Disturbing Thriller "The Plague" Explores Adolescent Cruelty at All-Boys Water Polo Camp

In Charlie Polinger's memorably disturbing debut feature film "The Plague," the horrors of adolescence take center stage at an all-boys summer water polo camp. The psychological drama-meets-body horror movie follows Ben, a socially anxious 12-year-old, as he becomes part of a ritualistic tradition that targets an outcast among them with an illness they call "the plague."

As the film progresses, it becomes unclear whether this "plague" is merely an imagined social disease or something more sinister. The movie almost feels like an allegory for the trials of puberty, but it remains unpredictable throughout. Joel Edgerton stars as the boys' coach, who finds himself overwhelmed by the cruelties the young campers inflict upon each other.

Polinger shot "The Plague" on 35mm film during a sweltering summer season, lending the movie a timeless quality that evokes classic coming-of-age stories with a chilling twist. The director aimed to capture the social dread and vulnerability of the adolescent experience, particularly for young boys, in a way that sets the film apart from more nostalgic or "bro-y" portrayals of youth.