Pathology

R4 DVD

Roadshow 2008

Pathology is the new shockfest from the creators of Crank and it certainly lives up to the hype surrounding its release. This is a film packed with sex, S & M, drug use, autopsies and gore, so be warned it isn’t for the squeamish or prudish.

The plot is an interesting exploration of human nature and how we create our own ethical boundaries, it examines the simple question – if we could kill without any chance of being caught would we do so ?

The film focuses around Ted - he is highly educated with a degree from Harvard, has a beautiful girlfriend from a well to do family and have just landed residency at the well regarded Metropolitan University pathology program. He has returned from working in Africa but seems to lack life experience. When he enters the program is exposed to a new, exciting and very dangerous world.

At first it all seems like fun, lots of booze, some drugs and sexual exploration, but things get weird when he finds out about “the game”. The major pathologists at Metropolitan University, it seems, are too intelligent for their own good and in a battle of wills they each kill someone and then have to try and deduce the cause of death.

As first Ted resists the game, then his ego gets the best of him, the choice of his victim helps, a vicious killer who slaughtered his family and botched his own suicide attempt. The game is justified by all manner of excuses about the nature of the people they kill, but soon begins to degenerate into killing for its own same.

As the game continues Ted is seduced into helping Juliette with her killing but soon realized she conned him into assisting her. He also beings a torrid affair with her, even though the group tends to view sexuality as a “share” experience. Things get out of control as Jake, the head of the “killing club”, becomes more and more deranged and slaughters three hookers with a meat cleaver.

After Ted returns home for a break, Gwen offers to return with him, a fatal mistake. The game continues and it seems that Jake will not let him escape. There is enough evidence to convict him and yet can they go on playing forever ? Ted engineers a solution but is costly, very costly, including in ways he does not expect.

Pathology is an interesting film with an unusual premise. It is beautifully filmed and using the setting of a pathology lab certainly ups the gore factor as well as creating a mood of medical paranoia. Nobody likes a hospital and pathologists being cavalier with body parts only makes us all the more nervous and edgy and this, of course, helps create the atmosphere of the film.

There are lots of bodies, autopsies and organs thrown willy nilly so don’t watch just after eating. The only negative in Pathology is the characters, none of them are really likeable, I would perhaps go further and say they are all pretty revolting. In my mind Ted is the worst of the lot, Jake may be a insane serial killer but Ted just seems to go along for no particular reason except for some peer pressure ! The “Hollywood” S & M and lesbianism is fun with the sex being relatively transgressive, however it does have the feel of being a little contrived.

Michael Weston as Jake is especially convincing and the acting is generally top notch. Overall, there is certainly enough twists and turns to keep you interested until the climatic end.

Extras include a commentary by Director Marc Scholermann and writers/producers Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor. Creating the Perfect Murder featurette and The Cause of Death: A Conversation with Pathologist Craig Harvey.