Phase 7

Phase 7 is a rather interesting film from Spain.  That along with "The Last Circus" makes it two for two from Spain this month.  Maybe there's some sort of revival of Spanish filmmaking, or maybe its just the luck of the draw.  Hard to be sure without more research.

Anyway, Phase 7 is about a plague.  A lovely young couple in an apartment building first don't even realize they are in the midst of a pandemic.  As they shop and love natter at each other, folks are rushing in full "shotgun and canned food" mode.  It's only when they get home that they learn there's a new super virus that is taking out nearly everyone.  The UN declares it a phase 6 emergency and the apartment is put into full quarantine.  At first, everyone is nice enough but soon it becomes neighbors vs. neighbors.  Our hero only "friend" is the ultra paranoid, extremely well armed Horatio.  Our hero dances a fine line between fighting homicidal neighbors, keeping crazy Horatio happy, and trying to keep his very pregnant wife from knowing just how bad things are.

This film moves fast, but it isn't MTV style flash and sizzle.  The story just naturally unfolds at a fast pace as everything falls to chaos.  Our leads are very charming.  I love Horatio even though I can't entirely trust a person who keeps his own personal bacterial contamination suits.  The film plays more naturalistic than most plague films.  It's far more science fiction than horror.  Definitely a breath of fresh air, even if filtered through a contamination suit.