Here is a film that has had an interesting history. It is a remake of a Spanish film called [REC], which received some very positive buzz around the horror world, some calling it the best horror film since The Descent. Pretty high praise, at least in my eyes, as that film was a rather intense excursion into terror.
Well, the remake rights to the original movie were purchased by Screen Gems along with the caveat that [REC] would not be released on American shores until after the run of Quarantine. Interesting precedent—instead of just remaking popular foreign films, studios are swooping in and snagging them before anyone even sees them. I guess I don't have any real problem with this, or remakes in general, but if this proves successful it will be intriguing to see if the practice carries on.
For what it's worth, I have not yet seen the original film, but even with this being a nearly shot-for-shot remake, I am still keenly interested in seeing it. You know, even when you remake something, no matter how good or bad the end result, there is no way you can erase the original and what it accomplished. There is clearly something about the first film that made it remake worthy, and it will always exist. So, for those who talk about disrespecting or ruining the original, get over it—that film you love is still there for you to enjoy. As for my desire to see the original, I am definitely interested in seeing the performances and how they compare to the remake.
Quarantine does not really offer up anything original (well, duh, it's a remake, but I think you know what I mean). While it does not have that stroke of originality, what it does, it does exceedingly well. This film offers up thrills, chills, and scares that will leave you looking over your shoulder long after you leave the theater.
I saw this at the last screening of the day, and when it was over I sat there in the theater for a few moments while the credits rolled, composing myself and preparing to leave. I got back to my home shortly past midnight; the rest of the family was away and the windows were dark, the air outside was crisp and cool. I got out of my car in the inky blackness, walked down the driveway to get the mail. The more steps I took away from my car, the more the chill got into the skin on the back of my neck and by the time I got to the end of the driveway I was looking over my shoulder. The return trip back up the driveway went by in a flash, followed by many lights going on. Now, it wasn't that I was scared or anything, but the film certainly made an impact.
What was the film about, you ask? Take the none-too-new-but-still-effective handy cam footage gimmick of films like Cloverfield and Diary of the Dead, mix in a bit of 28 Days Later, and top off with a healthy dose of Japanese ghost story, mix well, bake until black, serves as many as will have it. This is the sort of movie that starts off innocently enough, introducing some tension-building elements, allowing that feeling of dread to make the hairs on your neck stand up before allowing all hell to break loose, making sure you know there is no escaping from this nightmare. It's true, once inside the apartment building and those plastic sheets come down over the windows and doors, you do not have a prayer. The only question remaining is just how long will you last before the hammer drops.
Article comments
1 - Olivia
I saw this movie on the first day it came out and as someone who thorughly enjoys blood a gore, and the suspense of something waiting around the corner, I was pleased with this movie. But at the end I did find myself left with a few questions. Mainly it was were did the diesease or whatever it was that turned them into canibal zombies come from? Alittle bit of searching and some google and wikipedia articles explained to to me but I was still dissapionted that they did not explain the plot enough for somebody to understand. But still, I am pretty sure that my scary movie bar has been raised alittle higher curtosey of this movie!
2 - Chris Beaumont
Hi Olivia,
Interesting, I found the movie gave just the right amount of information to guess how it started. Sure, the bits are scattered throughout, but they are there. I also believe that a couple of these details are different from the original film. Even more detail than Cloverfield contained, and I loved that flick.