Candy Stripers (2006)

Studio: Sony Pictures

DVD Release Date: June 27, 2006

Directed By: Kate Robbins

Cast: Brian Lloyd, William Edwards Jr., Nicole Rayburn, Tori White, Deanna Brooks, Serria Tawan

Brutal As Hell Rating: 2 ½ out of 5 stars

Review By: Marc Patterson

Candy Stripers, those cute bubbly girls hospitals hire to help out nurses, keep people happy, and give unruly children candy, are the best part of any hospital stay.  They also have a distinct reputation for raising the moral of the doctors, if you catch my meaning.  It would only make sense that eventually a horror director would get a hold of them and drop them right where they belong – center stage in a horror film.

As per usual, we open the film upon the scene of a horrible car accident.  Two girls are driving along when they discover the accident and thinking the wreaked car belongs to a friend they pull over to help.  However, bodies are missing and the two girls uncover an evil in the dark, but not before they become infected and land themselves in the intensive care unit. 

Inside the hospital we get closer to discovering the nature of this evil as one of the girls infects a Candy Striper while she makes her rounds.  Luring her in close for a kiss, it turns to be a deadly kiss and an alien being now inhabits the Candy Striper leaving the young girl dead. 

Meanwhile Matt (Brian Lloyd) and friends are at a basketball game, where a fight breaks out and they find themselves injured and subsequently laid up in the same hospital.  The Candy Striper has now spread her horror to other staffers, which seems to have caused them all to lust for sugar to satisfy their appetite.   They then one by one seek to infect and kill everyone they can.  Can Matt and his friends survive to see the light of day again?  And how on earth can you stop an alien infection of this magnitude?  It would seem the fun never stops in this science fiction horror film, and I just wouldn’t want it to.

Before I go any further I need to talk about the prevailing sub-text of this film.  Everything else being equal this film has so much anti-sex sub-text that I am hesitant to even call it “sub-text”.  Maybe I’m pushing it by saying this film is anti-sex, but it does boldly wave the flag that sex outside of marriage is the kind of abomination that will lead you to your untimely demise.  And yes, I am quite aware that the old sex=death formula is standard playbook material for horror films.  However, Candy Stripers takes it to a whole new level by blatantly injecting the dialogue with it, even incorporating it into an entire scene where Matt’s girlfriend is coming on to him and he freaks out because she’s saving herself for marriage.  So, if she wants sex she must be infected and no longer human!  Add to that the whole stereotype of candy stripers as the sex fiends of the health care industry, and here represented as the agents of death, and you become clearly aware of a bigger agenda behind the film.  This isn’t something I smile on, as I don’t like films where the sub-text takes center stage. 

Sub-text aside, when it comes down to production values, this film exceeded my expectations.  I’m not saying I had high expectations by any means, but the director managed to deliver a film with an acceptable level of competence.  The directing isn’t overly stylish, or unique, but is solid.  Even though this is a directorial debut for Kate Robbins, it’s not her first day in the business, having a background in producing.  I thought that the film had a decent soundtrack as well, and I really enjoyed the flourishes of opening the film on a radio broadcast with some music from a band.  It sure was a change of pace from so many other films that carry the entire soundtrack off a Sears bought Casiotone keyboard. 

I do have to say that I was disappointed with the gore and effects.  They were a little on the hokey side to say the least.  I think I could have accomplished the same by shopping for my supplies at my local iParty shop.  And considering the use of two Playmates, and the overall focus on sex, I was surprised to see a lack of nudity in the film.  However, don’t let that deter you.  The film worked just as it was in this department.  Like I say; “Kill, but don’t overkill”.

I can’t let the casting slide by either.  I was a bit confused with the choices here.  Some of the more experienced cast members sat in background supporting roles, while the main roles were filled by a majority of nobody’s, some of which this was their first feature film.  Barry Ratcliffe as Dr. Dixon certainly could have been a more front and center player in this film, as he sports a great personality and ability to carry.  Another underestimated performance came from Eliza Swenson, as assistant nurse Sally.  My only advice regarding her?  Don’t get in a threesome with her, because she’ll rip your heart out!  Both these actors could have been featured more prominently, and to great effect.

Overall, this was an entertaining flick, sporting a unique story with some Sci-fi overtones.  Could it have been more effective without the after school special sub-text?  Yes, I believe it could have.  I thought The Girl Next Door did a better job addressing the issue of wholesome safe-sex relationships (and with the use of the Vivid Girls) than this film did with the Playmates and horror.  However, its not a bad first time entry for Kate Robbins as writer and director, and I certainly wouldn’t toss out any future DVD’s from this director.