Infection: A Corporate-Horror’s Satirical Take On Capitalism

James Kicklighter’s Infection is a 10-minute long, sharp, intuitive narrative that explores the contemporary dilemma of ambition and corporate greed through the prism of modern day capitalism. Terrifying, morbidly sickening, the film relies on stellar sound and production design to bring the sterile world of its story to life. Written by Los Angeles foster youth through the Kids in the Spotlight mentorship program, the short can easily work as a standalone project or a brilliant proof-of-concept for a feature-length film. Infection is tense, visceral and intelligently made to incorporate all the hallmarks of present day office culture, but layered with subtexts of philosophy. It would be hard to overlook the shades of nihilism, Kafkanesque-themes invoked as one moves forward with the storyline.

Jane (Isabel Brown) is sincere, hardworking and dedicated. Her working hours translate into a simple goal for herself–a promotion. A deserving candidate, no doubt, but one who is repeatedly put to test with the ever increasing workload. Kicklighter does the smart thing and that is, even before introducing us to his characters, he vicariously pulls us into the world they inhabit. The production designer (Emily Peters) does the brilliant work of creating the sterile, monochromatic world of Jane’s office, that is devoid of any life. There is a deathly stillness to the space that lacks any kind of vitality, that immediately spreads a sense of foreboding for the events to unfold. Add to that, Nicolas Repetto’s composition and we get the real taste of Jane’s predicament. This isn’t simply a catch-22, it’s a dreadful loop from where this is no escape.

Brown as Jane carries the weight of the film. Right from the start, she bears the onus of her character’s arc with a practised unease that translates beautifully to the screen. The hesitation, the slow rise in panic–all leading to a crescendo in the final act is worthy of applause. As is, Daniel Williams-Lopez as her boss. With a debilitating disease that is hard to hide, and Jonathan Pope’s incredible cinematography, that best captures the stifling world that Jane and her boss inhabit–it isn’t hard to guess what the outcome is to be. This is a world of vertical terror, where each step that takes one closer to their goal is an opportunity lost at getting back out. The imminent dread is felt all along as Kicklighter relies heavily on a largely wordless plotline. With little to no dialogues to fill the empty spaces, the vacancy hits harder, the pauses feel longer and thus, the dreadful realisation of Jane’s choices begin to weigh on us, along with her.

The makeup department (Stephanie Chapel, Arlena Ortega and Tamesha Scott) deserve a special round of applause, for without them, the visual imagery of a disease that is contagious enough to consume anyone that comes in its contact wouldn’t have been that impactful as it turned out to be. The grotesqueness of it is unavoidable and that is where Kicklighter capitalises the most to maintain the horror. The editing, also by Kicklighter, is another factor that makes the film a gripping short, leaving it at its intended cliffhanger–only adding to its power to hold its audience.

The film is a must watch for its style in narration on a topic that is underrepresented and often misunderstood. Ambition comes with a price, but how many are willing to be a martyr in the bargain is the question?