Very few people reminiscence about their preteen years. For many, it is as much of survival as it is coming of age. It’s the summer of 2003, and tween Ben (Everett Blunck) and his mother have just relocated cross-country. Ben’s mother has put him into an all-boys water polo camp overseen by Coach Wags (Joel Edgerton), presumably to make friends and memories. But, the thoughtful and introspective Ben finds himself out of place early, especially when compared to the boisterous crew led by Jake (Keyo Martin). It’s only through mispronunciation of a word that Ben becomes one of the boys, and Jake makes sure to use said word as the newbie’s nickname.

Nevertheless, Ben is in the group, which is indubitably better than being outside of it, like Eli (Kenny Rasmussen) happens to be. Ostracized and bullied because of what Jake and his crew deem as “leprosy,” Eli spends his days alone, a shirt always covering his rashes. Being around Eli is social suicide, being touched by him means you will carry “The Plague.” Ben’s curiosity and innate compassion eventually bring him to spend more time with Eli away from the visibility of the others, but at this age, news and actions get around quickly. Once people hear that Ben’s been befriending Eli, he has the undefined plague too, growing all over his body and subject to the same treatment that’s stuck with Eli.

While his impact on this film is much less compared to the Oscar hopeful he’s first billed on in Train Dreams, Joel Edgerton is ending 2025 with quite the one-two combo to his filmography. With The Plague, it’s a fascinating movie that feels like if Eighth Grade had a baby with Carrie and 2015’s The Gift, another Edgerton movie that has only gotten better in the decade since its release.

After a myriad of shorts, Charlie Polinger gets his first crack at making a full-length feature as a writer and director. Being set in 2003, his film right away evokes feelings of nostalgia, shot on 35mm film under the cinematography of Steven Breckon. Setting goes a long way in this one. The slightly run-down camp facilities, sleeping areas, showers and the like resemble barracks, setting up the boys as prisoners of their physical environments. So much of the film’s “action” takes place in the large pool of water with the boys immersed and submerged, symbolizing transformation, bodily awakenings, and subconscious thoughts. At times, Polinger and Breckon shoot the film as if it were a straight horror flick, as if there’s something deep in the water ready to attack the unsuspecting campers. Composer Johan Lennox’s score creates a lingering dread with his usage of staccato vocals and punchy strings.

There’s varying levels for sure depending on a myriad of factors outside of one’s control, but there is a pronounced horror that exists for nearly everyone during those preteen and mid-teenage years. Some of that horror is physical; the body evolving and making us look vastly different at different periods and times compared to other peers. And some of that horror—arguably the scarier of the two poles—is rooted in emotional and psychological anxiety; the fear that comes from being excluded and unique, or being picked on, and the resulting desperation to do just about anything to be in the in-crowd.

The early aughts were a different time, a time where dominant culture was very much a thing, and the lack of cell phones and immediate social media interconnectivity made it damn near impossible for individuals outside of the dominant popular cliques to find other like-minded people. There’s an unnerving cruelty and cyclical nature of bullying Polinger highlights with his script and dialogue, a sobering reminder especially when looking through the lens of young boys how quickly toxic masculinity can crystalize, and the body horror turns extremely visceral in one particular moment. So much of it feels authentic because of the conscientious decision to cast preteens, many of whom had limited or no experience in front of a camera. Polinger’s only real misstep is the last three minutes, which feels like an artistic but vague choice bringing The Plague to a whimper of an ending.

It’s always difficult to project who may pop in career stature when there’s a ton of novices in play. And though Polinger deserves a ton of credit for putting his young cast in the right positions to succeed, there are impressive performances worth noting and actors who necessitate future monitoring. Blunck carries the emotional weight so well, the toll of the ongoing bullying and ostracization visible when the camera focuses intensely on his face. The nonchalant nastiness Martin spews makes an indelible mark, and so too does the confident quirkiness Rasmussen brings to his role.

It’s not an easy watch, but The Plague is destined to be one of 2025’s hidden and likely underseen gems. The measured approach will take many viewers back down an uncomfortable memory lane where maybe they were an Eli, a Jake, or a Ben.

B+

Photo credits are courtesy of IFC Films.