Sundering (2024)
| Sundering | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Remco Stokvisch |
| Written by | Reinout Heuften |
| Produced by | Lennerd Rebel |
| Starring | |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 93 minutes |
| Countries | Odoni Molenia |
Sundering is a 2024 Odonian-Molenian science fiction horror film directed by Remco Stokvisch and written by Reinout Heuften. The film stars an ensemble cast including Kobus Kessen, Leonie Hark, Gustaaf Spaling, Sofie Verduijn, Rudie Bonte, Teun Stappenbelt, and Sjaak Stolte. The plot involves a group of survivors who set out to find an antidote for a highly contagious virus that turns the infected into a ravenous but highly intelligent new species.
Plot
After an outbreak of a mutated form of rabies that spreads from animals to humans, over 7 billion humans are dead or infected. People who are bitten turn rabid in 90 seconds. Flip was riding in a car with his wife Heleen when they were attacked. Both were infected, but he remained human with the ability to communicate with the infected.
Now with a large group of civilians, scientists, and Odoni military in an underground missile base, Flip Hilbrink and virologist Dr. Ellen Eline bring in the infected and interrogate them, hoping to find the Patient Zero and devise a cure. Ellen struggles with tensions between herself, Flip, and Colonel Daan, compounded by Daan being attracted to Ellen while she is currently intimate with Flip. Flip visits with Heleen, who is held captive amongst others in the underground base. She's being treated with an experimental treatment derived from Flip's blood.
Ellen is shown with a positive pregnancy test. Bodies of fallen soldiers are being cremated when one opens his eyes and attacks the workers and soldiers. After a one-on-one fight with Daan, he is subdued and asks to speak with Flip specifically, who is surprised that the patient is unaffected by the music that has driven the other infected into a rage. He even lights and starts smoking a cigarette from his pocket. The team assumes he's closely linked to Patient Zero. The patient reveals that he was a college professor and his school was attacked by the infected during one of his lectures. He was bitten but still maintains most of his human abilities. The Professor tells Flip that the infected are evolved humans, a more advanced species that are at the top of the food chain. Their debate raises Flip's suspicions, and soon Flip finds that another of their previous patients, nicknamed Bekkenenks, has a transmitter sewn inside his chest, revealing that the infected laid a trap to learn where the base is located.
The infected swarm inside, killing or infecting all the humans, including civilians. Now overrun Daan shoots his commander so the infected are slowed down long enough for him and Ellen to make it to the elevator. Horrified by his actions, Ellen grabs his gun. He tries to tell her he wanted to save her life. They begin to scuffle and the gun goes off, killing Daan. Ellen goes to the cells where the infected are kept and finds Flip releasing Heleen. Ellen pleads with him to leave Heleen since the treatments work but only temporarily, but he refuses. They sneak to Ellen's lab, retrieve her samples, and crawl through the vents. They encounter an infected lab rat, which Heleen kills before it can get to Ellen. They make it to the parking lot just below ground level.
The Professor confronts them and explains that he came to the base to kill Flip. Flip is their "Patient Zero" and is a threat to their survival. They fight and the Professor starts calling other infected, until Flip impales him on a pipe. The trio flees until Heleen tells them to run and she will buy them time, telling Flip he must leave her to save the baby, as she sensed that Ellen is pregnant. This distracts Flip long enough for Heleen to close a heavy vault door just in time to stop the horde. Through a window in the door, Heleen wipes a tear from her face, indicating that she was now able to cry and that the treatment was working and restoring her humanity, and mouths "I love you".
Flip and Ellen follow the tunnel out to the woods and find a motorcycle. They ride off into the night with Flip understanding that he must do whatever it takes to take care of their baby and save some remnant of the human race.
Cast
- Kobus Kessen as Flip
- Leonie Hark as Ellen
- Rudie Bonte as Rik
- Gustaaf Spaling as Colonel Daan
- Bastijn van Houten as General Aart
- Sofie Verduijn as Heleen
- Teun Stappenbelt as The Professor
- Sjaak Stolte as "Bekkenenks"