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Quarantine

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Quarantine (2008)

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Reviews Counted:76

Fresh:45

Rotten:31

Average Rating:5.7/10

Consensus: Quarantine uses effective atmosphere and consistent scares to stand above the crop of recent horror films.

Australian Rating: MA15+ [See Full Rating] Strong horror violence

Runtime: 89 mins

Genre: Horror/Suspense

Australian Theatrical Release:
Nov 27, 2008 Wide

US Box Office: $31,691,811

Synopsis: A faithful adaptation of the 2007 Spanish film REC, QUARANTINE chronicles the outbreak of a rabies-like disease in a Los Angeles apartment building and the struggle of the unaffected residents to... A faithful adaptation of the 2007 Spanish film REC, QUARANTINE chronicles the outbreak of a rabies-like disease in a Los Angeles apartment building and the struggle of the unaffected residents to stay alive after the authorities trap them inside in an effort to contain it. Equal parts BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and 28 DAYS LATER, the film is presented through the eye of a video camera, putting the audience in the middle of the action and creating a heightened level of intensity and realism. Television reporter Angela (Jennifer Carpenter) and her cameraman, Scott (Steve Harris), are covering the goings-on at a firehouse for a program about night shift workers. As she clowns around with two flirty firemen (Jonathan Schaech and Jay Hernandez), an alarm sounds, and a truck is dispatched--with Angela and Scott on board---to an apartment building where an old woman has seemingly lost her mind. The woman bites one of the firemen and is soon killed, but when more tenants turn up with the same disorder, it's clear that a chain reaction is occurring. Unfortunately for Angela and the rest of the uninfected residents, the authorities have quarantined the building---but she and Scott continue to document the tragic and terrifying events inside the building as those inside are one by one transformed into bloodthirsty monsters. Director John Eric Dowdle, whose film THE POUGHKEEPSIE TAPES also used a pseudo-documentary approach in detailing the crimes of a serial killer, creates a sustained level of chaos and fear that will have all but the most seasoned horror fan cowering in the corner. Though the shaky camerawork may be difficult to take for those prone to motion sickness, it--along with a complete absence of music--gives the film a startling realism and immediacy to accompany its stomach-churning descent into full-on hopelessness and dread. [More]

Starring: Jennifer Carpenter, Jay Hernandez, Columbus Short, Greg Germann

Starring: Jennifer Carpenter, Jay Hernandez, Columbus Short, Greg Germann, Steve Harris, Dania Ramirez, Rade Sherbedgia, Johnathon Schaech

Director: John Erick Dowdle

Director: John Erick Dowdle
Screenwriter: John Erick Dowdle, Drew Dowdle
Producer: Doug Davison, Roy Lee, Sergio Aguero
Studio: Sony Pictures Entertainment

[See More Credits]

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Reviews for Quarantine

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1 - 20 (sorted by fresh rating; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 >> >|
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Jennifer Carpenter is terrific as the news reporter who gets swallowed up in her own story, and leads an excellent cast, all of whom bring a veracity to this remake in the hands of the talented Dowdle brothers

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
11/20/08
Andrew L. Urban
Andrew L. Urban
Urban Cinefile
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Delivers a pleasingly high quota of decent jolts as the body count mounts and the TV airhead becomes increasingly hysterical.

Full Review Source: The Age (Australia) | comment Comment
12/01/08
Jim Schembri
Jim Schembri
The Age (Australia)
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It's one of those rare movies where you can't quite ascertain as to whether the filmmakers are trying to create scares or laughs.

Full Review Source: FILMINK (Australia) | comment Comment
12/01/08
Andrew J. McGlinn
Andrew J. McGlinn
FILMINK (Australia)
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The Spanish film worked better than John Erick Dowdle's remake, which is, if possible, even more chaotically filmed to the point that you often haven't got the slightest idea what's happening -- you just know that it's nasty.

Full Review Source: At the Movies (Australia) | comment 1 Comment
12/01/08
David Stratton
David Stratton
At the Movies (Australia)
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The camera bounces along, its path blocked frequently by the back of some fleeing figure, so that you're never quite sure where you are, where you're going or what you're looking at...

Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment 6 Comments
12/01/08
Sandra Hall
Sandra Hall
Sydney Morning Herald
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

If you didn’t catch REC fever first time round, let yourself get bitten by Quarantine. Such brilliance is an isolated incident in modern scary movies.

Full Review Source: Sun Online | comment Comment
11/21/08
Sun Online

I raved about the oddly-titled Spanish horror [Rec], saying it turned the terror up to 10. Now, as night follows day, it’s time for a Hollywood remake – and the result isn’t half bad.

Full Review Source: Daily Mirror [UK] | comment Comment
11/21/08
Daily Mirror [UK]

Despite tweaking the format, Quarantine successfully replicates the claustrophobic tension of [REC] and cranks up the sudden eruptions of frenzied violence, making it as much of a white-knuckle terror ride as it was the first time around.

Full Review Source: Total Film | comment Comment
11/21/08
Total Film

Effective scares make up for some dodgy storytelling in this horror vérité about a TV crew trapped in an apartment building teeming with plague victims.

Full Review Source: E! Online | comment Comment
10/10/08
Alex Markerson
Alex Markerson
E! Online

a solid, suspense-filled 90 minutes

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
10/10/08
Bill Gibron
Bill Gibron
Filmcritic.com

Quarantine is a hugely satisfying film, if you're the sort of person who likes hanging around on the edge of your seat.

Full Review Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press | comment Comment
10/10/08
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
St. Paul Pioneer Press

What's a smart, well-crafted horror movie like Quarantine doing in today's marketplace?

Full Review Source: What Would Toto Watch? | comment Comment
10/31/08
Christian Toto
Christian Toto
What Would Toto Watch?

Quarantine director John Erick Dowdle and co-writing brother Drew wisely stick close to the told-from-the-cameraman's point-of-view template of the terrific original.

Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly | comment Comment
10/10/08
Clark Collis
Clark Collis
Entertainment Weekly

'Quarantine' is a solid horror movie and one of the better to be released this year. The last 15 minutes is hardcore suspense that redeem any cheap movie making flaws.

Full Review Source: BET.com | comment Comment
07/03/09
Clay Cane
Clay Cane
BET.com

Just like its forebear, this is bluntly effective exercise in first-person horror.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
11/21/08
Daniel Etherington
Daniel Etherington
Channel 4 Film

...one could surely do far worse as far as horror remakes go.

Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | comment Comment
03/25/09
David Nusair
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews

If a remake must be made in lieu of original thoughts and ideas, one could do far, far worse. Quarantine is the real deal--a primal, uncompromising vision of insanity run amok.

Full Review Source: DustinPutman.com | comment Comment
10/10/08
Dustin Putman
Dustin Putman
DustinPutman.com

The original Spanish thriller (REC) is no doubt better acted and executed, but considering the bad "prestige" movies recently it's hard to understand why Screen Gems decided not to press screen the cheap, quicky horror flick that delivers the basic goods

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
10/11/08
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Disregarding its Xeroxed pedigree, it's easily one of the best American horror films of the year.

Full Review Source: EricDSnider.com | comment 1 Comment
10/10/08
Eric D. Snider
Eric D. Snider
EricDSnider.com

There's never a dull moment in 'Quarantine.'

Full Review Source: ReelTalk Movie Reviews | comment 2 Comments
10/14/08
Frank Wilkins
Frank Wilkins
ReelTalk Movie Reviews
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by fresh rating; Australian critics are listed first)
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Latest News for Quarantine

February 16, 2009: RT on DVD: High School Musical 3 or Midnight Meat Train?
It's a good week for mediocre films (Body of Lies, Changeling, Quarantine and Flash of Genius, which all walk a fine line between Fresh and Rotten) and an even better one if... More...

February 08, 2009: An eye-popping both metaphorical and literal genocidal rat race scare scenario made especially haunting when it kicks in, with its post-9/11 domestic terror lurking around every corner, hyper-paranoid sensibility. Opens in new window
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February 08, 2009: An eye-popping both metaphorical and literal genocidal rat race scare scenario made especially haunting when it kicks in, with its post-9/11 domestic terror lurking around every corner, hyper-paranoid sensibility. Opens in new window
More...

November 21, 2008: UK Critics Consensus: Does Ridley Scott’s Body Of Lies Ring True? Is Blindness Blinding Or Bland?
It's a varied pick of films in the UK cinemas this week; we have Sir Ridley Scott's latest collaboration with Russell Crowe, the CIA thriller, Body Of Lies. Julianne Moore and... More...

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