Ick is a enjoyable, nostalgia-packed horror movie that I cherished each second of. Directed by Joseph Kahn and starring Brandon Routh as a former highschool all-star jock whose desires failed to hold him past an damage, Ick blends alien invasion sci-fi horror with darkish humor and witty commentary that makes it higher than the sum of its elements.
Sooner or later within the 2000s, an uncommon alien plant-like species landed on Earth and was quickly labeled the Ick. Whereas this acronym has a scientific that means, the surface-level descriptor is correct. Nevertheless, since this grotesque plant seems to do little aside from develop unpleasant patches on each floor, humanity has chosen to largely ignore it. However, 20 years after its arrival, the Ick begins to assault.
The Ick Is Not A Hero Story, However It Has A Hero
Brandon Routh’s Hank is essentially portrayed as an unremarkable determine whose glory days are lengthy gone. Whereas the Ick is invading everything of planet Earth, this story is laser-focused on him. That is good for capturing the tone of the film, tackling a collection of occasions with a handful of relationships. Nevertheless, the occasions themselves are much less vital than the characters.
Past being comical and well timed, the movie is not afraid to lean laborious into facets of horror and play up the nostalgia of the 2000s.
Hank finds that means in a world gone mad, and Routh is completely forged to play the half. The actor has the physique and look of a hero, but he is in a position to convincingly seem as non-threatening and meek. This in the end contributes to the story’s wacky and unpredictable arc; this small city is overrun by the Ick, however the residents proceed to interact in life as standard.
Ick is brilliantly witty and splendidly forged, with actors like Malina Weissman including to the general enjoyable as a cussed scholar who seems to be one of many solely different folks taking the Ick critically. Past being comical and well timed, the movie is not afraid to lean laborious into facets of horror or play up 2000s nostalgia in a method that contributes to the joy and enjoyable.
Ick Pushes The Limits In Each Darkness & Comedy
Whereas the sci-fi nature of an alien invasion is clearly one a part of this story, the film shortly evolves into intense physique horror with the Ick possessing the townspeople. Alongside the possessions, the movie makes the aliens look extraordinarily gross as they seem to pulsate, rework, and dispense massive volumes of goo and slime. All of this provides to the movie being probably the most surprising and awe-inspiring releases of 2025.
It caters to a selected viewers, and I fall squarely into it.
The movie isn’t shy about taking part in into nostalgia bait. As a proud millennial, I am not ashamed to confess that 10 minutes into the movie, I needed to double-check that the music taking part in was a part of the soundtrack and never simply one in all my playlists. It caters to a selected viewers, and I fall squarely into it. Nevertheless it additionally does not take itself too critically, taking part in with critiques and stereotypes throughout the board.
Ick is a enjoyable time. It’s unashamedly itself, pushing the bounds of each story facet. With an important forged, glorious visible results, and completely edited and executed scenes and transitions, there’s a lot to like. Ick is nicely value looking ahead to followers of the style, the last decade, and the forged and crew who make this manufacturing such a spectacular spectacle.
Ick could have a restricted theatrical launch beginning July 24.
Ick
8/10
- Launch Date
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September 7, 2024
- Runtime
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87 Minutes
- Director
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Joseph Kahn
- Writers
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Joseph Kahn, Dan Koontz, Samuel Laskey
- Producers
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Robert Abramoff, Steven Schneider
- Ick leans laborious into the horror and nostalgia that offers it its personal distinctive tone of voice.
- The comedy all through Ick lands nicely and blends nicely with the story.
- Brilliantly forged with Brandon Routh and Malina Weissman each delivering excellent performances.