The Plague

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The Plague

R

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1h 38m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

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100%

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48 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

In the summer of 2003, at an all-boys summer water polo camp, socially anxious twelve-year-old Ben struggles to fit in amidst a ruthless social hierarchy. When he befriends Eli -- a lonely, acne-ridden outcast shunned by the others for allegedly carrying a contagious "plague" -- Ben becomes entangled in a cruel, escalating ritual of scapegoating and fear. As the lines between teasing and real harm blur, Ben is forced to confront his own complicity and the terrifying cost of belonging. A tense, darkly humorous coming-of-age story about masculinity, peer pressure, and the horrors that fester when cruelty masquerades as a game.

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Critics Consensus

Steeped in disquieting mood without ever treading water, The Plague takes common adolescent anxieties and elevates them into an unforgettable chiller.

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Clint Worthington

RogerEbert.com

2d

4/4

'The Plague’ never really comes down one way or the other on whether its titular contagion is real. Then again, it doesn’t have to; the real plague is puberty, and the toxic codes young boys play out not just to belong, but to dominate.

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Nick Schager

The Daily Beast

2d

Taut and entrancing, it’s a stark reminder that adolescence sucks.

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William Bibbiani

TheWrap

2d

I’d say if 'The Plague' wasn’t nominated for Best Original Score there’s something terribly wrong with the Oscars, but 'The Plague' didn’t even make the short list, so there’s just something terribly wrong with the Oscars.

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Jared Mobarak

Hey, Have You Seen ...?

13h

7/10

I'd argue it's better to let the metaphor live rather than allude to its existence. The message gets lost when you try to straddle that line by giving audiences both simultaneously. It seeks to merely use genre trappings, not be a genre film.

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Olga Artemyeva

ScreenAnarchy

1d

Succinct but effective ... presenting a welcome departure from what a lot of genre films tend to do these days. ... Might not have any groundbreakingly novel ideas on the painful subject, the ones it has are still relevant.

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Joseph Robinson

Fish Jelly Films (YouTube)

2d

4/5

The Plague captures adolescent terror so vividly it feels like PTSD in movie form.

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Cyns Corner

12h

3.75/5.0 STARS - Screened in early November. The Plague was written and directed by Charlie Polinger (his directorial debut). It follows 12-year-old Ben during his time at a water polo training in 2003. While this film is marketed as a "horror," it really isn't. It's about bullying, the social pressure to fit in with the crowd, and the struggles of self-acceptance. Moments of vocal scoring create an eerie, unsettling atmosphere that can sometimes feel overused, and some viewers might not click well with the open-ended nature of the final scene, but strong child performances anchor it, creating an experience that feels like a cross between body horror and Lord of the Flies. Video review: https://youtu.be/tuf-tSDicpM

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The Plague: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

In the summer of 2003, at an all-boys summer water polo camp, socially anxious twelve-year-old Ben struggles to fit in amidst a ruthless social hierarchy. When he befriends Eli -- a lonely, acne-ridden outcast shunned by the others for allegedly carrying a contagious "plague" -- Ben becomes entangled in a cruel, escalating ritual of scapegoating and fear. As the lines between teasing and real harm blur, Ben is forced to confront his own complicity and the terrifying cost of belonging. A tense, darkly humorous coming-of-age story about masculinity, peer pressure, and the horrors that fester when cruelty masquerades as a game.

Director: Charlie Polinger
Producer: Lizzie Shapiro, Lucy McKendrick, Joel Edgerton, Steven Schneider, Roy Lee, Derek Dauchy
Screenwriter: Charlie Polinger
Distributor: Independent Film Company
Production Co: Five Henrys Productions, Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Spooky Pictures, The Space Program, Hellcat
Rating: R (Some Drug and Alcohol Use|Language|Sexual Material|Self-Harm/Bloody Images)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 24, 2025, Limited
Runtime: 1h 38m