The Plague
Charlie Polinger's 2025 psychological thriller, "The Plague," delves into the dark realities of adolescent bullying and social anxiety at an all-boys water polo camp. The film centers on 12-year-old Ben, who struggles to fit in and grapples with the cruel social hierarchy orchestrated by the dominant boy, Jake. As Ben initially participates in the ostracization of an outcast named Eli, he eventually faces similar torment when he is also labeled with "the plague." The narrative explores themes of conformity, peer pressure, and the psychological impact of cruelty, utilizing a horror film aesthetic to amplify the tension and discomfort of the coming-of-age experience. Rated R, the movie is intended for mature audiences due to its intense themes, strong language, sexual content, and depiction of self-harm and substance use among young characters.
Concerns
Violence
HighThe film contains significant psychological torment and instances of physical violence, primarily related to intense bullying among adolescent boys. The violence is often disturbing due to its realistic portrayal of child-on-child cruelty.
The MPAA rating includes 'selfharm/bloody images'. One intense scene involves Jake and his friends pouring cockroaches onto Ben's bed while he sleeps, then trapping him under a blanket as he screams. Another instance of violence occurs when Ben, during a water polo practice, aggressively scratches Jake, drawing blood.
Romance and Sexual Content
HighThe film features explicit discussions of sexual content and vulgar boasts among 12- and 13-year-old boys, presented in a confrontational manner. While graphic nudity or explicit sexual acts are not reported, the dialogue and themes are highly suggestive and inappropriate for younger audiences.
The MPAA rating includes 'sexual material' and reviews highlight 'explicit discussions of sexual content, all presented in a deliberately vulgar and confrontational manner'. Boys at the water polo camp talk 'relentlessly about sex' and engage in 'extreme sexual dialogue'. This includes 'vulgar boasts about sex and masturbation'. Ben experiences humiliation after a wet dream, a scene that contributes to his psychological distress.
Profanity
HighThe movie includes frequent and strong profanity, with explicit expletives and terms of deity. The language used by the young characters is notably harsh and pervasive, contributing to the film's R rating.
The film's R rating is partly due to 'language'. The script reportedly contains 'at least five mild expletives, four dozen moderate profanities, and nine sexual expletives, as well as four terms of deity'. Plugged In specifies 'nearly 30 f-words and half as many s-words,' indicating a high frequency of strong language.
Scary & Intense Content
HighThe film is described as a 'harrowing psychological thriller' that generates visceral fear through its intense depiction of bullying, social anxiety, and psychological torment. It is considered a horror film, not due to supernatural elements, but because of its raw and disturbing exploration of adolescent cruelty.
The movie is characterized as a 'disturbing exploration of bullying and its cost,' and a 'horror film' that is '95 minutes of trauma-by-proxy'. Reviews describe it as an 'unforgettable chiller' that takes 'common adolescent anxieties and elevates them into an unforgettable chiller'. The cinematography and score contribute to a feeling of disorientation and 'drowning,' enhancing the intense and unsettling atmosphere.
Disrespect & Rebellion
HighDisrespect and rebellion are central themes, manifested through severe and unrelenting bullying among the boys. Characters exhibit defiance of social norms and implicit authority figures through their cruel actions and the creation of a rigid, oppressive social hierarchy.
The film is 'predicated on unrelenting bullying' where Ben is pulled into a 'cruel tradition targeting an outcast'. Jake leads the bullying, creating a 'mythology' around Eli's physical difference (eczema) and labeling him with 'The Plague,' effectively making him a pariah. Ben initially participates in this ostracization to fit in, reflecting a problematic form of conformity and defiance of moral behavior.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
MediumWhile not explicitly a 'gay film,' 'The Plague' features strong allegorical themes that resonate with queer experiences, particularly regarding bullying, 'othering,' and social ostracization. One review notes potential parallels to the fear of AIDS in its depiction of a contagious 'plague' spread by touch. The protagonist's journey of being deemed 'different' and outcast can be interpreted through a queer lens.
The film is noted to resonate with queer viewers who have experienced bullying and feelings of being different, even though it is "not a gay film per se". The concept of 'the plague' being contagious by touch and requiring immediate washing can be seen as an unintentional parallel to the fear surrounding AIDS. Actor Everett Blunck, who plays Ben, has also starred in the queer film "Griffin in Summer".
Substance Use
MediumThe film depicts underage drinking and smoking among 12- and 13-year-old characters. This includes instances of alcohol consumption and cigarette use, which are presented as part of the boys' behavior at the camp.
The MPAA rating includes 'some drug and alcohol use - all involving children'. Specifically, boys aged 12 and 13 are 'twice seen drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes'. One example includes a boy spiking drinks with vodka before a coed dance.
Witchcraft & Occult
LowThere is no indication of witchcraft or occult themes in the film. The 'plague' is a social construct used for bullying, not a supernatural or magical affliction. Parental review sources explicitly state an absence of spiritual elements.
Plugged In's review explicitly states 'Spiritual Elements: None' for 'The Plague' (2025). The 'plague' itself is an imaginary disease invented by the boys at the camp to ostracize others, related to eczema and social stigma, not supernatural forces.
Anti-Christian Themes
LowThe film does not contain explicit anti-Christian themes. Its focus is on the psychological and social dynamics of bullying in a secular setting, with no reported religious or spiritual content that would be in opposition to Christian beliefs.
According to the Plugged In review, the film contains 'Spiritual Elements: None'. There are no characters or plot points that mock Christian beliefs or symbols, nor does the narrative promote messages explicitly critical of Christianity.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Not recommended for viewers under 17 due to its R rating for language, sexual material, self-harm/bloody images, and drug and alcohol use, all involving children. Parental guidance is strongly advised for mature teenagers.
Additional Notes
This film is a psychological thriller that uses the metaphor of 'the plague' to explore intense bullying and social anxiety among adolescent boys. Its R rating is well-justified by the content, which includes graphic discussions of sex, strong profanity, underage substance use, and emotionally disturbing violence. Parents should be aware that the film is designed to be unsettling and provoke reflection on the cruelty inherent in certain social dynamics, rather than providing escapist entertainment. There are no known sequels or adaptations at this time, so concerns do not evolve across installments.
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