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“Chilling Body Horror and Supermarket Tension Unfold in ‘Itch!’ – A Gripping Low-Budget Thriller”

This horror film is set in a dystopian world plagued by a highly infectious illness that induces such intense itching that scratching can quickly lead to death. It finally offers a cinematic focus on the often-overlooked eczema community. The body horror elements are depicted with striking intensity, especially in a scene where a woman violently claws at her own skin, which stands out as a powerful moment. Unfortunately, the film’s modest budget limits the number of such impactful sequences. Much of the running time is dedicated to the intense dialogues among a diverse group of uninfected individuals trapped in a department store. While the circumstances of their confinement are terrifying, this aspect transforms the film into as much of a character study as it is a horror narrative, with mixed results.

The filmmakers seem to draw inspiration from classic films, such as John Carpenter’s “The Thing,” which features isolated scientists facing a shape-shifting creature, or “Assault on Precinct 13,” where an unlikely pair defends a compromised police station under attack. Even “Night of the Living Dead,” which is not a Carpenter film, comes to mind, as it portrays survivors barricaded in a farmhouse. The essence of these films lies in the combination of thrilling genre elements and engaging character interactions. It would have been beneficial for “Itch!” to explore this dynamic more thoroughly: a larger budget could have allowed for the gruesome effects seen in some brief scenes, while a more polished script could have better developed the human elements.

As it stands, the characters fulfill their archetypal roles adequately, but the screenplay falters in making them compelling. The protagonist is a widowed father (Bari Kang, who also directs and writes) raising an endearing child. There is also a disgruntled customer (Douglas Stirling) introduced through a revealing exchange where he complains about finding the same paint cheaper on Amazon, alongside a variety of other supporting characters. Audiences are left watching for signs of the ominous scratching, but the lack of distinct character development hinders our emotional investment in their individual stories.

“Itch!” will be available on digital platforms in the UK starting April 20 and in the US on April 21.


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