good back-story, and good acting

The first must-see film of the year.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

I was looking forward to watching it after reading loads of positive reviews but I just wasted 90 minutes or so of my life

I love snow horror films, especially the ones that feel very isolated, and claustrophobic . John Carpenter's 'The Thing', Misery come to mind. Pontypool(2008) is one of my favorite snow horror films(Canada). Stephen McHattie is perfect as Grant Mazzy the local AM Radio DJ/Morning show host. Highly recommended.

I know this film is old, only by a few years but definitely worth watching. I only found out about this last night. I downloaded this overnight & had to watch this when alone, my boyfriend won't even watch The Walking Dead. Any horror stuff he makes me watch when he's gone to bed. I started viewing this film not paying it much attention. After five minutes I was hooked. The whole film is almost set in the one place, a radio station. Our main characters are the talk radio DJ & his producer. With just the producers assistant helping the action comes mainly in to the station via calls in. The weather guy, a policeman, town residents contact them and they all try & workout what is happening in Pontypool. Over the course of the film they gradually start to put together a picture of events. Again the Canadian mindset is just as messed up as the Australians and thank the Lord they are.

A remarkably fresh & highly original example of restrained craftsmanship that's clever, captivating & at times amusing, Pontypool is a smartly structured, patiently narrated & brilliantly performed Canadian horror that establishes an aura of unrelenting tension & mystery with immaculate precision during its first half but loses some of its potency when it lets the cat out of the bag in the remaining half.The story of Pontypool takes place in the titular town and unfolds at a radio station where a radio announcer is going through his usual morning schedule with two of his associates before they are interrupted by one of their reporters who feeds them disturbing intel about an uprising in the small town that is rapidly getting out of control, but they are left shell-shocked when they learn the true nature of it.Directed by Bruce McDonald, the first half of Pontypool is a thrilling exercise in tension building as it provides only bits n pieces of information regarding the horror that's unfolding in the town, that too through second hand accounts instead of taking the viewers right into the middle of the crime scene, thus bringing their imagination into play. Less is more is the approach here and McDonald employs it really well for the most part.The script is penned down by the author of the novel this film is adapted from, and the decision to narrate the story like a radio play gives Pontypool a uniqueness of its own. Its minimal & enclosed setting helps in sustaining its already tense ambiance as our characters are just as oblivious as us and have to rely on reported accounts to make a sense of what's happening outside. However, when we do get to the part when the secret comes out, it all seems a bit absurd.The camera rarely sways its focus away from the characters inhabiting this tale and it makes really effective use of close-ups throughout its runtime. Editing in the first half is nearly flawless but the next half is a hit or miss, depending on how the big reveal works out for you. The cast comprises of Stephen McHattie, Lisa Houle & Georgina Reilly, with McHattie carrying the entire film on his own with a cool, confident & charismatic performance and is finely supported by Houle & Reilly.On an overall scale, Pontypool works amazingly well during its first half, takes an unexpected turn in the middle that requires some time to get comfortable with but the film still wraps itself up on a satisfying note with a finale that's heartbreaking yet brims with heartfelt warmth. Whether you approach it as a zombie film or a psychological horror, this Canadian flick is a welcome entry in the world of horror that's undeterred by budgetary constraints and finds creative ways to realise its own ambitions. Definitely recommended... recommended... recommended...!