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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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21 - 40 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 >> >|
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What director John Erick Dowdie has done is veer away from the supernatural atmosphere of the Spanish version and ramped up the bloodletting – it’s more gory than ghostly.

Full Review Source: Sky Movies | comment Comment
11/21/08
Tim Evans
Tim Evans
Sky Movies

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

The downside is that for the final half-hour the camera shakes so badly I started suffering from motion sickness.

Full Review Source: Daily Mail [UK] | comment Comment
11/21/08
Christopher Tookey
Christopher Tookey
Daily Mail [UK]

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]

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

The Spanish did it all a little better but Carpenter rivals her European counterpart in hollering blue murder.

Full Review Source: This is London | comment Comment
11/21/08
Derek Malcolm
Derek Malcolm
This is London

Quarantine is a well-acted, competent remake that doesn't betray the original, though it's somehow less scary and slightly longer than it needs to be.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
11/21/08
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

Unlike so many other jerky camera horrors, and even zombie film shockers, Quarantine escalates the tension with a perfect sense of fearful exploitation. One of the best chillers of 08.

Full Review Source: Teletext | comment 1 Comment
11/20/08
Victor Olliver
Victor Olliver
Teletext

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 is worth seeing for its solid first two acts, some terrific acting by some favorite character actors, and a several solid spook-show scares.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
10/29/08
Scott Mendelson
Scott Mendelson
Film Threat

Despite the Cronenbergian themes, the film is relentless and singleminded: It just wants to scare you, and it succeeds.

Full Review Source: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) | comment 2 Comments
10/24/08
John Beifuss
John Beifuss
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

Good Halloween-type fun for the fans of adult thrillers, 'Quarantine' is a cleverly done scare flickt aht will keep you wondering who's going to get it next.

Full Review Source: Quad City Times (Davenport, IA) | comment Comment
10/23/08
Linda Cook
Linda Cook
Quad City Times (Davenport, IA)

My suggestion is to see the original first and then skip this one altogether...

Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed | comment Comment
10/18/08
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed

A rote reproduction of a more effective film.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
10/18/08
Rob Gonsalves
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

Visually, this one mirrors Cloverfield right down to the dropped camera left to record what happens when the humans in the vicinity have been, uh, quarantined.

Full Review Source: San Antonio Express-News | comment 1 Comment
10/17/08
Larry Ratliff
Larry Ratliff
San Antonio Express-News

Even those who despise remakes will have to admit that director John Erick Dowdle’s furious retread is scary as hell.

Full Review Source: L.A. Weekly | comment Comment
10/16/08
Jim Ridley
Jim Ridley
L.A. Weekly

...a movie that didn't need to be made and which no one needs to see.

Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment 4 Comments
10/16/08
Jim Lane
Jim Lane
Sacramento News & Review

As the first-person POV conceit goes, it's not the nocturnal nightmare of "Cloverfield," but it's more compelling than the dog-eared "Diary of the Dead." It's stylish, and the sound design is superb, but it eventually gets too dumb to be very scary.

Full Review Source: Suite101.com | comment Comment
10/15/08
Nick Rogers
Nick Rogers
Suite101.com

Rarely more than competent and never inspired. But it more or less passes for a few cheap thrills if you're not too demanding.

Full Review Source: Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) | comment 1 Comment
10/15/08
Ken Hanke
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Considering how worthless most horror remakes are, the fact that this "carbon copy quickie" actually works is fairly impressive.

Full Review Source: FEARnet | comment Comment
10/15/08
Scott Weinberg
Scott Weinberg
FEARnet
 
 
21 - 40 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 >> >|
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