QUARANTINE (2008)

Directed By: John Erick Dowdle 
Written By: John Erick Dowdle & Drew Dowdle 
Based On REC The original Screenplay By: Jaume Belaguero & Luiso Berdejo & Paco Plaza Cinematography By: Ken Seng 
Editor: Elliot Greenberg 


Cast: Jennifer Carpenter, Steve Harris, Marin Hinkle, Jay Rodriguez, Columbus Short, Dania Ramirez, Rade Serbedija, Jonathan Schaech, Greg Germann


A television reporter and her cameraman are assigned to spend the night shift with a Los Angeles Fire Station. After a routine 911 call takes them to a small apartment building, they find police officers already on the scene in response to blood curdling screams coming from one of the apartment units. They soon learn that a woman living in the building has been infected by something unknown. After a few of the residents are viciously attacked, they try to escape with the news crew in tow, only to find that the CDC has quarantined the building. Phones, internet, televisions and cell phone access have been cut-off, and officials are not relaying information to those locked inside. When the quarantine is finally lifted, the only evidence of what took place is the news crew's videotape.


A remake of the excellent film [REC]. as usual instead of just releasing the original Hollywood in all it’s infinite wisdom decides that it will be better to just remake it in English and new recognizable actors. Which is what taints the film usually the enjoyment of watching the original was that you didn’t know what to expect and who could be the next death since the cast was unknown. Here you kind of know the order they will die in and the preview doesn’t help it spoils the mystery outright. Truth be told the first time I watched the original I was really in the dark as it had no subtitles so even what little dialogue there was I didn’t understand so I had to go entirely on visuals to figure the story out I have since then seen it with subtitles. I still prefer the mystery and amazement of the first time I watched the film.

Not enough people are giving respect to the original but that’s because it hasn’t been officially released here as of this film's release. where as all over the world it has. So this is the first time most audiences will see this story and they don’t have the blessing I did of going into it blind since the trailer tells you all you need to know.

The average shot was between 4 and 6 minutes long.

The movie is entertaining, you just don’t like the fact that two new filmmakers are making there reputations and are having success to something they didn’t originate they just copied the original almost exactly and changed a few things here and there and call it a homage or re-imagining with new eyes. It’s like plagiarizing a genius piece of work but changing a few sentences and calling it a original. This film goes for more sentimentality in scenes then the original. Things which were shocking and just happened in the original. Here you see them coming since they leave a lot more set-up. More trying to get to know the various characters to fell sorry for them . it’s not the first time look at the movie THE RING. And the countless others that tried to follow but failed because the remake directors lacked the talent and originality to bring out the best in the material they thought that Visuals would be enough. So I will give the directors some credit for this not being as bad as it could have been. I only hope there next work will be original so we can gage there talent.

The characters in this film are ridiculous even though I know this is more supposed to take place more in reality it’s like none of them has seen a horror film and thought this seems familiar what could it be. To more make it seem real then a Hollywood film there are no credits nor is there a musical score. Another problem with the film is that half of the movie is so dark and with the shaky camera it is hard to make sense of what is going on and hard to see what is happening as far as action. While it makes it more realistic it also makes it hard to sit through. Which is why I am glad I didn’t see this film in theaters as usually shaky cam films leave me with headaches. Jennifer Carpenter while doing a fine job gets annoying as it’s believable to be scared she turns into a drama queen. She begins to grate on the nerves. If I was washing this with fresh eyes as many of you will I would call this film a gem but since it’s a remake I can’t quite give it that honor.

Another problem with the movie is that in the original the camera operator was quiet for the most part. Here you cast a actor who keeps having a report with the lead and other characters so where as originally the camera and cameraman represented us in the audience as we were learning just as they were and relating and speaking to camera almost like we were there lifeline and creating a cinematic relationship it was so revolutionary CLOVERFIELD copied it outright. But as usual this film has diluted it and the material. It tries to intensify the material but ends up being obvious and like it is trying too hard.

Angela & the other characters could've survived the quarantine by trying to isolate potentially infected people from uninfected by locking them in the textile shop or in one of the apartment rooms. Furthermore, when Jake & the camera crew go to Yuri's apartment to find his keys to open the basement leading to the sewers, they could've barricaded themselves in his apartment & wait for help.

It follows in a long line of what a lot of modern horror has been trying to do update to a new medium. To bring back actual scares they want the same results they don’t get anymore with new formulas. I like this because it is so nihilistic. The film makes me feel sorry for the characters which is quite a accomplishment.

The mutated rabies infection shown in this film somewhat mimics the Rage virus from the 28 days/weeks later movies. Both viruses infect a host within a short period of time (though in this case, it would take minutes, not seconds like Rage,to infect someone), give the infected person speed & agility, spread the infection through bites or bodily fluids, & either make an infected person kill or infect an uninfected individual.

These films do represent the growing need in our culture to document everything because half the time watching this you want to reason why the cameraman doesn’t just drop the camera and run like everyone else but then there would be no original spin to the films it goes into the thinking that if we survive or not someone will see this footage and hopefully it and we will make a difference.


GRADE: C+