SHOP PLAGUE, THE
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The Plague (2006)
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Overview
Release Date:
3 October 2006 (UK) moreGenre:
DramaTagline:
Welcome to the 21st CenturyPlot:
An adrenaline filled weekend of party's, drugs, and violence seen through the eyes of four multicultural friends living in the melting pot that is Londons' inner city estates. | add synopsisAwards:
1 win moreUser Comments:
A triumph and a failure moreCast
(Complete credited cast)more
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
UK:104 minCountry:
UKLanguage:
EnglishColour:
ColourAspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1 moreCertification:
UK:18Filming Locations:
London, England, UKMOVIEmeter: 
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The plague is a slice of life film about a group of youths in a London council estate. The use of underground music, improv, some non actors and authentic locations lend the film a real energy. Greater yet they leave the audience feeling as if they have really experienced the estate, as if they have physically visited it.
In interviews the director (Gregg Hall) has said he grew up in a similar estate like that from the film. This really comes across here. A man in the trenches view.
And to be honest this is what the film does best, as a portrait it works well.
But as a film it's a bit of a failure.
At times the acting slips. Lines are delivered poorly. Bodies become wooden. It's only here and there but it's distracting enough. The micro budget means one has to take or leave the production values - but at time shots are just plain soft and out of focus which is nothing but sloppy.
The radio DJ who seems to over see things is lifted straight from Do the right thing. In do the right thing Lee uses the character to expertly control the tone of the film. Gregg hall uses his character to preach at us. Is there anything worse than a preachy film? The director's visual style leaves us wanting. Jump cuts are the tell tale sign of a young, just out of art school director and they rear their ugly head here. Someone's drinking. Someone's doing drugs. Someone's angry – let's throw in a jump cut to show their disorientation. It's all a bit tired.
Moreover a large majority of the long takes fail. Scene's are sucked of any real bite by the unblinking camera. We all remember the intensity the long take brought in 'that scene' in secret and lies but it has the reverse effect here.
The visuals fail down to the very basics, such as framing and blocking are often very poor.
The big event ending of the film is terrible. A plot that has been almost non present suddenly pops up again for us to be 'shocked' by violence and death. Why writers/directors can never shun a clichéd ending is beyond me. Especially when we consider this film was 100% independent.
This film is a classic kitchen sink realism job. Ugly. Predictable. Nonetheless it works as a slice of life piece. Variety have said the film 'recalls the early, no-budget work of Brit director Shane Meadows' and that's the problem. This film could be compared to any realist Brit director. One formulaic film after another – just like Hollywood.