Just had a really last minute trip to Pyramid.
So, due to various persuasion done by my friends, I decided to watch Quarantine.
Its 1 a.m, let's review about it while I'm still fresh =D
A handheld camera it is, similar to Cloverfield but with much better coordination and obvious angle to capture the audience's attention. Quarantine, a low budget remake of spanish film called Rec. Gotten this info from Wikipedia.
The entire film clocks in at less than 80 minutes, and most of the first quarter is spent in loose set-up. Angela Vidal (Jennifer Carpenter) is the host of all night reality TV show, follows various people around L.A for an evening. Finally, the action starts when they gotten a S.O.S call.
Inside an old four-storey apartment building, they've just heard a series of blood-scurling screams coming from an old woman in one of the apartments. While Angela and her cameraman wait excitedly outside, the firemen kick the door down. Moving on fast to the scene, a woman is standing with blood on her nightgown and foam around her mouth. The policeman moves forward to reassure her.
UH OH !
A chain reaction of bad things start happening and there's no way to escape. Ok no more spoilers.
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Through the entire time, Angela and her cameraman keep the tape rolling, demonstrating the kind of sensitivity that should stand them well in their future broadcast careers.
False to the legacy of Cloverfield, the camera swings less violently and finds sharper angles as the tension ratchets up, but there are a few innovations. If Cloverfield gave us swiming shadows, Quarantine adds green night-vision and the on-the-floor cleavage cam. Other dynamic visual touches include the reflecting tape on a fireman's jacket, which makes a crazy zigzaq in the flickering light.
Inevitably, there's a sense of watching a conveyor belt like in "Sushi King", as we wait for another character to either bite or get bitten. But credit to Quarantine as they didn't resort to computer-generated monsters or supernatural explanations, it uses consistent logic and confinement to find new ways of being scary. =D
The outline is familiar, but Quarantine delivers the fright with solid acting and perfectly calibrated shocks as he cleverly works his claustrophobic setting. Much to assure you, there are times where you wonder when and where the "thing" will appear, however, I find it hard to make prediction about such scene as I always get caught off guarded when the "thing" appear.
Likewise, many will see this as a variation or continuation of similar films such we've seen in the past such as "28 Days later" or "Night of the Living Dead" to name a few. The only difference would be the setting in one location as opposite to different areas.
Jennifer Carpenter, who mad her film debute in "The Exorcism of Emily Rose", may not have the same scream level as other professional actress but who cares ! Unlike other horror films where one is being chased through the woods or in the streets, you are trapped inside a building which results in limitation of survival options.
Unfortunately, Quarantine spends little time looking for an explanation, which is drawback at some degree. Nevertheless, if you are looking for a film that will scare the wits out of you, even briefly, you can't be wrong from seeing this one.
-Benjamin Lim
-5 Setia. =D
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