Good morning, House of Madness residents:
There's no point in sugarcoating it, or making light of the fact that kids are dicks. We spend much of our youth simply trying to 'fit in' at all costs, completely oblivious to the absurdity and the unimportance of it all when put into perspective as we get older. Fears of being judged, mocked, and humiliated simply for being different can trigger behaviors unbecoming to some, forcing them to identify as a person they don't want to be, but when faced with the alternative, sometimes it's easier being a stranger to yourself, rather than risking unacceptance from others.
Summers are what kids live for, and plays an integral part in helping shape, form, and define us as we edge towards adulthood. Riding bicycles with your friends, playing softball at the park, or just chilling in your buddy's basement as you watch movie after movie are some of the things that can make summer great, but what if you don't really have any friends, and you're more socially awkward than an ICE agent at a gun parade? Well, if you're 13 year old Ben (Everett Blunck), you're off to water polo camp for the summer, where you have no choice but to socialize and make yourself fit in.
As Ben gets to camp, he nervously forces himself to befriend his teammates, as they will be spending all their time together for the most part over the course of the summer, so best to get in front of his anxiety, rather than risk it swallowing him whole. The group is clearly led by their fearless and cocky alpha named Jake (Kayo Martin), who has been to this camp before, and whose attitude their coach Daddy Wags (Joel Edgerton) is all too familiar with. If Ben is going to be able to infiltrate the group and become one of them, he will have to act quickly, hoping to avert from being his awkward, dorky self, and find a way to earn their trust. Luckily for Ben, there is Eli (Kenny Rasmussen), a boy so weird, odd, and different, that he is the team whipping boy, taking the brunt of all their abuse, whilst seemingly accepting his role as camp loser. Not only does Eli suffer from all the social downfalls that come with this, but according to Jake and the others, Eli suffers from 'the plague', a disease that starts off being a rash, deteriorates your motor skills, and eventually drives you mad, and it's extremely contagious to the touch, so everyone keeps their distance when they're not in the pool. As time passes and Ben starts to recognize what's real and what isn't, the tables turn on him, and he's forced to make a decision more important than any other he's ever made in his life, only this decision will either have lasting social ramifications, or will set him free.
"The Plague" doesn't try and deliver its message pretentiously which is truly a great thing. Rather than other films attempting to tackle serious subjects by clouding over reality with shock value, this film simply 'gets it' with the subject matter at hand, and tells a tale many of us have experienced from one standing or another; be yourself, because at the end of the day you're YOU, and what others might perceive you to be, isn't nearly as important as enjoying the person you want to be.
Madness Meter: 7.4/10
NB
