Pathology
MGM/Lakeshore Entertainment
Starring Milo Ventimiglia, Michael Weston, Alyssa Milano, Lauren Lee Smith, and John de Lancie
Directed by: Marc Schoelermann
Rated R for disturbing and perverse behavior throughout, including violence, gruesome images, strong sexual content, nudity, drug use and language.
Running Time = 93 minutes
Available Now

Pathology - The study of disease. Pathology has been defined as “that branch of medicine which treats of the essential nature of disease.” The word “pathology” comes from the Greek words “pathos” meaning “disease” and “logos” meaning “a treatise” = a treatise of disease. The word “pathology” is sometimes misused to mean disease as, for example, “he didn’t find any pathology” (meaning he found no evidence of disease). A medical doctor that specializes in pathology is called a pathologist. Pathologists are experts at interpreting microscopic views of body tissues. (MedicineNet.com)

And so concludes the vocab segment of this post.

I loved Alyssa Milano as Samantha Micelli on the TV series Who’s The Boss? She was also good as Phoebe Halliwell on Charmed. So, when I found out she was in the new thriller, Pathology, I was excited. Sadly, my excitement ended when the film began.

Pathology is a sick, demented, and disgusting film that is not for the squeamish. It also lacks something that is a must for a film of this nature: a victim the audience cares about. Not gonna happen here.

No, all the characters in Pathology are douchebags. They lack any moral, ethical, or socially redeeming qualities. I found myself not caring about the main guy Ted and his girlfriend, Gwen (Milano), since they weren’t likeable people. Even the Saw and Hostel series have some level of empathy and likeability thrown into the characters. Pathology, however, misses on all counts.

So what’s the story? Top level medical dude Ted (Milo Ventimiglia) gets a job in a pathology lab. While there he meets a group of insane and demented freaks who use the dead for things other than just medical science. Ted gets sucked into their world and their game: find people, kill them, have the others use their skills to determine the cause of death.

Sounds like a free-range version of Hostel, doesn’t it? Blood and guts and other bodily fluids and parts are shown to the point of being gratuitous. After a while the film stopped being just gross and disturbing, but just plain bad.

But wait, you may be saying. What does this movie have to do with the definition of “pathology”? Doesn’t sound like that’s taking place at all. Quite true. Nowhere in the film do these characters analyze disease. They kill for sport and make a game out of it for their fellow pathologists.

Now, the special features on the DVD are interesting. They include a behind-the-scenes look at the film, which was better than the movie itself. It also has a feature with a real-life pathologist. Also interesting and educational. I’d say skip the movie and watch the special features.

I administer Pathology a D+. The special features and Alyssa Milano pulled it out of the company of Speed Racer.