Title – Humane (2024) 

Director – Caitlin Cronenberg (feature debut) 

Cast – Jay Baruchel, Emily Hampshire, Peter Gallagher, Enrico Colantoni

Plot – Due to a global catastrophe of epic proportions, the world must look to shed 20% of its human population with the York family a family that gets caught up in a newly released government program that focuses on voluntary euthanasia.   

“Do you know who I am?”

Review by Eddie on 19/11/2024

It’s safe to say that esteemed Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg’s legacy will live on long into the future thanks to the directors large body of work and his son Brandon’s recent efforts Antiviral, Possessor and Infinity Pool but sadly it doesn’t appear likely on this effort that David’s daughter Caitlin has what it takes to uphold the family name. 

A small-budget affair with a fantastic premise and decent cast, that on paper would suggest we were in for a memorable debut from Caitlin, who many had hoped infused some of her dads maniac ideas and energy into her cautionary horror tale, Humane has all the ingredients that would make one think of great possibilities but unfortunately that’s all the newest member of the Cronenberg directional family is able to conjure with her feature one that flatlines far before the end credits have arrived. 

Set in a not too distant future where the world’s population must shed a global amount of 20% if it’s to sustain itself beyond the short term, Humane centres around the possibility of people signing themselves up to voluntary euthanasia programs for payments from the government with the well to do York family one such family that becomes caught up in this program when their parents, lead by Peter Gallagher’s Charles, decides he will be signing onto the program to do his part for the human race. 

A fascinating concept for Cronenberg to explore the horrors and at the same time wonders of the human condition, Humane is set almost entirely within the confines of the York family home where parents and children come together on one fateful night for a dinner, Humane rarely allows itself time to dive into all the possible elements of its narrative set-up as we are instead greeted to a grating 90 minute dialogue driven offering that is anchored by poor performances, unlikeable characters and seriously questionable decision making that ensures Humane is a lot of bark with no bite, saying very little of interest despite its clear attempts at being a whip-smart horror infused statement. 

Losing momentum relatively early on when the York children are tasked with a difficult undertaking from the will of Enrico Colantoni as the mysterious government official Bob, Cronenberg had her chances to instil her debut offering with suspense ridden scenes, unflinching exposes on violence and human follies and characters we could get behind or rally against but there’s little reason to ever care in Humane with most of the runtime causing you to merely wonder at what might have been had Caitlin’s father or brother been overseeing Michael Sparaga’s script to the big screen. 

Final Say – 

An undeniably great premise squandered on a boring, lifeless and unmemorable movie going experience, Humane marks down the newest directional career of the Cronenberg’s as one that is pushing up hill to be successful. 

1 playing card out of 5