After Hours screening - review - PLUS ONE by Dennis Iliadis

Horror and science fiction menacingly invade the teen movie genre in Plus One by Dennis Iliadis.

Plus One starts off as a teen party movie and develops into a horror sci-fi after a meteorite lands in its vicinity. This alarming phenomenon triggers a time travelling tweak where everyone gets a double, a tweak which leads to a mounting paranoia and the build up to a final violent eruption. 

Whether you take it as a creepy metaphysical thriller in the same wavelength as Donnie Darko or an overstretched episode of The Twilight Zone, the comparisons are only half-flattering. The concept is original, quite original in fact for a genre that usually seems stale and constantly re-worked. Director Dennis Iliadis, who actually came up with the concept, plays upon certain themes that are commonly used in a much different way in teen flicks from ordinary uncertainties to downright paranoia. Some of them even recall the effect of the modern culture of social networks. 

One of the most interesting elements, in fact, comes from the different way in which the people at the party deal with this strange occurrence – especially the two leading characters. One uses it to his advantage for making peace with an estranged ex-girlfriend. Another is horrified by the thought of changing anything of what he calls the best night of his life, after having sex with a girl apparently out of his league. Another one is absolutely at her ease conversing with her double and lives through it with great harmony and peace. 

Still, the film seems metaphorical and often a one-trick pony. The pace prevents a proper build-up of tension and often threatens to jumble up the story – which to its credit could have ended up being a lot more puzzled anyways. The effects are great and the scenes with the doubles look believable. But unfortunately Plus One also pitfalls in another plaguing cliché of films of this genre; the acting. This is a problem, in fact, right from the get go and makes any intimate scene seem laughable and simply unbelievable. 

In the end, the quality of the effects is simply not enough to redeem the film, that risks blending in with the numerous other similar productions. There certainly are many interesting elements in the film, such as the juxtaposition of commercial genres with an original concept that has potential to make both feels fresh, but there are too many flaws that are almost impossible to overlook.