avidmoviewatcher1221
Quarantine was a terrifying roller-coaster ride: there were so many jumpscares moments, it was a surprise that my racing heart hadn't recovered from all the banging against my ribcage. I applaud Jennifer Carpenter's performance: she was convincing, and she has proved to be a candidate for a Scream Queen. I feel like she was never off-key.I actually watched Quarantine before I watched the original Spanish REC. And though I enjoyed Quarantine, REC was superior; it seemed more authentic. But as I said: Quarantine was a terrifying roller-coaster ride, just like REC, and I would say it is worth a watch, and, perhaps, a rewatch.
benjaminpitkin
This film does very well at scaring people, and if you're after a 1st person zombie-apocalypse thriller, this has it all. The acting is convincing and the effects and immersion are very compelling.On the whole however. I found the characters to be somewhat dim-witted, slow, stupid, and emotionally compromised. Of course, some early mistakes were forgivable. But the clues were more than obvious. The main characters showed no capacity to anticipate the situation. Even after multiple fatal attacks, those with weapons didn't use them when any rational person might. They made no attempts as self-isolation, and actually tried to breach external containment (when they knew full well that they'd be risking the entire population of the city).The biggest criticism I'd have to save for the main character. Who ends up just being a hyper-ventilating, and quivering emotional wreck. The performances were so overly dramatized, and irritating to watch. The whole idea that such a group of dysfunctional people could survive for so long makes this whole film unrealistic. Most people who live through survival situations don't act this way. Panic very quickly gives way to a fight or flight response. Those that opt for panic are usually the first ones to die, and those that opt to fight are usually second.There are no really strong characters to rally behind, or admire. Except perhaps for the fireman, or the man behind the camera, who we don't really get to see.
begob
Reality camera-crew accompanies firemen on a routine call-out, to find themselves trapped in a quarantined apartment block full of infectious zombie thingies.Step-by-step remake of the original from Spain, which is famous for its final sequence.I think the direction, acting and editing is mostly superior. The original had way too much shouting, and the lead actress became irritating far too early. This actress does go irritatingly hysterical - pull yourself together, woman! - but at a relatively late stage. And the plot is tightly bound with properly placed pointers so you don't lose track in the chaos.But what about the ending? Everybody knows the creepiest thing ever committed to film is the end sequence in Ringu, which got the American treatment in The Ring, a film that improved hugely on the pace and drama of the original but simply couldn't match that sequence.In this case it seems the film makers thought they had to vary things through camera technique - so the last 20 mins has deeply annoying black screen intervals added to shaky-cam, and the tense last minutes are directed very badly with far too much movement and noise. Grrr.Overall an effective chiller, but if you know the original it's kinda pointless.
bowmanblue
There are two ways of looking at 'Quarantine.' The first is that it's actually the (Hollywood) remake of Spanish classic horror film 'REC.' If you've already seen REC then you probably don't need to see the remake. It doesn't bring anything new to the story and is – almost – a shot for shot remake, albeit in English without the subtitles.However, if you can't be bothered watching the Spanish film with English subtitles (and you're also a bit of a horror/zombie fan) then you may appreciate Quarantine. It's one of those 'found footage' films. This basically means that it's shot from point-of-view at all times, as we follow a reporter (Dexter's Jennifer Carpenter) as she reports on a fire crew who have been called in to investigate a building late at night. Of course things go horribly wrong when the Government seal off the building, trapping those left inside with a horde of ravenous zombies.The zombies are the 'modern' type – no George Romero 'shufflers' here. Instead, we have the type who run at you while screaming into the camera and doing their best to bite your head off.It's worth making mention of the film's set. It was a purpose-built apartment complex, made specially for the film. Therefore the cast can run pretty much where they like and you get a good sense of their claustrophobic environment. Plus, having a decent leading actress helps elevate Quarantine over the dozens of run-of-the-mill zombie/B-movies out there.With so many undead movies out there, it's difficult to get that excited over Quarantine. However, if you're not (also) totally sick of 'found footage' movies, haven't seen REC and feel like sitting through quite an intense little offering, then you might like to give this one a go.
AD
