Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
The residents of a suburban high-rise apartment building are infected by parasites that turn them into mindless nymphomaniac fiends.
Cronenberg's debut feature is a genuinely singular work — a body-horror parable about sexual liberation gone wrong, dripping with transgressive ideas that feel both provocative and prescient. The parasite-as-libido concept is wildly original and executed with real conviction, earning high Novelty marks. The plot is lean and effectively structured as a creeping infestation thriller. Cinematography is functional but workmanlike for a low-budget Canadian horror film. Acting is uneven across the cast, with performances ranging from competent to stiff. The ending is bleak and committed, sending the infected horde out into the world — a solid payoff that honors the film's nihilistic premise without being particularly surprising.