Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: INFIRMARY [Dances With Films NY - New York, New York]
The found footage genre has been played out in many different ways but ultimately the big selling point can be location. With "Infirmary", directed by Nicolas Pineda, even though it takes a while to get going, its location (seemingly the vacant Robert Kennedy Medical Center in Hawthorne, California), creates such an interesting play in its breakdown and decent into the bowels, especially at the very end when the night vision concepts take hold. The story set up focuses on a insane asylum that closed in 2023 and now seemingly stands vacant with a bare bones security crew protecting from thrill seekers. Paul Syre plays Edward, a newly hired security guard who was a former military enlistee in Afghanistan. He gets this new job but even as his hazing at the hands of older guard Lester (Mark Anthony Williams) progresses, there is still something slightly off with him. The strength of the film is using flashlight filming to uncover the crevasses of the hospital. The scares in the first 3/4 are effective but not overwhelming. However, the original score really helps establish the mood.
The base of the concept is the idea of recovered footage after two people were found dead during this one night in 2023 with another one (the suspect) still missing per se. Gary Anthony Williams knows enough how to push buttons with some comic darkness and Danielle Kennedy as the HR lady who might be someone else definitely opens up the creepy jar because of how she can disappear. There is a conspicuous use of mannequins though one tries to figure out its exact place in the lore. The evil actually takes on a neat form eventually and is foreshadowed well. Its delivery, likely with a little CG help and camera tricks really delivers in the final moment. Syre does his best but the characterization of the man is a little back and forth because he seems to have trauma but at other times he seems to be play acting which isn't as close to life. It doesn't quite connect in those moments. Scare tactics aren't necessarily the game here since the location itself is creepy enough in what it is once it descends into the boiler levels. Money can't buy production value like this. And with what looks like particles moving through the air in night vision it could be anywhere but this one is Los Angeles...and in those final moment really captures a mood. B
By Tim Wassberg
