“The Plague” (2025) (Australia/UAE/USA/Romania). Cast: Everett Blunck, Joel Edgerton, Kayo Martin, Kenny Rasmussen, Lucas Adler, Caden Burris, Elliott Heffernan, Lennox Espy, Kolten Lee, Nicolas Raşovan. Director: Charlie Polinger. Screenplay: Charlie Polinger. Web site. Trailer.

Anyone who has ever been on the receiving end of a bully’s wrath can understand the hurt, anxiety and self-esteem issues that frequently accompany such physical and emotional trauma. The abusive taunting, teasing, mockery and ostracism that come with such cruel treatment can leave its victims devastated for years afterward, making it difficult, if not impossible, to recover. And this doesn’t even account for the awkwardness that the abused go through in seeking to assimilate into society and its everyday course of conduct. However, such incidents – as painful as they can be – frequently lead to valuable life lessons in empowerment and overcoming adversity, despite the seemingly insurmountable odds stacked against their targets. Those are among the important teachings to emerge in the new coming of age drama, “The Plague.”

Summer camp is supposed to be one of those memorable, fun-filled youthful rites of passage that stays with us for a lifetime. At least that’s what 12-year-old Ben (Everett Blunck) hopes for. The reserved, somewhat geeky tweener looks forward to a fulfilling experience at water polo camp. But he’s looking for more than just learning how to become an accomplished athlete and the principles of honorable sportsmanship. He’s also anxious for pointers on how to fit in better, not just as a team player, but also in everyday social situations. Of course, if he’s to do that, he needs to shed some of his shyness and naivete and brush up his sense of street wisdom, something that he’d like to hope comes with hanging out with a bunch of peers his age, to become one of the guys. And he gets that wish when practice begins. In no time, Ben is making solid friendships with about a half dozen of his fellow campers. Or at least that’s what he’d like to think.

Ben’s circle of friends is led by a wise-cracking alpha male, Jake (Kayo Martin), who seems to know all the angles. Jake recognizes that Ben sometimes lags a little behind the others when it comes to street smarts, but he likes him and takes him under his wing, as if he were a life mentor of sorts. Ben doesn’t always catch on to things quickly, but he’s earnest in his intent, with an eagerness to assimilate. And, if he sees something that doesn’t seem quite right or that he doesn’t immediately understand, he’s not one to automatically dismiss it out of hand; he gives the experience a chance to sink in and percolate for a while as he assesses matters and makes up his mind, usually in favor of whatever his peers are proposing.

However, Ben’s sense of social fair play gets put to the test when he learns about “the plague.” As it turns out, a sinister, allegedly fact-based legend underlies camp culture that has been perpetuated over time. When Ben first hears of it, he’s naturally oblivious to it, so Jake and the others clue him in. In essence, the plague is said to be a highly contagious illness spread by physical contact. It begins with a severe, widespread skin rash that degenerates into an array of other debilitating symptoms, eventually culminating in madness and an almost zombie-like compulsion to spread the disease to others, as if the carriers were looking to recruit unwitting converts. Those who are afflicted are to be avoided – shunned, in fact – at all costs to prevent transmission. And Ben learns about this when he sees his compadres going out of their way to flee the company of one of their fellow campers, Eli (Kenny Rasmussen), who’s said to be a plague victim.

At first, Ben doesn’t know what to make of the claims about the plague. He’s initially cautious, especially when he sees Eli’s torso covered in big, red blotchy patches, but he’s also full of doubts about the veracity of his peers’ contentions. In essence, he’s not sure what to believe. But that changes when Ben has a one-on-one encounter with Eli in the locker room. They converse, and, through their dialogue, Ben can see that Eli is something of a nonconformist, an original thinker full of creative and atypical ideas for most guys his age. But Ben can’t help but ask himself, “Is he the ‘monster’ everyone is making him out to be, just because he has a nagging skin rash and embraces a range of different sensibilities?” This leads Ben to think that Jake and the others are treating Eli unfairly – and that there’s no such thing as the plague, that it’s merely a pretext made up to ostracize those who don’t comply with expected attitudes and behaviors. As a consequence, Ben actually begins defending Eli as someone who’s simply misunderstood and has trouble fitting in, circumstances to which Ben can relate all too well.

Because of this, Jake and the others soon grow suspicious of Ben’s new behavior. They’re uncomfortable with his sympathizing toward the target victim. And that skepticism is sufficiently ramped up when Ben develops a stubborn skin rash much like what Eli’s experiencing. Almost immediately, he, too, is labeled a plague carrier (never mind the fact that skin rashes are not uncommon among those in athletic situations). Ben is subsequently treated much the same way – if not worse – as Eli. And, as a sensitive soul, he’s devastated just when he thought he had been making some progress toward learning how to blend in better. So much for the happy summertime camp experience.

Fortunately, Ben has an ally in his corner when he confides his circumstances to his coach, who’s clandestinely referred to behind his back as “Daddy Wags” (Joel Edgerton). Coach tells Ben about comparable treatment and experiences that he underwent when he was younger, circumstances that even carried on into his twenties, but that they eventually sorted themselves out when he discovered how to be himself. Those empowering words of wisdom carry a lot of weight with Ben, insights that he embraces and puts to use in combatting the effects of “the plague.”

How matters will play out, however, depends on what Ben believes, as our beliefs play a central role in shaping the nature of the reality we experience, a product of the conscious creation process, the philosophy that produces such outcomes. It’s unclear whether Ben has ever heard of this way of thinking, but, based on how events unfold – both before and after his pep talk with the coach – it’s easy to see how the young man’s experiences materialize as they do, for better or worse. That’s particularly true when he allows doubt to creep into the picture, since doubt – a belief in itself – can undercut whatever progress Ben makes (or hopes to make) in coming to discover himself and his ability to fit in. Indeed, maybe that was the purpose behind his enrollment in summer camp in the first place – to learn valuable life lessons like this, teachings that will ultimately be more important to him in the long run than learning how to be a better water polo player.

In assessing the belief options open to him, Ben has several factors in his favor. For instance, he appears to be remarkably open-minded, which provides him with flexibility and a sense of expansiveness in his thinking when deciding which notions to embrace. This, in turn, makes it possible to consider a potentially wider range of beliefs than his peers, many of whom seem to believe that compliance and conformity are more expedient and better guaranteed routes to social acceptance. If they’re willing to blindly concur with Jake’s fabrications, the more likely it is that they will be welcomed into his circle of friends. But is that a goal to which one should aspire?

Ben’s beliefs make him somewhat more skeptical, especially when the claims begin to take on a more implausible nature. For example, he appears to grasp the idea that, if there truly is a plague affecting the camp – a type of malady that typically impacts a wide swath of a community or constituency – then why does it appear to be afflicting only one person in this case? And, coincidentally, isn’t it curious that it only seems to be affecting someone who’s unwilling to become part of “the tribe,” a nonconformist, who’s purposely shunned by the majority for doing so? Is that fair? And, consequently, isn’t the means employed to bring about his ostracism inherently suspect and terribly cruel?

Based on Ben’s response, his conclusion would seem to bear that out. He reaches that decision thanks to his belief in discernment, a willingness to question the prevailing wisdom if it doesn’t fit his sensibilities. As someone who appears to have a strong belief in compassion and understanding, he sees through the lies and pretense that are being mercilessly inflicted on Eli, and he refuses to go along with it. Regrettably, his defiance subsequently gets him in trouble, a form of guilt by association backlash thrust upon him because of his overtures to befriend and assuage Eli’s feelings. Before long, Ben, too, becomes “plagued” by the uncalled-for treatment of his so-called friends.

As noted earlier, Ben came into this experience hoping that it would help him to learn lessons on how to better fit in and be more readily accepted. However, in the process, he ends up learning other, arguably more important lessons, such as the value in being oneself, despite prevailing peer pressure, an insight that he gleans from his interaction with his coach and, ironically, by extension, from Eli. And, when he becomes aware of these notions, he runs with them, embracing them enthusiastically. Doing so enables him to overcome much of his crippling self-doubt and to zealously adhere to the principles of personal empowerment. He’s able to peel back the façade of wayward beliefs that have kept him from seeing the truth about himself and those who would seek to lead him astray by patently false assertions.

Once Ben learns how to combine the effects of all of these newfound beliefs, he’s thus able to put them to use for a greater good – taking on the bullies and giving them a taste of their own medicine (indeed, payback can be a bitch, even for someone of such a tender age). He’s also able to draw upon these lessons in inspiring Eli to change his circumstances, too – to freely and fearlessly live his own life without worries about retribution, ridicule, scorn and marginalization. That’s quite a transformation for someone who came to camp to learn about water polo.

Ben’s ability to carry out this new mission is significant to his understanding of himself. He receives a powerful lesson in the practice of value fulfillment, the concept related to being his best, truest self for the betterment of himself and those around him. There’s a laudable nobility in carrying out this aim, one reflective of who he truly is on the inside. Indeed, beliefs can work magic, even when borne out of seemingly intolerable situations. But, when we learn how to overcome these obstacles and to vanquish the demons that potentially hold us back, we can work wonders for ourselves and others, a scenario in which we no longer need be hampered by disempowerment and other traits that hold us back.

Bullying and calculated ostracism have been around seemingly forever, but, in recent years, such antisocial behavior has increasingly been receiving the disparaging attention it truly deserves. Interestingly, the latest voice added to that welcome chorus of criticism comes from this somewhat unlikely cinematic source, this excellent and insightful debut feature film from writer-director Charlie Polinger. Through this psychological/sociological thriller, viewers witness how these demoralizing influences can be effectively dispelled through the power of our beliefs and the actions we take as a result of them, initiatives that bolster our personal power and self-esteem in ways that allow us to achieve what may have once seemed wholly impossible. Idealism, compassion and consideration can truly accomplish much.

What makes this story work so effectively is the filmmaker’s skillful handling of the material, treating it almost as if it were constructed like a smart horror film – in many ways more chilling than a picture that needs to resort to gratuitous gore and excessive sensationalism to generate viewer gasps and frights (in this case, particularly at times when Ben’s initial unresolved doubts make it look like the plague could actually be real and not just the fallout of menacing mind games of a bunch of teenage boys). This approach is significantly enhanced by the picture’s atmospheric score and inventive cinematography, adding a macabre undercurrent to an otherwise-formulaic coming of age drama. Admittedly, there are times early on when the script could stand to be a little more sharply focused, but then that could also be chalked up to a reflection of the overwhelming confusion Ben experiences as he seeks to assimilate into this new, and sometimes-disturbing, environment. Some might also legitimately view this tale as somewhat clichéd at times, but the picture’s message truly can’t be overemphasized enough, especially for anyone who has ever been in on the receiving end of such reprehensible treatment.

As this twice-nominated Cannes Film Festival offering so effectively illustrates, there’s no place in this world for this kind of behavior – no matter what environment is involved – and the film drives home that point with razor-sharp clarity, purpose and a mission to prevent it from continuing to impact us all. In large part this is driven home by the superb performances of the fine ensemble cast, particularly Blunck, a Critics Choice Award candidate for best young actor and an Independent Spirit Award nominee for best lead performance, and Martin, an Independent Spirit Award nominee for best breakthrough performance. In addition, the picture is a well-deserved recipient of an Independent Spirit Award nod for best feature. The film is currently nearing the end of its theatrical run and is scheduled to be available for streaming on February 3.

As someone who experienced frequent bullying firsthand in my own youth, I can attest to the living hell it can be. How I wish I had known how to deploy my beliefs to counteract such treatment at the time. But, had it not been for those experiences, I also may have never learned the lessons associated with overcoming self-doubt and disempowerment to improve my circumstances. In a strange sort of way, then, I suppose I should be grateful for being shown the way to those teachings. However, knowing now that we can use our beliefs in myriad ways to accomplish our goals, I’d like to think I’d choose an easier, less drastic way to problem solving in future scenarios. Let’s hope we can all find our way to that same conclusion.

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