Contracted

Plot synopsis:
In a morgue, BJ has sex with a corpse that has a biohazard symbol on the toe tag; afterward, he handles an empty test tube while washing up.
Samantha is trying to get over a recent break-up with her girlfriend, Nikki. The party's host, Alice, plies her with strong drinks, while Zain offers her drugs. After she becomes heavily inebriated, Samantha is approached by BJ, who offers her a drink. Even though she tells him that she is a lesbian, when she begins to black out, BJ takes her to his car and rapes her.
The next morning, Samantha thinks she is suffering from a bad hangover. She bickers with her mother, who struggles to accept her daughter's lesbianism and is worried that she might have relapsed into hard drug use. Alice tells Samantha that the police are searching for BJ, who Alice had never met. At the restaurant where she works, Samantha has trouble eating and is overly sensitive to noise. When she bleeds heavily from her vagina, she visits her doctor. Despite her protests that she is a lesbian who has not had sex with men for nearly a year, he is suspicious that she has contracted a sexually transmitted disease from heterosexual intercourse because of a rash that has developed in her groin.
Samantha tries to repair her relationship with Nikki, who is rude to her. Samantha is hurt to learn that Nikki had not let her know that a scholarship offer had come in the mail. Meanwhile, her symptoms continue to worsen. Her eyes turn bloodshot, her hair falls out in clumps. When she is called into the restaurant on a short-notice shift her fingernails begin to fall off. Samantha flees the restaurant and returns to her doctor, who advises her to avoid contact with other people until tests can determine the nature of her disease. Instead, Samantha visits Zain, who gives her heroin. When Alice arrives, she encourages Samantha to talk to the police about her encounter with BJ. Believing that Alice wants to isolate her from her other friends, Samantha argues with her and storms off. Zain reveals to Alice that he sold Rohypnol to BJ at the party.
Samantha stops off at home and argues violently with her mother. She abruptly leaves for her flower competition but is turned away at the door because of her appearance and the condition of her flowered plant.
Samantha turns to Nikki for consolation, but Nikki coldly rejects her and calls her sexually confused. Enraged, Samantha chokes Nikki to death. She then drives to Alice's in a rage and murders her by biting out her throat. Losing her sanity, Samantha invites Riley, a man who has had a crush on her, to Alice's house and tries to seduce him. Riley sees maggots fall out of Samantha's vagina and becomes repulsed. When he goes to the bathroom to inspect himself, he discovers Alice's body. Samantha flees the house. As she drives, she fades out of consciousness and is involved in a car crash. She emerges from the wreckage transformed fully into a zombie. Her mother, who has arrived at the scene, begs the police not to shoot Samantha. As the police caution Samantha against moving, she lunges at her screaming mother.

Tags: romantic, revenge, murder, violence, flashback

Review:
Contracted: harsh reviews so far, therefore I'll be the first to change the pace a little.I've watched horror ever since I can remember, love it, all types, slashers, zombies, ghosts and so on.
I graded this one with a 6, maybe a little more than I should, but it definitely has to be over 5, and I'll give you the reasons: 1) the plot was pretty OK, more complex than you see at others 2) characters were divert, one of that, one of this, pretty much natural people 3) dialogue: seems dumb sometimes, might be OK if you consider the nature of the situation each time 4) the ending: did not see that one coming, I for one thought it was heading to a different conclusion.I actually was drawn into it, I will not criticize the fact that it didn't rely on gore, blood or nudity, always loved diversity.
I once had a milder rash in the nether regions and that got me a direct diagnosis and a prescription.I can hear the script writers now: "If we had a doctor actually *be* a doctor, then she would have gone to a hospital, been treated and we wouldn't have the movie we made." That's right, you morons: it's called a "plot hole!" You write something else.
just rub a little lotion on your bleeding crotch-rot and you'll be OK." Now transfer this stupidity to the actions of all the rest of the characters in the movie and you've got a good idea of what you're getting into...
The plots are very predictable, as the main character, Samantha has one night stand with a mysterious and suspicious man, and afterward finds herself starting to have unexplainable physical changes that keep getting worse and worse.
"Contracted" was actually a nice surprise of a movie, and a very refreshing and innovative take on the zombie genre.The movie starts out in a fairly average manner, hinting at this being somewhat of a teenage movie, but then it does take a very nice and bizarre twist for the unexpected.The story is about Samantha (played by Najarra Townsend) who is struggling with an overly caring and protective mom (played by Caroline Williams) and also struggling with her sexuality and relationship to Nikki (played by Katie Stegeman).
And the story was really helped nicely along by some really great make-up and effects, as the three days came and went and we witness the deterioration of Samantha.But of course, everything is not all good in "Contracted".
How everyone was either blind or ignorant to what was going on, sort of added an element of stupidity to the movie, and a bad mistake from the director.That being said, then I will say that I overall enjoyed director Eric England's vision in "Contracted" and his interesting approach to the zombie genre.
Her Mother, (played by an always welcome to see Caroline Williams) cared for her well being, as well as various friends, workmates and her Doctor, but at no time did she ever listen to any of them, instead pining for her irritating, uninterested girlfriend.It seems the film makers aspired to make a gross out, body horror flick, which plays on the dangers of unsafe sex, but all they really ended up with was a monotonous mess which I am sorry I ever read the review on..
As you have seen by the movie's poster, the protagonist is indeed a female who looks terrible like the undead grabbing our attention, but the story focuses on a different plot.Samantha (Najarra Townsend) gets invited to a party despite being in the midst of a conflicting lesbian relationship and identity crisis.
Two of my favorite points of the effects are Samantha's rotting phase and the contagion which crosses Eli Roth's Cabin Fever and Brandon Cronenberg's Antiviral which is way better.I could care less about the party scene though, for it looks tiresome to start the movie to as we have seen it countless times before.
However, the narrative offers a clever opening sequence for the plot and ends it with an alarmingly horrifying finale.Contracted is a good icky, bloody, and insane indie horror film.
While not all of the acting is Oscar worthy, the cast succeeds in pulling off a decent portrayal of thieeir individual characters and make them look like average people interacting and not actors playing a role.The ending is somewhat unique in that it isn't your average oh she got a disease and is case zero format.And the makeup work in this is terrific.
Knowing this simple fact, I was able to be engaged in this rather slow paced horror film, despite the obvious plot holes and loose ends...Pros: The main actress did a good job at the leading role.
I do not like glossy Hollywood film, but the premise seemed interesting enough for me to be willing to bear with it in spite of several points that would normally keep me from any hope, including the very overused, "what is this, oh my tooth just wiggled right out of my gums" in the mirror bit.But then, another friend posted beneath this trailer with a different trailer.And that movie is titled"Thanatomorphose"This friend did not say much on why he had posted it, but he's a real film buff himself.
Well it turns out that although she could plainly see how they are almost identical in themes, the differences in the social environment and differences in aesthetic made them distinct.Indeed, made it distinct that Contracted went the route of appealing to a broader audience by making the main female a part of a gaggle of 21 year old party girls (who would easily be victims in any slasher), and using the bland filming style that has become the go to in any film that wants to make a ton of money and doesn't care about artistic individuality.Though I didn't dig deep, I did at least try to find anyone else - because someone just had to see this!
The "mystery" of the film unfolds slowly, as does the deteriorating progression of the sickness, but what I liked about the film was the interaction between the characters - the girl's hostile-dependent relationship with her mother, her visit to the doctor's office ("How are you?" "Fine." - How many times have we said that at the doctor's office?), her infatuated love for her first Lesbian girlfriend, and so on.The whole time you're watching, you're thinking, "You idiot, you're sick, do something about it, stop being so self-absorbed!!!!" There are actually some serious sub-texts, in the parallel that can be seen to the early transmission of AIDS.
I read some reviews on it (actually in the middle of the movie I started getting worried about how disgusting it was going to be so I went to check) and I cam across one that "without giving away any spoilers, if you watch the whole movie, the ending is a nice surprise and it explains a lot about other movies." To be honest I wasn't surprised at all, I knew exactly where it was going and what was happening to her, but even knowing what the "surprise ending" was (it's not really a surprise at all) this was still a great movie.
The main character not doing what she should wasn't because of stupidity, as we so often see in movies like this, but because she had serious issues, which we see even before the horror really starts.
Samantha begins to think that instead of a persistent hangover this could be the workings of a malicious and potentially lethal sexually-transmitted disease, but Samantha's repulsive line of symptoms increase with great severity.Contracted unfolds with sweet unpredictability, never veering off course and becoming an epidemic/zombie film, and always retaining focus on its central character.
Townsend is the ideal lead character for this film, being a new actress who doesn't look like a complete beauty queen, but your average every-girl appearance and style that makes her relatable to the females in the audience.
In addition, Townsend delivers strong dramatic leverage during scenes that expand on her relationship conflicts with her girlfriend along with her mother, who she constantly seems at odds with.England makes the smart move to devote most of Contracted's special effects work away from the realm of CGI and technology and more towards the classic, practical-effects approach horror films sadly neglect these days.
England keeps the action controlled, the effects believable, and the descent into what mirrors an inhumane lifeform the core focus of the film.Make no mistake, Contracted is a rough sit, and thanks to the unblinking eye of how England chooses to focus on Samantha with almost every frame, we see her beginning symptoms to her later symptoms, as gross as they are, up close.
As you witness this character break down, it's hard not to feel for her as her life flits between her friends and mother and a conclusion that is emotionally struggling rather than the fast paced revolt that many zombie films carry.Much like 2014 smash 'Starry Eyes', there may be some truth in Samantha's struggle that feels like an inside reality to those living in the darker side of LA but for the rest of us, this struggle is as painful to watch unfold.
Yet if it's something a little more disgusting that most zombie fans scream for, 'Contracted' is not without its fair share of revolting nature that tidily hands it over to phase 2.As far as drama's go, Eric England has mastered the craft on his debut feature and put's this amongst other great indie movies such as 'Excision' and 'Teeth', 'Contracted' is a nail biting zombie drama that will be sure to keep your attention, even if it is the last thing you contract.> Martyn Wakefield is a writer and editor for BloodGuts UK Horror and has contributed over 250 reviews on the horror genre.
And a mother, in front of her former drug addicted daughter's deteriorating health is also acting not really helpful - those are points causing big frowns at least.In the middle, after the bad things, there is: - The side-story about a flower competition is something which I did not understand for real, because the floristic background of the main character is nowhere introduced.
The doctor to name just one, should get his license removed (although as often times with these movies, the main character seems very oblivious to some serious issues he or she is having and refuses to get help).If it comes to low budget horror that are a bit of a throwback, I'd still recommend "Starry Eyes" over this, but you could also watch both.
A young woman (Najarra Townsend) is assaulted by a stranger at a party and contracts what she thinks is a sexually-transmitted disease -- but is actually something much worse.In the early part of the film, I found it odd to see a party with people not wanting to drink.
It's not trashy, I feel it came from a good place creatively but it really does not work, the characters are bland and unlikeable asides from one guy who is way too backgrounded and it can feel like an after school special at times,You're really missing nothing by missing this movie..
cw: rape mention if you've seen the trailer or read the IMDb plot summary – 'After being drugged and raped at a party, a young woman contracts what she thinks is an STD; but, it's actually something much worse' – you already know pretty much everything there is to know about this movie.
it's possible the 'std' she contracts and her handling of the situation are symbolic of something, maybe the guilt and shame a person often feels after being raped, but if that's the case, the exploration and handling of the issue are incredibly insensitive, and this is probably not a film about a female rape victim that should have been written and directed by a man, much less Eric England while it does inspire some thought, whether intentionally or otherwise, and it could have been even less tasteful (American Sniper, The Interview), this is certainly not a movie i'd recommend to anyone i like or care for.
I can understand why there are so many poor reviews for this film, but I'm giving it a 5 purely and simply for the effort and hard work that Najarra Townsend clearly put into this movie.
Things go on to get even worse as she lashes out on those trying to help her.Now I'm a bit on the squeamish side, and a movie like this isn't particularly up my alley, but I braved it out, if you've got a weak stomach ignore, as some of it's a bit nasty, it does however reach a point where all reality is lost, she got so bad at one stage it became easier to watch.
Like "It Follows," as it is here in "Contracted," unprotected, promiscuous sex leads to unspeakable horror.I have to admit, I've been recently thinking about the nature of horror films and why it is that protagonists many times have to confront some kind of unimaginable evil.
And you think, how would we react in a horror movie situation?Those thoughts crossed my mind when I watched "It Follows," and it caught up with me again when I just finishing watching "Contracted." In the film, Samantha (Najarra Townsend) is a young waitress in Los Angeles who has a fight with her girlfriend Nikki (Katie Stegeman) and one night finds herself at a party being thrown by her best friend Alice (Alice Macdonald).At this same party, Samantha meets the smooth-talking BJ (Simon Barrett, whose face is obscured in his only major scene), and the two soon wind up in the backseat of someone's car.
That slow opening has Samantha at a party, without her girlfriend Nikki (an irritating character who added little of substance to the story) who ends up having unprotected sex against her will with a strange man.
That someone so young is writing and directing feature length films is somewhat admirable I suppose, or it would be if the end result wasn't so incredibly naive and so factually inaccurate as to almost be comedic.If you can get past the idea that a doctor would see a patient who has black infection lines running across their abdomen and who tells him they just bled "a lot" from their vagina, yet not strongly suggest they go to the hospital then you might like this film.
If I was cutting some slack I would put the characters stupidity down to the disease affecting her mind, but it's way too clear what's going on here - a young, healthy person is trying to write a script about body horror and clearly has no clue what it feels like to make a bathroom discovery such as a lump in the groin.
The character's relationships and arguments are like those of high school teens, oh god the dialogue is excruciatingly awful, and the lesbian relationship portrayed is an embarrassment to the entire LGBT community.All of this, ALL of it, I would forgive if the film had a modicum of plot advancement or even perhaps an intriguing concept as to what the sickness was or where it came from but absolutely none is offered and as the credit screen hits after the last scene, I can't imagine one person in the viewing audience wouldn't be sitting there saying "What the hell?
I gave it a high score because I think it is a very well done movie, even with a few glitches but the acting and directing deserves a lot more recognition than what some people have said on here.Najarra is lovely to start with, her acting is very good and natural.
Unfortunately, by the end of the film, I felt that I put more thought into the meaning of the movie than the script writers did, and it left me disappointed.Part of the problem I had with the film has to do with the main character, Samantha, and how her journey is presented through the film.
I think with a better written script, she would be a joy to watch.In the end, I turned off this movie feeling disappointed and let down.
After watching this 90-minute TV movie all the way through, I can safely say the dialogue and character development in this film is some of the most unrealistic writing I've ever had the misfortune of hearing/seeing.
I enjoy a good plot, special effects & acting, but in reality, you don't always get everything you want, in every horror movie you watch.
Then I saw the not really good rating and I was forced to think of this movie as a cheap horror-film, made and created by some horror fans, with lot of gore and maybe some wanna-be-deep scenes.But eventually I watched it, because the trailer wasn't that bad and somehow it actually didn't look like "one of those" movies.
Funny to say, that I didn't realize the lack of special effects until the end of the movie, because I was simply not missing them!Okay, there are some things that doesn't quite work out, like the doctor who sees the black veins on her stomach and says "oh yes, some kind of rash...
But alright, the movie couldn't continue as it does if the doctor would see that she is actually *spoiler* rotting from the inside *end of spoiler*But except for some unpolished scenes (the choking doesn't look like choking at all) I recommend this film as a decent, creepy beginning of something bigger.
I felt compelled to say something about this film due to the reviews I've read thus far I'm pretty blown away by how many reviewers missed the general point of this movie; I mean, seriously Despite some of the bad acting and unbelievable scenarios with regard to interactions between the main character and the doctor, etc., the short and sweet of the plot was pretty clever: 1.