This debut feature from Nicholas Pineda, who directed the film, and also co-wrote the screenplay with Katy Krauland (also making a feature debut), Infirmary is a film that makes you think. Unfortunately, it makes you think about how many different ways you can refer to something as truly awful.
Yet another "found footage" movie that doesn't really know how to make the best use of the format, this is a tiresome tale of a new employee (Edward, played by Paul Syre Lee) being shown the ropes by an old hand (Lester, played by Mark Anthony Williams) before finding out that the building he has to spend time in, an old psych hospital, isn't one that abides by the established rules and logic of our everyday world. There are a number of things ready to go bump in the night, including a variety of handy, and creepy, mannequins.
I wanted to spend this review just ranting and raving about everyone involved. Then I decided that didn't seem fair. The cast are just doing what is asked of them, after all. Then I changed my mind again. The cast may just be doing what is asked of them, but they could have made a bit more effort. While I don't believe that anyone here could have saved this from being a waste of your time, Lee is staggeringly awful throughout, which makes it a lot worse when he has to carry so many scenes by commenting on his journeys through the building, or reacting to things around him. Williams isn't much better, although he doesn't have to spend as much time narrating his own step count. Danielle Kennedy plays the other main character, and she does well enough, although there's nothing she can do to stop the third act feeling so tiresomely predictable as things look set to go from bad to worse.
Most of the blame still has to lie with Pineda though, and Krauland. There's nothing here that feels properly thought about and planned out, from the developing minor background details to the reason for the footage we're watching to actually exist. All you have is a horror film made by someone who seems to have thought "I know a location we can use to make something cheap".
Everyone knows the risks of found footage horror movies nowadays. There have been too many duds. "Fool me once, shame on you, but fool me multiple times and that just shows how ridiculously optimistic I remain when I see a found footage horror movie promoted with a hint of praise from other horror movie fans". Infirmary has a great setting, but even that major positive isn't used well. I genuinely believe that almost anyone else could have made use of what's onscreen here to make something much better. Pineda will probably get an undeserved boost from this. I won't be quick to see whatever he does next, and I doubt many will strongly disagree with me on this squandered opportunity.
2/10
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