Sébastien Vaniček’s directorial debut, Infested, is stylish, tense, and a well-crafted film that seamlessly blends horror elements with an emotionally compelling human drama.
Kaleb (Theo Christine), a 30-year-old hustler, lives with his sister, Manon (Lisa Nyarko), in a run-down French apartment building on the outskirts of Paris. Both are dealing with the aftermath of their mother’s death and are struggling to make ends meet. One day, Kaleb, an avid exotic animal lover and collector, brings home an unusual, poisonous spider and accidentally lets it slip away from his room. However, when the spider bites and kills an apartment resident, the entire building descends into chaos as the spiders, which can rapidly reproduce and grow in size, begin killing residents one by one. The situation worsens when the police place the apartment under quarantine, and Kaleb, Manon, and other characters, including Jordy (Finnegan Oldfield), Kaleb’s ex-best friend; Lila (Sofia Lesaffre), Manon’s friend and Jordy’s girlfriend; and Mathys (Jérôme Niel), the apartment resident and Kaleb’s friend, face an uphill battle to survive the deadly spider attack.
Infested opens with a scene in which a group of men are seeking a spider in the desert when one of them is bitten and dies a horrible death. This scene brilliantly sets the tone for the film and contributes to a suspenseful first act because, due to that scene, the audience has more information than the characters, especially regarding the spider’s abilities and deadly potential. As a result, when Kaleb buys the spider, we’re always concerned for his safety and curious about what the spider can do, keeping us on the edge of our seats. There are also a few death sequences that are both impressively designed and executed. In one scene, a man working out in his bedroom observes a large spider in the mirror. While attempting to eliminate it, he inadvertently uncovers a vast web of spider’s nests beyond the walls. In another scene, a cleaning lady also discovers an overwhelming number of spiders in the apartment’s attic and is attacked when she attempts to eliminate them with a spray.
Considering the entire plot unfolds in a single apartment, the production design is commendable for its meticulous attention to detail. The film’s tight alleys and tiny houses help build tension, particularly in the scene where Lila is attacked by a spider in the bathroom. The limited lighting and narrow stairs further add to the claustrophobia, which is later perfectly utilized when the spiders are in full attack mode. Also, the apartment’s worldbuilding is worth mentioning because, in general, most films set in low-income housing societies deal with drug addiction, cheesy comedies, or issues related to racial tensions. However, this film offers a refreshing change of pace by avoiding such clichés in favor of portraying people going about their daily lives, getting along with one another, and dealing with the prevalent challenges (particularly those involving money and relationships).
The film becomes exciting and fast-paced when it enters the survival horror zone, with the characters attempting to escape the apartment while avoiding being killed by the spiders, which are rapidly growing in size. It triggers a couple of nail-biting scenes, like the one in which the characters dart into a spider-infested parking garage or when they dash towards the terrace, attempting to evade the spiders with the help of their flashlights, only to be relentlessly pursued by them. The action sequences, particularly those towards the end, are expertly staged and shot. One such scene occurs when the characters engage in a violent altercation with the police; it is brutal, intense, and urgent, with the audience hoping without hope that the protagonists will survive the overwhelming odds. Also worth mentioning is the climactic action scene, which, despite its chaotic nature, is handled with elegance by the debutant director, who manages to convey everything with utmost clarity by cleverly utilizing the low-budget and limited settings.
Apart from the impressive visuals and the director’s ability to maintain continuous tension, the film also excels in detailed character development, with each character having its own unique personality and a wealth of complex traits. As the film progresses and these characters find themselves in increasingly dangerous situations, we learn more about their true selves and the dynamics they share with one another, making us empathize with, root for, and hope for their survival. Even though the horror aspect is solid, the film would not have been as impactful without these richly realized characters. On the downside, I felt that some plot points—like Mathys’s actions towards the end or the confrontational scene between Kaleb and the spider—didn’t quite add up and seemed to be included only to get to the film’s conclusion. Fortunately, it does not severely detract from the movie because these plot points do not appear utterly illogical or out of place.
Infested flew under the radar following its release; nevertheless, it is undeniably one of 2023’s best horror films.
Infested movie links: IMDB, letterboxd
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