ANTIDOTE (2018)
Filmed as Treasure Hunter: Legend of the White Witch this film is confused on multiple levels. Starring former MMA fighter turned low budget action hero Randy Couture (Phoenix, Expendables 3) and a poster that screams jungle action but it’s a horror film. Antidote also costars Mindy Robinson, whose only talent is doing full frontal in films like The Coed and the Zombie Stoner and Gingerdead Man Vs. Evil Bong. But they have her keep her clothes on. You get the idea.
We start in a dive bar in Mexico City, you can tell it’s a dive because the bartender keeps a cigarette in her mouth while pouring drinks). Victor (Randy Couture, The Expendables ) meets up with two big rough-looking guys who went through lots of “problems” to get him a map. It all ends in a cheesy fight and he, Sasha (Mindy Robinson, Evil Bong 777, The Manson Brothers Midnight Zombie Massacre), Jorge (Chuck Zito, Black Wake, Female Fight Squad) ride off on their motorcycles.
Meanwhile, in the jungle, a medical that includes Anna (Natali Yura, Dead Trigger) and Manuel (Rafael de la Fuente, Dynasty) is fighting the outbreak of a strange disease. One linked to the legendary White Witch. Want to bet there’s a connection between the map, the disease, and the witch?
Director Ken Barbet (Killer Instinct) seems unsure what kind of a film he’s making. Probably because the script by Jason Cominetto and Scott Windhauser (Hurricane Heist, Dead Trigger) has no idea either. Antidote constantly bounces back and forth from Indiana Jones wannabe to horror. This, predictably, prevents it from building any kind of mood or suspense.
It doesn’t help that despite this supposedly being deep in the Mexican jungle, Jorge’s idea of appropriate gear is a leather Harley vest. Neither he nor Victor have backpacks either. Machetes and guns, of course. Something to carry whatever they’re looking for in, hell no.
I still haven’t mentioned the bad CGI and worse acting but I think you know to expect them. Couture can deliver a fight scene, but here he mostly just talks tough. And he’s not up to the task. The constant use of trick camera work and filters just serves to ruin the few action scenes Antidote does have.
Gravitas Ventures has Antidote out on DVD and Blu. It’s also available on Netflix.