With its claustrophobic set design and limited locations, Patient Zero feels like an Asylum production. Albeit, one blessed with a slightly bigger budget, a great cast, and a competent director.
A particularly nasty strain of rabies has rapidly spread across the planet and driven what’s left of humanity to live in underground bunkers. Spread through bites, the virus causes humans to become murderously violent “infected.” Morgan (Matt Smith) was bitten but did not turn into one of the infected. Instead, he gained the ability to speak their “language.” Now, he uses that ability to assist what’s left of the U.S. Army to locate “patient zero,” the first person to be infected, in the hopes of finding an antidote. Working with him are Dr. Gina Rose (Natalie Dormer) and their affable lab assistant, Scooter (John Bradley.)
The military brings the infected into their underground base and Morgan interrogates them. Hoping to locate the origin of the virus, he asks them details about their infection and where they’ve been. Anyone other than Morgan simply hears grunting and growling. Colonel Knox (Clive Standen) thinks they’re wasting their time. (Although, he never suggests a better idea.) And then they encounter “The Professor,” one of the infected who doesn’t act anything like the others. He’s immune to the typical interrogation techniques used by the humans. He also found a way to sneak into the base undetected rather than being brought in by force. He’s disarmingly intelligent and that’s not a good thing.
With its claustrophobic set design and limited locations, Patient Zero feels like an Asylum production. Albeit, one blessed with a slightly bigger budget, a great cast, and a competent director. Stanley Tucci, of all people, plays “The Professor.” I’m not sure how an actor of his caliber ended up in this film, but he definitely injects some life into the production. The aforementioned Smith (Doctor Who) and Dormer (Game of Thrones) do their best to elevate the material. Alas, it’s a moot point.
The script starts off with promise and led me to believe that this might be a hidden gem of a film. But, as it moved towards the final act, the wheels started to come off. Throwing its promising first act world-building out the window, Patient Zero degenerates into a poorly written horror flick with an unsatisfying ending. A big disappointment even though I had zero expectations beforehand.
2.0 out of 5.0 stars
