Like the viral-based colds that affect most everyone during the bitter winter months, "Virus" appropriately arrived in theaters during the midst of the flu and cold -- not to mention the poor and bad movie dumping ground -- season. Emulating those bugs in that it didn’t stick around too long but was the same type that arrives every year and isn’t that much different from earlier incarnations -- this release is simply a mishmash and retreading of elements from other previously released, and far better pictures.
If you get the impression that you've seen this movie -- or at least elements in it -- before, that should come as no great surprise since some of the filmmakers here previously worked on other films from which this one not so subtly does its borrowing. First-time director John Bruno, whose previous life consisted of manning some spectacular special effects for various films, worked on "Terminator 2: Judgement Day," while producer Gale Anne Hurd also worked on that film as well as "Aliens," and co-screenwriter Dennis Feldman previously wrote "Species," all that directly or indirectly influenced this production.
That's not to mention other pictures such as "Demon Seed," "Deep Rising," "Sphere," "Runaway," and, of course, the original "Frankenstein" films -- where a "master" created life after death -- that all show up in one way or another here.
Nevertheless, and considering all of that, for a campy, eat as much popcorn until you get queasy type of film, this one is a modest enough diversion, as long as you park any semblance of brain activity at the door before watching this film. That’s simply to prevent the overabundant stupidity from weakening your defenses like any "good" virus will. Despite the "been there, seen that" repetitious nature of what unfolds, there's plenty of suspenseful action and enough blood and gore to please moviegoers who enjoy that sort of material.
Nonetheless, the proceedings are more than predictable, but at the same time essentially less than suspenseful or scary (unless you're very young or have a low tolerance for such matters). As such, they follow the "cast is there to be picked off one by one, but the higher the paid star, the more likely they'll make it through until the end of the film" requirements.
The performances are standard for a film such as this, with Jamie Lee Curtis ("Halloween," "True Lies") and William Baldwin ("Fair Game," "Backdraft") giving it a bit more star power than it probably deserves, although their acting requirements are pretty much limited to looking concerned, scared and a bit worse for the wear after all is said and done.
Meanwhile, Donald Sutherland ("Disclosure," "Outbreak") is appropriately campy in a role that makes one wonder if this is how his character Oddball from "Kelly's Heroes" may have turned out, and at least gives the film a bit of much needed comic relief. The rest of the cast, however, only adequately perform their duty of taking up space before becoming fodder for the killing sprees.
Although the creature special effects are decently handled, the exterior shots of the ships going through the crashing waves of a typhoon look so bad that they instantly remind one of those old Godzilla movies where it was painfully obvious that small models were being used to create the effect. For a relatively big budget film like this and considering the director's former work as a visual effects supervisor, it's a bit surprising to see such obviously faked effects.
Upon consideration of the film lifting elements from so many other pictures, on the other hand, that shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. Predictable, repetitious and filled with moments that make one believe that some of these characters grew up in the idiot-filled towns where "Halloween" and other such films took place (ie. They do stupid, go out of your way to be killed, things), the film may please some moviegoers. Most, however, will find that a heaping dose of one's favorite cold medicine and a good night's sleep should alleviate any symptoms this "Virus" may cause.
As far as the disc itself, the audio is topnotch, while the visuals are good, but not quite up to matching the best we’ve seen. The supplemental materials are above average (considering the film’s lackluster response from critics and the box office alike) and feature a decent "making of" featurette as well as some insightful comments from the film’s director on a separate audio track.
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