Ick feels like a buck wild combination of The Faculty and Not Another Teen Movie. Using Joseph Kahn’s frenetic editing style and flair with a great nostalgic trip/gateway horror deliver an endearing film. Ick is genuinely the biggest surprise and one of the most entertaining films of the year.

Nostalgia is a hell of a drug. It can be the bane of a movie’s existence or drag it down in quality, but when used correctly and in proper context it can elevate a film. That’s how I feel about Ick. A film that could have easily gotten lost in the nostalgia sauce but instead comes out as a very endearing and funny teen horror film.

Ick follows high school science teacher Hank (Brandon Routh), a washed up former high school quarterback. Hank lives in a town that’s been invested with the “ick”, an alien-like substance that at first doesn’t seem to pose a huge threat. In fact, most residents of Hank’s town don’t even see the ick as a threat in day to day life. One of Hank’s students, Grace (Malina Pauli Weissman), is the only other person besides him to question the ick’s existence. When the ick starts attacking residents of the town, Hank and Grace join forces to try and survive the night and figure out what’s causing all this mayhem.

Ick tells this story through a lens of nostalgia. There are so many needle drops from the 2000’s from bands like blink-182, Plain White T’s, and Good Charlotte that help Hank relive his glory days but also keep him stuck there as well. The dynamic he shares with grace is a Millennial vs Gen Z debate brought to life through humor in a horror film. It may sound odd but I think it works very well. That is in part because of how strong the performances are from Routh and Weissman. Routh brings a certain level of charisma to the role of the high schooler that never grew up, he’s a loser but you ultimately find yourself rooting for him. Meanwhile Weismann is wonderful as the popular/edgy teenager with a chip on her shoulder and a point to prove. Their dynamic is so good and the story consequences of their characters kept me so invested long after the credits rolled.

Joseph Kahn’s chaotic editing style also gives the film a unique energy. The energy of chugging 3 monster energy drinks and speedrunning your favorite creature feature. This is NOT a negative as the film moves at a brisk pace and never has any unneeded downtime. It is refreshing to see a film run at this pace when films lately have a tendency to linger on for longer than they should.

I also really enjoyed the script that is a biting commentary on not only conservative but “woke” ideologies. It never feels entirely mean but no target is safe. I also really loved the commentary on how people in the public react to times of crisis. Often ignoring looming dangers in favor of preserving day to day life. It’s got a wide appeal but the 2000’s music targets a certain demographic so specifically that I found myself hooting and hollering throughout.

Ick feels like a buck wild combination of The Faculty and Not Another Teen Movie. It applies Joseph Kahn’s frenetic editing style and flair to a great nostalgic trip/gateway horror. Routh and Weissman’s performance are so incredibly charming that it’s hard not to buy into the social commentary aspect of it. Ick is genuinely the biggest surprise and one of the most entertaining films of the year.

Grade: A-

Oscar Prospects:
Likely: None
Should be Considered: None

Release Date: TBD