Quarantine [2008] | REVIEW

In an era where horror is looked upon as the 'quick-buck' genre and scary movies are normally more boring or funny than actually being frightening, there comes a film that takes horror up a notch and proves to us that when done right, horror films can really send your internals trembling from fear. I had plenty of expectations before watching Quarantine because of its tempting trailer and I think you would've guessed by now that I was very pleased, and am still shuddering, after watching it. Quarantine is a true-to-the-core, straight to the point horror flick that deserves a viewing.

This Flick Is About...
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Reporter Angela Vidal (Jennifer Carpenter) and her cameraman Scott Percival (Steve Harris) are doing a report on the night shift of a Los Angeles fire station, when suddenly the crew is called upon to rescue an injured old woman from an apartment. Angela and Scott follow the firemen into the apartment only to witness first hand the killing of an armed policeman by the old woman herself, who looks to have been infected by some kind of sickness. They soon find out that all the apartment's residents have been locked in from the outside and there is much more brewing inside that they could possibly imagine.
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While horror may not be my favorite genre, I've always appreciated directors who could deliver a proper frightfest. By that I don't mean excessive gore or a 90-minute slideshow of hideous faces, but rather a story-based movie that uses the elements of our worst fears to give an audience something that'll really haunt them for days to come. That is why people watch a scary movie, isn't it?

Quarantine is the Hollywood remake of the 2007 Spanish blockbuster, [REC] which received a massive amount of positive reviews from critics and audiences alike, making it one of Spain's greatest-known films and an instant cult classic. [REC] has even been spoofed and a teaser poster for a sequel was recently revealed. [REC] is currently infamous for delivering a super-real movie experience to horror fans in Spain and also internationally, rivaling the ghoulishly gritty stuff that comes out of Japan and the Asian region. And while those who have watched [REC] will certainly not enjoy Quarantine due to it being almost 98% similar to the original, it still holds up as a very solid frightener in the books of horror fans. The 'shaky camera' technique seems to be getting popular around filmmakers, and while Cloverfield is more popular today for causing nausea and dizziness, Quarantine sticks to the safezone and doesn't go overboard with the shakiness, making it watchable by almost anyone. That being said, the 'shaky camera' is the pivotal aspect of the film that gives it the edge it needs. It creates a sense of uncanny realisticness.

Quarantine doesn't have any background music, which is something that makes perfect sense. Imagine if it did have music. How lame would that be? It would crush the entire atmosphere of the flick into a pulp. Instead, Quarantine integrates hyper-real sound effects, giving it that extra sense of reality. The acting is top-notch. It's sad how these relative unknowns get no recognition whatsoever after movies like Quarantine and Cloverfield. Sure, there are no Daniel-Day Lewises in there but it isn't easy playing a normal person. It isn't easy pulling off extremely natural emotions and reactions. You have to work extra hard to make sure you're not overdoing anything because exaggerated acting is acceptable in dramatic films, but not in flicks like Quarantine that play off as 'legitimate footage'. The entire cast do an excellent job playing a group of trapped apartment residents who know nothing of what's happening and only have a limited amount of space to run and hide in.

Speaking of limited space, the claustrophobic technique does justice to yet another horror movie! This is the gazzilionth time I'm saying this, but the 'trapped in a small space' feel works wonders in horror movies. Running from a killer in an open field is one thing, but running from a bloodthirsty predator inside a closed environment with nowhere to run is an all new ballgame.

Ask me and I'd definitely suggest giving Quarantine a good viewing. It's worth the time and money. If you're the daring type then watch it at night, alone, in the dark. If it's playing at the local cinema, all the better, because this film can be destroyed with interruptions like the mailman or the dog barking or that phonecall that always comes in during the climax of any film.

This film is not for those who are easily frightened by horror movies and a big 'no-no' for those who avoid horror films because of the fear that the scenes will haunt them at night. Take my word for it, the scenes in Quarantine or even [REC] will most definitely stick in your memory for some time. They'll make their presence known when you're walking to your car in the empty carpark after working late, and you'll probably feel silly for carrying that baseball-bat-shaped steering lock around 'just in case'. But that's what makes horror films so great, doesn't it? It's the fact that they really give you the chills.

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Wrap : I give Quarantine a whopping 4.3 out of 5.0. Some people will say that that's unfair considering it isn't in the league of any major blockbusters. I beg to differ because I don't compare Quarantine with Man On Fire or There Will Be Blood or Children Of Men. I compare Quarantine with other horror movies like 30 Days Of Night, I Am Legend, Cloverfield, and The Mist. In those respects, Quarantine is a very gritty horror movie that delivers what it said it would. Any flick that rattles your bones, triggers your adrenaline, and sends your heart skipping a beat every 10minutes is a successful horror movie. And Quarantine is a very disturbing, fear-inflicting, edge-of-your-seat thriller that will keep your fingernails in between your teeth from start to finish.