The Plague

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The Plague

R

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1h 38m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

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45 Reviews

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In the summer of 2003, at an all-boys summer water polo camp, socially anxious twelve-year-old Ben struggles to fit in amidst a ruthless social hierarchy. When he befriends Eli -- a lonely, acne-ridden outcast shunned by the others for allegedly carrying a contagious "plague" -- Ben becomes entangled in a cruel, escalating ritual of scapegoating and fear. As the lines between teasing and real harm blur, Ben is forced to confront his own complicity and the terrifying cost of belonging. A tense, darkly humorous coming-of-age story about masculinity, peer pressure, and the horrors that fester when cruelty masquerades as a game.

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Critics Consensus

Steeped in disquieting mood without ever treading water, The Plague takes common adolescent anxieties and elevates them into an unforgettable chiller.

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Clint Worthington

RogerEbert.com

2h

4/4

'The Plague’ never really comes down one way or the other on whether its titular contagion is real. Then again, it doesn’t have to; the real plague is puberty, and the toxic codes young boys play out not just to belong, but to dominate.

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Nick Schager

The Daily Beast

4h

Taut and entrancing, it’s a stark reminder that adolescence sucks.

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William Bibbiani

TheWrap

5h

I’d say if 'The Plague' wasn’t nominated for Best Original Score there’s something terribly wrong with the Oscars, but 'The Plague' didn’t even make the short list, so there’s just something terribly wrong with the Oscars.

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Jennie Kermode

Eye for Film

6h

4.5/5

Borrowing tropes from horror, the film adds an uncanny undercurrent to its drama.

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Edward Douglas

The Weekend Warrior (Substack)

6h

6.5/10

It’s apparent that Polinger had an idea of what he wanted to achieve, but maybe not so many ideas on how to execute that idea in an effective way.

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Charlie Polinger

Director

Joel Edgerton

Daddy Wags

Everett Blunck

Ben

Kayo Martin

Jake

Kenny Rasmussen

Eli

Lennox Espy

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The Plague: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

In the summer of 2003, at an all-boys summer water polo camp, socially anxious twelve-year-old Ben struggles to fit in amidst a ruthless social hierarchy. When he befriends Eli -- a lonely, acne-ridden outcast shunned by the others for allegedly carrying a contagious "plague" -- Ben becomes entangled in a cruel, escalating ritual of scapegoating and fear. As the lines between teasing and real harm blur, Ben is forced to confront his own complicity and the terrifying cost of belonging. A tense, darkly humorous coming-of-age story about masculinity, peer pressure, and the horrors that fester when cruelty masquerades as a game.

Director: Charlie Polinger
Producer: Lizzie Shapiro, Lucy McKendrick, Joel Edgerton, Steven Schneider, Roy Lee, Derek Dauchy
Screenwriter: Charlie Polinger
Distributor: Independent Film Company
Production Co: Five Henrys Productions, Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Spooky Pictures, The Space Program, Hellcat
Rating: R (Some Drug and Alcohol Use|Language|Sexual Material|Self-Harm/Bloody Images)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 24, 2025, Limited
Runtime: 1h 38m