His father’s work is dirtier, darker. If David’s movies were about the New Flesh, this feels like the New New Flesh. Let’s see what Brandon makes in the future, it’s his first film and it’s normal that you can see the influence of his father. I’m sure he will find his own voice and I will be watching for sure.
Also, Caleb is a perfect human being, don’t you think?
Matt, that’s a good question and I’m honestly not sure. I want to say that I liked it differently after I found out who made it, if that makes sense. I loved it before, but I can’t completely compartmentalize away the context of it being made by David Cronenberg’s son, once I know it.
Sabrina, lucky you! And – I’m in complete agreement – I hope Brandon doesn’t feel compelled to only make films with these themes, but if he makes more, I certainly won’t mind.
Though I can’t speak for Caleb’s entire humanity, his new new flesh is a very good thing, yes.
I sometimes feel “lazy” watching things I know are targeted at me, things that confirm my own world view. Sometimes, watching another dark scifi movie in general feels like a guilty pleasure when it’s actually something I really do like. I feel guilty about not expanding my realm almost every time I choose to stay within it, rather than venture out and watch a movie I know is culturally significant, but have no particular interest in. I still haven’t seen pretty in pink.
I haven’t seen Antiviral, but now I would really like to. Naked Lunch is one of my all time favorite movies and after watching it, I craved more of Naked Lunch, but I would feel weirdly guilty if I consumed it. I guess it’s like people who love cake but feel bad every time they eat it.
I agree that Brandon will eventually define his own style, which will be different than his father’s. But I am curious, do you feel this way about this particular movie, or do you feel indulgent when getting more of the same and likeing more of the same, in general, like I do?
I loved this movie when I saw it in a tiny theater a couple of months ago. I thought about writing a review of it, didn’t get around to it. Now I must rewatch it on Netflix.
ive never written you (that i recall) but have followed you for years…
anyway, this went down on my list of must sees IMMEDIATELY after reading your review and then watching the trailer.
If a person was a carpenter or a leather worker or some other sort of craftsmen and were to teach his child the craft and the child then grows up and follows into this trade the child would take many of the same characteristics with but make it their own…a sort of apprenticeship, yes?
And also i had to write because “Boxing” is one of my all time favorite movies….haved re-watched and re-watched and i am old now but i dont care – still love it.
I don’t like matching makers and products for the sole fact that I know my expectations will be twisted before watching film. I liked Antiviral for its body but not its plot. I did consider it a little “lazy” because its such an old premise and idea that I wasn’t really impressed with the amount of thought that went into its basic structure.
I like forward and deep thinking along the lines of eXistenZ when it comes to the more alternative side of film making for the sheer reason that if something is going to be presented as “different” I think it should be taken as far as the director’s mind can take it without suffering the quality of the movie. However, for this being a first film by the son of an expected director then I think its pretty right on point. I will be disappointed if his future films don’t take that step further though. I believe it is the duty of the artist to give every ounce of their being possible to their craft. For themselves and the ones who enjoy it.
Now, have you seen Hellevator? It’s a Japanese (oh no, not that!) film made by a troupe of college students. Like always, I found out this fact after watching it. From the cover I expected it to be terrible so I kept ignoring it every time I would see it pop up on Netflix. But I was surprised to say the least, it definitely ranks up their as one of my most favorite and most underestimated films ever. After watching and reading the reviews it’s a love it or hate it, no middle ground. Which is proof (to me) that the creators really put their soul into making the movie and I love to see that :)