This unflinchingly gory found-footage makes a fair endeavor to live up to the standards of 'The Blair Witch Project' and 'Cloverfield' - - two of the most influential entries in the found-footage genre. And the question is does it manage to reach that mark? Not exactly, especially as not only happens to be a remake of the Spanish-horror film 'Rec', but borrows elements from George Romero's zombie flicks and applys them to a found-footage installment that owes similarities to 'Cloverfield'. Nonetheless, this film makes a surprising achievement of delivering a brutally terrifying thrill ride that spears viewers with a relentless surplus of blood and gore, while balancing a barrage of spine- chilling scares. There is little argument that the found-footage format can serve more as a detriment to the visceral atmosphere than a tool for gripping viewers with pure realism, director John Erick Dowdle manages to make things work. This film focuses on news reporter Angela Vidal (played by Jennifer Carpenter) and her cameraman Scott Percival (played by Steve Harris) who tour a Los Angeles fire department to document the behind the scenes work of the firefighting team. When the firefighting unit is called for duty. They along with Angela and Scott race to an apartment that has become overrun by a deadly virus that has infected many of its residents. When the apartment is locked up under quarantine, Angela, Scott, the firefighting unit, and a rest of the survivors must survive against the sadistic virus as it slowly begins to mutate everyone into flesh-eating savages.
John Erick Dwindle never attempts to uproot anything from the genre, which is understandably a difficult feat for a film feels almost like a carbon copy of George Romero's 'Diary of The Dead'. But how he manages to generate a terrifyingly grim atmosphere from the inspired elements is something can viewers, particularly horror fans can admire. This film packs an incredible surplus of nightmarish imagery and a disturbing amount of blood and gore ignite a brutally terrifying thrill ride. From the opening minutes of the first zombie attack, to the final scene, the sense of powerful urgency pops out of corner even when you least expect it. Like Cloverfield, the startling action takes place through the lens of a camera carried by one of the lead characters. Predictably so, the documentary style cinematography occasionally chews away from the tension as the relentless shakiness renders some action visually incoherent, making it distressingly difficult to fully seek out what's going on in the already dark. Luckily, this problem doesn't persist for too long. As for the plot, Dwindle manages to keep things moving, although the story manages to overstay its welcome during the last ten minutes or so. The cast performances are mostly solid, although none of the actors are given a whole lot to work with other than scream and shout in pure distress. None of the characters are people you are expected to latch on to towards the final stretch.
Quarantine is an effectively competent found-footage horror ride packed with startling thrills and a firmly grim atmosphere -- both of which make up for the occasionally flawed script. This is film may feel like a rehash of popular cinematic elements from both the found-footage and horror genre, but director John Erick Dwindle's competently crafts this movie into a terrifying ride.
John Erick Dwindle never attempts to uproot anything from the genre, which is understandably a difficult feat for a film feels almost like a carbon copy of George Romero's 'Diary of The Dead'. But how he manages to generate a terrifyingly grim atmosphere from the inspired elements is something can viewers, particularly horror fans can admire. This film packs an incredible surplus of nightmarish imagery and a disturbing amount of blood and gore ignite a brutally terrifying thrill ride. From the opening minutes of the first zombie attack, to the final scene, the sense of powerful urgency pops out of corner even when you least expect it. Like Cloverfield, the startling action takes place through the lens of a camera carried by one of the lead characters. Predictably so, the documentary style cinematography occasionally chews away from the tension as the relentless shakiness renders some action visually incoherent, making it distressingly difficult to fully seek out what's going on in the already dark. Luckily, this problem doesn't persist for too long. As for the plot, Dwindle manages to keep things moving, although the story manages to overstay its welcome during the last ten minutes or so. The cast performances are mostly solid, although none of the actors are given a whole lot to work with other than scream and shout in pure distress. None of the characters are people you are expected to latch on to towards the final stretch.
Quarantine is an effectively competent found-footage horror ride packed with startling thrills and a firmly grim atmosphere -- both of which make up for the occasionally flawed script. This is film may feel like a rehash of popular cinematic elements from both the found-footage and horror genre, but director John Erick Dwindle's competently crafts this movie into a terrifying ride.