The latest outing from Shogun Films has arrived and is out now on Digital as well as a Region Free bluray (which you can import from the US) Doctor Plague centres around a group of characters but front and centre of these is Detective John Verney, (Martin Kemp) who is trying to hunt down a serial killer who wears a Plague Doctor costume) and wielding a massive knife! For those of you not familiar with Plague Doctors, they were a thing in the 1600’s and for some reason this modern day serial killer wants to model themselves on that particular design. In the film the costume design is great and does look super creepy and scary. I’d certainly not want to bump into anyone in a dark alley if they were wearing that.

Joining Detective Verney is Francesca (Jeanine Nerissa Sothcott), a journalist who is very keen to find out what John Verney knows about this Doctor Plague lunatic. Together they follow the trail of breadcrumbs (a.k.a dead bodies and clues) to try track down this murdering menace before the bodycount piles up even more.

Doctor Plague isn’t aiming to change filmmaking rules. It embraces its identity as a feature length popcorn movie the kind of slasher thriller I used to rent in my video store days (I miss those days) There’s a strong sense in Doctor Plague, that the film is echoing the spirit of classic slasher films from the ’80s and ’90s.

The cast are consistently engaging, with Martin Kemp clearly having a great time in the lead role. His energy carries the film, and Jeanine Nerissa Sothcott is an excellent counterpart, making the investigative duo highly watchable. In fact, the pairing works so well in my opinion that you can’t help but wish for more screen time with them perhaps even another outing in the future. Not necessarily in Doctor Plague 2, but in something

The supporting cast is equally impressive, featuring familiar faces such as David Yip (best known to many as Chuck Lee in A View to a Kill and Wu Han in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom), alongside Gary Webster, whose extensive TV career includes Minder and EastEnders and in movies films such as Bermondsey Tales:The Fall Of The Roman Empire, and Glia. I always enjoy seeing Gary on screen and he looked like he was having a blast in this role! It’s a strong ensemble that adds plenty of character to the film. Also featured in the cast are Daisy Beaumount (The World is Not Enough, I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead), Michael McKell (Allied, War Blade), Wendy Glenn (You’re Next, 11-11-11), Charlie Bentley (A Final Exorcism) and Peter Woodward (The Patriot, National Treasure:Book of Secrets) The cast for Doctor Plague is a stacked and every character on screen is fun to watch.

Visually, Doctor Plague looks great, making good use of its locations particularly some intriguing cave like settings that add atmosphere and curiosity and more tension to the story. The score, composed by Robert Geoffrey Hughes and Chris Hurst, is another highlight for me. It wasn’t over facing and definitely helps elevate this film (as a good score should) It’s also worth giving some kudos to Shogun Films for releasing the soundtrack not only digitally, but also on CD and vinyl a rare treat for an indie production and a big win for physical media fans and collectors (You can order the score here

So, do I recommend Doctor Plague ? Absolutely. While it may not be revolutionary and ill say again. NOT EVERY FILM HAS TO BE A GAME CHANGER! , it’s undeniably entertaining, its well cast, and clearly made with enthusiasm and love for the genre.. This is the kind of film you put on, settle back with your feet up, the lights dimmed and simply enjoy the film. Forget about your worries of the day and let a movie take your mind off things for near 90 minutes.