Microdosing (2023)

   

Written, Edited, Cinematographed & Directed by: Patrick Adam Peña

Starring:

Patrick Adam Peña .... Ignacio
Paul Peña III .... Ivan
Faleena .... Nancy


Release Date:
Scumdance Film Festival: September, 2023

 

Rating:

 

Ignacio (Patrick Adam Peña) is having anxiety attacks and goes to his friend in which he gives him mushrooms. However these objects are an alien fungus and goes into a hallucination havoc.

 

The beginning of this story looked quite bland with Ignacio frusterated by using his computer or texting someone on his phone which shows what the texting is about on the screen but the words were very small that I couldn't understand as to what him and the person on the other end were discussing in which this looked uneven.
He of course is watching TV and is hooked on his favourite animated series as this almost looked like a ripoff to South Park. This was another time waster.
However he goes to his friend Ivan at his home to ask if he can get some mushrooms in which the conversations seemed to have flowed in quite well by what they were discussing. This was one of the nice pointers to save this flick from bombing.
Ignacio talks to his counsellor Nancy about what he's doing and she tells him he should confront his doctor before taking any drugs as this was an attention grabber hinting that something horrifying will happen later on while we continue watching the story unravel. Their discussions was well concentrated and looked well done.
While the story rolls along with the pointless situations with that stupid cartoon show as well as Ignacio talking to his friend he goes off in the woods and a mini UFO spots him and sprays some black stuff on him. He also spots some colourful mushrooms. Plus he spots Nancy in which I was convinced that he was hallucinating. These scene's looked mildly colourful.
While he's at home he spots some shining blue light when he's painting as well as him checking out on something in which some sort of object out of the ordinary leaps out which is a near surprise moment. This was another bomb saver to 1 bat rating.
The horror starts to click in when
Ignacio is in his bathroom and something grows on his hands as well as something comes out of his head as all of this looked bizarre to watch.
When we spot what comes out of his head was some sort of a brain tumor as this object talks to him as this was all corny to watch the outcomes. Along with all of this there's cheesy special effects with what happens to him as none of this looked creepy as it was intended to be.
When he spots a mysterious agent that has somewhat been stalking him things start to beef up a bit when he gets aggressive with him. It made me wonder as if he will hit this person or not.
The ending of this flick doesn't seem to explain itself too well as I tried so hard to figure it out.
Bottom line is that this is a story which you would watch if you were on heavy drugs. Had some amusing moments like mentioned but the story falls flat and cheaply made. You may want to pass on this one.

The acting is quite mediocre but not terrible like I would've expected it to be. It's better than the story itself. Patrick Adam Peña (Ignacio) who created this flick does a better job acting than doing this project as he shows a good troubled attitude as well as acting out of it. Plus reacts well to things especially his aggression in which looked fairly realistic when it looks like that he will punch somebody out.
Paul Peña III (Ivan) who plays his friend seems fairly passable. He was doing an okay type of job with his discussions. He was clear within his speaking and seemed to present himself in an average manner. Had the okay looks for a drug dealer.
Faleena (Nancy) was the best in the cast playing a shrink in which she had a good strong presence with her seriousness as well as being sharo within her whole performance. Was right on the ball by what she stresses. She seemed to have studied her role well and was a perfect choice.

Ignacio's head is bloodied cracking open.

Not much going on for the music but there's the odd synthesizer playing here and there and it sounds fairly okay but we needed more of this while watching the storyline.