Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: ICK [Toronto Intl Film Festival 2024 - Toronto, Ontario]

Director Joseph Kahn’s latest “Ick” [Midnight Madness] is supposed to be a throwback to the Amblin films of 1982 and 1983 but it more seems stuck in the late 90s. The sense of wonder is actually replaced by old school music video timing (90s timing BTW) which gives it an out-of-time context without being relevant (like the 80s seems to be currently). The film means well and the idea of the Ick (not unlike The Blob) is a necessity of progression but it is fairly bland, even when it is vicious. The energy of film seems more like “Parker Lewis Can’t Lose” (than maybe “Scream”) essentiailly with Brandon Route as the lead as former teen star now science teacher Wallace. Timing has a lot to do with right placement. When he was in “Scott Pligrim” it was exactly right because its tantamont to another character. Here it tends to feel forced.

Mailing Weismann plays Grace with almost a Rachel Zegler/Jenna Ortega wide-eyed knowing and it works. But the film jumps around way too much, trying to be quick. As a result, it comes off jittery. As the ick continues to spread, it becomes more of a distraction with CGI and not really in a necessary way. The repercussions are that of a fantasy film but the humor too is a little bit past its expired date. This is Kahn’s love letter to his youth per se (and that is obvious) but it is stuck in its own head…like the Creed songs it both makes fun of and pays homage to. The 80s were its own thing but this is not quite “Stranger Things.” This is something in the middle, that is not quite either here nor there.. B-

By Tim Wassberg