Curious timing on the Christian calendar for today’s column. We are not at the resurrection yet on Good Friday, only the sacrifice, and the death-heavy poster for Humane shows that.
Perfect ordered body bags, in an neutral grey setting, suggest the government euthanasia at the heart of Caitlin Cronenberg’s debut feature. The design here literally causes us to read between the lines. For the film's above the line cast, as well as the solid tagline, “Dying makes all the difference in the world.”
The unfussy red title card is the universal style and colour of a horror cinema. Along with the director's credit, it sits directly on the bodies. The concept of the film here is part science fiction (a global environmental collapse), and part family drama. The collective idea of a government sanctioned euthanasia programme (see also: Children of Men) comes pre-loaded with a kind of grim resignation. And of course, seeing the last name Cronenberg is going to set a certain kind of expectation, particularly in light of the other scion, Brandon’s filmography, carrying on family tradition.
One minor quibble here is the so-faded-you-can-barely-see-it credit block. The design could not squeeze it into the gap, and I kind of wish it was simply left out of the design for purity's sake.