Infestation (2023)

In general, the so-called “cities” in Paris are extremely populated housing estates located on the outskirts of the city. These buildings are made up of gigantic blocks of apartments that, nowadays, mostly house immigrants and low-income residents. Cinema has benefited from this type of urban setting (or variations thereof), whether due to the multicultural richness or the social adversities that afflict the place. In the horror genre we have recent examples, such as Attack on the Building (2011, the setting is apartments in London) or The Legend of Candyman (2021, the same type of construction, but in Chicago) or if we go further, in the great Satan’s Slaves 2: Communion (2022), in which a huge building is a considerable part of the oppressive supernatural horror present in the film directed by the Indonesian filmmaker Joko Anwar.

Back to “cities” Parisians, it is in one of these condominiums that he lives Kaleb – a young man who survives as best he can. He currently sells products to other residents, in a kind of informal market where the main item offered are shoes from famous brands and models, popular among young people. Kaleb is upset, as he has never felt so alone, especially due to having distanced himself from his best friend and the constant conflicts with his sister, which started after his mother’s death. He still has a hobby unusual: collecting small exotic animals. His latest acquisition is a small, venomous spider, of an unknown species, which he affectionately gives the name of Rihanna. The problem is that the arachnid, which has the incredible ability to multiply at an astounding speed and adapt its size according to the level of danger it faces (something that would certainly leave Darwin terrified), ends up escaping. Before long, the housing complex is infested with huge, deadly spiders. When the building is isolated by the police and residents are prohibited from leaving, Kaleb begins a desperate fight to protect himself and save his sister, his former friends and neighbors.

Vermines (original title), Infested (international title) or Infestation (Portuguese title adopted so far), is a French feature film directed by debut filmmaker Sébastien Vanicek. It is important to emphasize here that it is not so simple to evaluate the results of a film director’s work and that the criteria should never be subjective, although we can never completely escape them. Identifying (and examining) the director’s trademarks, in other words, his artistic vision and style, is always a valid path, including associating the analyzed film with other works by the filmmaker. It is not possible to establish this correspondence here, as Vanicek he only directed a few short films, little or not known here, before Vermines. Another valid parameter is to consider the technical aspects (sound, photography, editing, special effects, etc.). It is the director who coordinates a gigantic team and establishes objectives and limits so that a cohesive final result is achieved that respects the film’s proposal. Some readers will say that the ideal thermometer is public reception. However, box office success is the ideal measure for the commercial success of the production, however it is not necessarily correlated to “quality” of the work. But in relation to Infestationthe work of the French Sébastien Vanicek Yes, it is very successful, especially in the adequate balance of the drama arising from the characters’ conflictual relationships and the horror caused by the presence of the arachnids (enhanced by the claustrophobic atmosphere of the environment); in addition to dosing your social criticism, without weighing your hand. However, it is unquestionable that the most effective proof and recognition of the good work of Vanicek in Vermines be it the recent project in which the filmmaker is involved: nothing less, nothing more, than a new spin off of the franchise Evil Deadproduced by Sam Raimi. The responsibility is great, above all after the success of Death of the Demon: The Riseone of the most talked about horror releases of 2023.

The script, co-written between Vanicek It is Florent Bernard (which comes from television products) is unpretentious and at the same time competent in simplicity, especially when exploring two classic human phobias: the fear of spiders (arachnophobia) and claustrophobia (the fear of closed spaces). However, the creation of the characters stands out, whether the protagonists or supporting characters. They are believable characters, with a past that overflows with imperfections and limitations, in addition to demonstrating a desire for change and resolution of internal conflicts. The protagonist Kaleb himself, who assumes the position of leader and hero, has dubious and morally ambiguous behavior at various times. In short, they are human characters, with flaws and qualities. Still in relation to the script, the excessive hysteria (literally shouting) at the moment when the building is completely taken over by arachnids is perhaps questionable. The frantic pace, and the characters’ illogical decisions, elevates (or not) Vermines at a level that contrasts with the initial act, in which drama and suspense are better explored. The layer of the text that brings some social criticism borders on the subtle, although only by inserting the characters in an environment where poverty is evident could we consider it an allusion to social inequalities and a probable lack of attention from the authorities. In addition to this scenario, the unfolding of the plot pits the group of residents against the police force, who on their side face difficulties in understanding what is happening and how to deal with the chaotic situation. For the French spectator, this confrontation population vs. cops it has a different effect, since the country experienced a turbulent year (2023) due to political-social turmoil, with many strikes and demonstrations that placed the police and the people on opposite sides.

Still on the issue of social subtext, recently the director Vanicek stated in an interview that the title Verminessomething like worms in Portuguese, it is an allegory for the poorest population who live invisible and in terrible conditions in these regions furthest from the upscale neighborhoods of Paris. An intention that is not evident when watching the film and that was lost in the “translations” of the title into English and Portuguese.

Another hit from Vermines is the choice of the cast, especially the protagonist, played by the “newcomer” Théo Christine (young French actor whose best-known appearance outside France is in Gran Turismo – From Player to Racer, 2023). Charismatic, Théo Christine is competent in giving life to a reasonably complex character (and incomplete, as already mentioned), who alternates between an extravagant profile of a young peripheral Parisian and that of an almost-hero, tormented by protecting his own and reconnecting with his friends and family. Among the supporting actors, the Jérôme Niel (in The mansion, 2017), who adds a dose of lightness and humor to the production, playing the introverted friend, but who, for better or worse, will have its due importance for the outcome of the plot. Even though the cast is not known to the American (and Brazilian) public, the effort and talent of the protagonists and supporting actors guarantee above-average performances for the genre.

It is interesting that the filmmakers Vermines avoid the current tendency to pay homage to the genre, filling the plot with references to classics or moving the plot to other decades in which the genre itself “subgenre” (we could call it “bug exploitation”?) was more popular. Although it is not an original film, Vanicek These devices are not used, which somehow brings more authenticity to the project. Obviously it is impossible not to compare Infestation to the famous Arachnophobia (released in 1990, a little overrated, in the opinion of this writer). The French feature film, despite the same plot, man vs. naturehas a very different approach, mainly in its less impersonal and much more intimate and dramatic gradation, proving at times superior to the production from the 90s.

Regarding digital effects, the result when the spiders reach a size that is unnatural for their species, if not entirely realistic, is acceptable considering the limitations for a production whose budget, although it was around 5 million euros , is lower than the average of blockbusters Americans. It is worth highlighting that the truly distressing moments are exactly those in which spiders are “small” and real animals are used. Among many disturbing scenes, we have arachnids inside shoes, in holes in the wall, in the ceiling, in pipes, under blankets and even coming out of the mouths of their victims.

However, despite all the positive points, it is not possible to ignore that the final act, purposefully anticlimactic, falls short of what the frantic unfolding of the plot promised, after the complete infestation of the housing complex. Nothing that completely ruins the viewer’s experience, despite leaving a somewhat bitter aftertaste from those who suggest that “It could have been better”.

Vermines had its official debut in September 2023 on Venice Film Festival Critics Week, in Italy, receiving mostly positive reviews. He would later win the award for best photography at the Fantastic Fest (festival that would award best film to the Brazilian Propertyin Daniel Bandeira). In April 2024, Infestation officially arrived in the United States via Shudder (that platform streaming dedicated to horror productions) and, for now, remains unpublished in Brazil.

Anyway, Infestation is a very competent feature film, and correctly set expectations (including not expecting a complex and innovative work), it should please the majority of fans of the genre, as it entertains and scares, with moments of great tension that make good use of the setting and the camera angles to emulate a claustrophobic and distressing effect. Not recommended only for readers who suffer from arachnophobia severe; for these, it is advisable to avoid it.