It didn't take me too long to get on to the buzz word films. I feel like 'Quarantine' (2008) has been making the rounds as of late and it is no real surprise with the subject matter that it tackles. Basically, if you are panicked about the current situation encompassing the world I would probably give this one a miss. The film follows Angela (Jennifer Carpenter) and Scott (Steve Harris), a film crew who have been given permission to shadow a couple of firefighters for the evening. They are called out to an apartment building after the residents here a horrifying scream coming from one of the apartments. Upon their arrival they find that the scream came from a woman who is suffering from an illness that soon sends her into a mad frenzy, attacking the firefighters. They are then locked in to the building with no explanation as to why. With the situation escalating and the illness spreading it becomes a fight for survival as they realise that this was no routine call out.
Some people reading that plot synopsis may think that it sounds familiar. Well, that would be because, unbeknown to me, this film is a remake of 'Rec' (2007), a Spanish found footage film. It is so close of a remake in fact that I realised it was a remake just from the screenshot that Netflix used while the film was buffering. It is quite an achievement actually, to make a found footage remake that is almost shot-for-shot. Not necessarily a positive achievement, but an achievement. With this being a found footage film there is little to talk about in the way of style. If you have seen a found footage film you know how it goes and this film does suffer from the shaky cam problem that so many of these type of films suffer from. The effects are really good mind. The gore effects work really well and are effective in creating small moments of disgust and horror without ever going over the top. However, the big problem with this film is that it is pretty boring and not scary. Now, this may be because I had seen 'Rec' before this film and so I knew exactly where the film was going at every beat. But regardless I don't think this is particularly scary wither way. Its hard to put my finger no why 'Rec' succeeded in the department and this one failed but it somehow does. It is not an abhorrent horror film like many that I have seen, but it is a pretty bland and boring one, even with the subject matter being so close to the bone right now.
Performance wise there is very little to be said. Everyone is fine, with no one really standing out as having a fantastic performance. Jennifer Carpenter probably comes closest with her portrayal Angela. She has a playful charm to her at the start of the film, showing good chemistry with the firefighters and having a natural air to her performance which is needed in found footage films. This natural feeling came to the fore in a couple of moments and gave the film a very real feel. One in particular came towards the end of the film where the last few survivors are attempting to escape. Angela is almost inconsolable and the way Jennifer Carpenter plays this is fantastic, especially when she is crying. That may sound like a weird thing to say but hear me out. Her crying in this film is not your standard Hollywood style crying. It is real, or at least feels real rather than an actor crying at a scene. It is reminiscent of the scenes where Heather (Heather Donahue) is crying to the camera in 'The Blair Witch Project' (1999). It is really effective and was in these moments where I became more invested in what was happening in the film. I also want to mention the actor playing the young girl, Briana. Not because her performance is especially good but because while watching I was sure I recognised her. And I was right! It turned out to be Joey King of of 'Slenderman' (2018) and 'The Kissing Booth' (2018) fame. Not really anything to do with this film, I just fancied mentioning it.
'Quarantine' is a film that is kind of just there. It is not exceptional in any particular way but is not so terrible that it sticks in the memory. The acting is all fine but nothing brilliant, and although the gore effects are really well done they are not followed up with good scars. The only reason I will most likely remember this film is because it is a remake of 'Rec'. So instead of recommending this film I am going to recommend that one. If you want to watch a film about a mysterious illness being contained in one building to horrific consequences (which with everything going on could be a resounding no or resounding yes) then don't watch 'Quarantine', watch 'Rec' instead. You may have to read subtitles but that should not stop you. And with that I will end this review with a quote from a characters in this film which I feel should be headed today: "It seems to me that if this thing is spreading then maybe we should separate instead of sitting arounf here in a fucking group." Good advice if ever I heard it.