Michael Urbanski’s Injection tells the story of Claudia (Julie McNiven) and Martin (David Blue), a pair of siblings whose father (Jim Beaver) has terminal lung cancer. One day, Claudia receives a mysterious package on her doorstep – and inside, she discovers a serum that contains the cure for cancer. Here’s the problem, however: Claudia wants to give “Pops” the serum as soon as possible, but a cautious Martin insists that it be tested first.
“…and inside, she discovers a serum that contains the cure for cancer.”
As a film, Injection definitely leaves a lot to be desired. Its plot relies on twists and assumptions that stretch credulity. The music is melodramatic to a fault. And lines like “The similarities are uncanny” will make you wince.
Still, Injection does have some value. As the recent scandal around He Jiankui illustrates, science is just as much about ethics as it is about cutting-edge research: Nobel Prize-worthy breakthroughs are meaningless if you can’t apply them thoughtfully. Injection may not be a great film, but it at least deserves credit for trying to make us think about science’s moral dimension.
Injection (2016) Directed by Michael Urbanski. Written by Michael Urbanski. Starring Julie McNiven, David Blue, and Jim Beaver.
4 out of 10
