Contracted: Phase II

Contracted: Phase II is a 2015 zombie body horror film and the sequel to the 2013 film Contracted. The movie was directed by Josh Forbes, based on a script written by Craig Walendziak, and Eric England, who wrote and directed the first film.

Contracted: Phase II
Directed byJosh Forbes
Written byCraig Walendziak
StarringMatt Mercer
Marianna Palka
Morgan Peter Brown
CinematographyMike Testin
Edited byRuben Sebban
Release date
  • July 5, 2015 (2015-07-05) (Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival)
  • September 4, 2015 (2015-09-04) (United States)
Running time
78 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Phase II follows the character of Riley (Matt Mercer) as he tries to find the man behind the zombie virus.[1] The film had its world premiere on July 5, 2015 at the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival.

Synopsis

After the events in the previous film, Riley (Matt Mercer) has begun showing symptoms of the same illness that caused Samantha (Najarra Townsend) to turn into a zombie. Panicking, Riley decides that he needs to track down the person who first infected Samantha, BJ (Morgan Peter Brown), in the hopes of gaining a cure. Besides showing the same symptoms as Samantha, most of the people Riley loved the most were infected by his virus, especially his grandmother, Margie, Harper and finally his pregnant sister, Brenda (at the credit scene).

BJ has his own agenda, he is more than willing to continue to spread the disease to other victims. He is immune to the virus and continues to spread it to other victims like Samantha, and other four missing women whom he randomly selected by the street. After having sexual intercourse with them he injects the pathogen virus into their bodies before sending them home. Eventually, he sends threat tapes to the special agent to orchestrate the end of the world with a zombie apocalypse.

As Riley decided to cooperate with Detective Young, he succumbs to the disease and is killed by BJ, who was at the hospital where Harper died of seizure to detonate a bomb to create a massive apocalypse by releasing other victims hospitalized there. As Riley is fully transformed into a zombie, he kills BJ before Detective Young shoots him in the head.

Cast
  • Matt Mercer as Riley McCormick
  • Marianna Palka as Detective Crystal Young
  • Morgan Peter Brown as BJ
  • Anna Lore as Harper
  • Laurel Vail as Brenda
  • Peter Cilella as James
  • John Ennis as Special Agent Dalton
  • Najarra Townsend as Samantha Williams
  • Richard Riehle as Deuge Gelman
  • Suzanne Voss as Margie
  • Charley Koontz as Zain
  • Alice Macdonald as Alice Patrick (archive footage)
  • Ruben Pla as Doctor
  • Caroline Williams as Sam's Mom (archive footage)
  • Joanna Sotomura as Debbie

Reception

Critical reception for Phase II has been negative and the film holds a rating of 33% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 11 reviews.[2] Variety criticized the film, stating "Despite a couple of brief closing-credit epilogues suggesting future narrative directions, “Contracted: Phase II” feels too hurriedly conceived to expand on the original’s premise in more than perfunctory fashion."[3] Rogerebert.com panned Phase II and compared it unfavorably to its predecessor, writing that "Pointless body horror sequel "Contracted: Phase II" doesn't develop its predecessor's concepts so much as it resolves all of the questions you never needed answered."[4] In contrast The Hollywood Reporter and New York Times were more positive,[5] and the Times praised Forbe's direction and visual effects.[6]

References
  1. Collis, Clark. "Contracted: Phase II director talks about his horror sequel -- and 'surreal' VMAs experience". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  2. "CONTRACTED: PHASE II (2015)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  3. Harvey, Dennis. "Film Review: 'Contracted: Phase II'". Variety. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  4. Abrams, Simon. "CONTRACTED: PHASE II". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  5. Scheck, Frank. "'Contracted: Phase II': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  6. Webster, Andy. "Review: In 'Contracted: Phase II' Misfortune Multiples an Encounter at a Time". New York Times. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
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