On the run from her abusive husband, pregnant Naomi (Yumiko Shaku) has
put up temporary residence in a hotel to plan her next steps, knowing
herself out of her husband's reach. But in presumed safety, it doesn't
take her long to catch a very aggressive flu virus that seems to slowly
kill her ... Julian (Julian Richings) is a guest at the same hotel as
Naomi who's as inconspicious as they come - apart from the fact of course
that he carries vials containing the new flue virus with hi, with the very
intention of releasing them ... Branden (Mark Gibson), Val (Carolina
Bartczak) and their daughter Kelly (Bailey Thain) are presently between
apartments, so they have taken up a room at the same hotel. Thing is, Val
wants to take this occasion to grab Kelly and leave Branden, who has
abused her and - as she only now finds out - Kelly for quite some time.
She manages to send Kelly ahead while Branden's sleeping, but when Branden
wakes up, she knows no other way to escape than locking herself in the
bathroom. And the cries and moans from the hallway suggest she has sent
Kelly to anything but safety ... Now even if the threat is
something completely else, Hall for the most part plays like a
zombie movie - but not one that's weighed down by the concept and genre
mainstays but uses them to lift its story, and relies more on characters
and their backstories than on scare tactics to keep the film running. And
these backstories are at least as interesting as just another pandemic
thriller, with a competent cast and a directorial effort that's grounded
and atmospheric at the same time adding to a whole that's well worth a
watch!
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