SYNOPSIS:
Four kids are driving through the desert on the way to the beach, their faces anything but cheery: this isn't Spring Break. They're trying to outrun the end of the world and each other. In Alex and David Pastor's Carriers, no one is safe from the viral pandemic threatening to wipe out the human race. Determined to elude the deadly virus, Danny (Lou Taylor Pucci), his brother Brian (Chris Pine), his girlfriend Bobby (Piper Perabo) and Danny's school friend Kate (Emily VanCampo) speed across the Southwestern U.S. to reach a place of possible safety. Over the course of four days, the group is faced with moral decisions that no human should ever be forced to face. They discover that their greatest enemy is not the microbe attacking humanity, but the darkness within themselves.
MOVIE REVIEW:
As far as movies dealing with viral pandemics go, we feel that what needs to be said has already been said. Who wants to see another movie depicting the world as a gloomy place where dead bodies are piled up and survivors get eliminated one by one? Who wants to see another movie where dying victims spew toxic blood which does nothing more than to increase the production’s gross factor? Who wants to see another movie where the protagonists do not get to wear pretty clothes?
Just as we thought this 2009 American horror movie has nothing refreshing to offer, we found our eyes intensely glued to the screen as four people attempt to flee a world devastated by a viral outbreak, to a place which is believed to be sanctuary. This is also essentially a road trip movie, as two brothers (Lou Taylor Pucci and Chris Pine), and their female companions (Piper Perabo and Emily VanCamp) chances upon other human beings along the way. This is, of course, the best opportunity to paint a picture of the best and worst of human nature, and what it ultimately takes to survive a pandemic.
As there is a destination for the protagonists to reach, audiences are mentally paced with them with a nice momentum which keeps things going. Whether it’s their first experience allowing a father daughter duo on board, or their subsequent episode in an abandoned hospital, viewers know that there is an end which is looming closer as the film progresses. The very digestible 84 minute duration of the movie is also welcome in this day and age of overlong productions which are nothing more than dreary.
Besides, there are some truly affecting and engaging setups here involving an infected little girl and one of our heroines, and also between the two brothers who hide a shocking secret. These are complemented by the cast’s gripping performances. Taylor Pucci (Horsemen) does his best to keep a low profile for a large part of the show, but is responsible for the much needed emotional anchor by the movie’s finale. Pine (Star Trek) pulls off an expected Captain Kirk performance, which showcases him at his impetuous best. Perabo (Beverly Hils Chihuahua) has the showier role compared to VanCamp (The Ring Two), but both actresses shine in their own rights.
As the thrilling movie comes to an end after a nicely developed story arc, audiences are left to ponder on the dark sides of human behaviour, and how it may one day affect us, and our loved ones, in days to come.
SPECIAL FEATURES :
NIL
AUDIO/VISUAL:
There is nothing to complain about the movie's visual transfer. It is presented in its original English soundtrack, in either Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround or 2.0 Stereo.
MOVIE RATING :
DVD
RATING :
Review
by John Li
Posted
on 9 January 2011 |
