Indie Film Review: PATIENT ZERO

Disease and infection are a very big topic in films today from the ground breaking "28 Days Later" (2002) (and its sequel"28 Weeks Later" - 2007) to the more recent remake of "The Crazies" (2010) and "Carriers" (2009) and now comes the indie short film "Patient Zero" from director Jacob Chase.

Chase, who previously directed the shorts "Detention" (2006) and "Hideaway" (2007), among others, focuses "Patient Zero" on the plight of two doctors (played by Brett Rickaby and Candice Afia) who must make the hard decision when they are faced with the dilemma of their patient Noelle (Bridgett Bassa), who may be the carrier of a whole new infectious disease that could be as catastrophic as the AIDS epidemic. Forced with the decision of being in the position to end the epidemic before it even starts by killing Noelle '" i.e. "patient zero" '" the two doctors not only have to come to grips with the moral implications of what they are about to do but also with fundamental implications as one of the doctor's intensions may not be so altruistic.

Written by Philip Reissman, Chase crafts a suspense filled film in which long dolly shots and the simple reactions of the characters to what could be mundane things becomes a moral dilemma that could change the course of human society. Director of photography Danny Grunes excels at crafting a world in which the doctors, in their sterile environment, must confront the diseased world of Noelle creating terror simply by inference. Very few films can create horror and suspense out of the most sterile of locations (William Friedkin's "The Exorcist" (1973) and more recently "Splice" (2009) come to mind) but this film excels in every way.

The performances are just as strong as there is not a single weak link among the talented cast. Chase and producer Candice Afia (who also stars) have put together a top notch cast and crew and it shows in the final product. Kudos also goes to the original score by S. Peace Nistades which keeps the audience on its toes from beginning to end. There is not a single wasted moment in this film and like in real life, the film ends like any good infectious disease film depicting the next big global changing event.

To watch a clip from the film go here:http://www.imdb.com/video/wab/vi3863058713/