“Sick” Rating: 3.5/5
This clever, little slasher snuck up on us! In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic is running rampant. Parker and her friend decide to spend their quarantine period at the family lake house. When a group of masked intruders invade their getaway, they must defend themselves to survive the attack.
Positives
“Sick” could have been heavy-handed with the themes presented. The pandemic is very prominent within the plot and features commentary throughout. Instead of forcing an ideology down our throat, it pokes fun at both sides of the extremes. With the tense nature of discussing masks, vaccines and other controversial aspects of the pandemic…this was refreshing.
Another piece of the story that works is the remote, intimate location. I always enjoy when a horror movie allows the tension to linger in each scene, building the atmospheric ambiance that audiences crave. Some horror tropes will never get old.
Any slasher fan will notice the little nods to films like “Scream” or “When a Stranger Calls.” It’s fun to see when a writer pays homage to the classics while creating something fresh. That’s the case here. The most surprising piece of the story is the third act reveal. It was unexpected and helped the COVID theme come full circle. A fitting end to such a story.
Negatives
While the story was fresh enough to recommend, a few pieces didn’t come together.
The two lead girls are pretty weak. Having competent leads for a slasher of this nature is important. Unfortunately, they are quite unlikable and given plot armor to the fullest extent. I would never pick them to put up a formidable fight against these killers. They only did because the plot needed it to happen.
By nature of being a straight-to-streaming film, it feels cheaply constructed at times. This is true with the scares, too, which felt B-rate at best. It could be due to the lack of scary presence from the killers. Their mask and design were forgettable.
Conclusion
“Sick” tests positive! Although it falters on several levels, we manage to get a story that’s clever and plays nicely on the pandemic.
Most slasher fans will find comfort in knowing that it pays homage to the classics while giving us something new. It’s not the scariest movie but certainly provides enough gore. The commentary is smart and weaves nicely into the story being told. Give it a watch if you’re a fan of the genre.
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