Quarantine

Ever since the Blair Witch Project shaky camera movies have really taken off. You may remember Cloverfield that used it pretty deftly and I surprisingly only felt motion-sickness towards the end. Quarantine has a similar approach, it is filmed documentary style focusing on a reporter riding alongside the local fire department. After a call out to a apartment building, they are sealed inside to deal with the sick who go on to become pretty darn crazy in a zombie kinda way. The movie actually uses the documentary style as a real advantage. It displays some graphic, violent scenes in long continuous shots as well as emotional scenes which is difficult both from an actors and directors stand point. The special effects in the long scenes are also impressive. The story seems to make sense and it's basically a smooth ride without plot distractions and hundreds of side issues. By sticking to the human emotions and creating a suspenseful, tense atmosphere through an observers perspective I feel that it adds to the horror genre and has frankly been the most frightening movie I have seen all year. It receives a fairly average score on IMDB but horror movies always do. There is never enough gore or dead bodies for some people or other simply want cheap shocks. Anything that requires a little empathy and thoughtfulness are swept aside.

The Abandoned - Film Review

Location, Location, Location. It's pretty much a biggie for movies and The Abandoned (as many a horror film before) plumped for a remote location in an old, run-down house surrounded by a river, with only one bridge onto the island that the house was built. This is pretty much a problem for the main protagonist Marie (Anastasia Hille) who can't swim. Different from some of the recent Horror films I've had the chance to watch is that it is based in the heart of Russia. But don't worry, nearly everyone speaks perfect English (they must have some good schooling there). The story is essentially about an adopted woman who comes to Russia to investigate the property which has been passed down to her from her real parents, whom she knows nothing about. Soon after arriving at the island the scares begin. She uncovers the history of her family and the events of the past. Strangely, this has little to do with the Doll featured on the poster and front of the DVD.

The Abandoned is one of the movie released as part of the 8 films to die for series which you can view here. This is the 5th in the collection that I have seen now and have to say that it does stand out from the rest. It is not the best of the 8 films but it does have an original storyline and I really enjoyed some of scary moments. The part where she waves a flashlight around watching it reveal the history of the building was pretty spooky and clever. It's only 98 minutes long so won't take much out of your day so try and catch this when you have a spare moment.

Rating: 6/10
Comments: I much preferred Gravedancers and Reincarnation in the same series but this an original, well made, horror/thriller.

It's all the rage

This weekend Ms. Click and I decided to see the most promising sequel of the summer season. No it wasn't Shrek, or Pirates OTC, it was the intense, virus-ridden, human-biting, brutal world that is 28 Weeks Later. Having seen 28 Days Later several years previous I was a little worried that this would affect my experience. I had nothing to worry about. The film is set in England after the RAGE virus has almost died out (see the first movie). The Isle of Dogs has been declared a safe zone and residents are being moved back to England to begin their life a-new - RAGE free...or so they think. Although a shortish film (90 mins) it is crammed full of chases, guns, panic, terror and an Olympic swimming pool amount of blood. I have to say that I was very impressed by the whole movie. Some great camera techniques, amazing scenes of an empty London, a decent plot and script, good acting, and sound track (am still singing that theme in my head). I'm not much of a horror fan but I recommend this flick to anyone wanting to see a decent, original Horror-Thriller this summer.

Warning for this film: Some eye-gouging. (Eye-gouging is not enjoyed by this reviewer)

Rating: 8/10