Things are not normal in a quiet suburban American town. People are behaving strangely. Casual acquaintances are trying to kiss people. Mac (Erik Bloomquist), his wife Jane (Carlee Avers), and family friend Kim (Clare Foley) have noticed and when their neighbour Bill (Tony Todd) turns up at the door and attacks Marc, they overpower him and tie him up in the basement. He tells them he’s been ‘changed’, made better and in a deep sense of serenity.
Written (with Matt Giannini) and directed by Michael Mongillo, The Changed takes the Body Snatchers premise to new regions. Instead of the fear of Communism, it appears the enemy here is individualism, something that is becoming increasingly rare in some places. There’s no time wasted getting into things as from the first scene, the characters have started noting that people are different. Things progress just as quick, with the action veering from Body Snatchers to the siege scenario of Night of the Living Dead.
The biggest problem with The Changed is the dialogue is so contrived that it loses all sense of drama and descends into parody. Which is a shame, as the players give it what they can. The legend that is Tony Todd delivers his lines with a hushed baritone manner and is the most effective part of the film. Unfortunately, despite all the talking, the film never really goes anywhere and the climax will likely elicit groans rather than cheers.
