10 Terrifying Movie Monsters That Barely Appear

In Pontypool, radio DJ Grant Mazzy is working in his studio when he discovers civilians in the area have inexplicably turned into zombies. Though Grant and his colleagues are rattled, they believe they should be safe from the infection since they're locked inside their facility.

But over time, Grant discovers the virus isn't spread by a pathogen or a bite, but by the English language. It's uncertain what words infect the listeners, so Grant's team hasn't a clue what they can and cannot say. The virus extends to writing, too, so anybody can be infected simply by reading a specific word, sentence, or phrase.

It's ironic since this literary virus is impossible to see or touch, and yet exists everywhere. Hearing, writing, seeing, or speaking a single word can doom everyone in Grant's vicinity without warning. What's worse is that any attempt to formulate a plan to get out of danger runs the risk of accidentally spreading the disease.

Although Pontypool's concept sounds bizarre, this type of virus is more petrifying than an airborne agent, since there’s virtually no way to avoid it in the long run.