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MovieMeditation presents...
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... current day count
284 .......................... 325
__________________________
August 21th
—— 2008 ——
QUARANTINE
—— horror ——
EXTENDED REVIEW
REWATCH
So... Whatever... Meh...
Uh... F*ck it...
The Introduction
Before I start babbling away I want you all to know and understand something. I’m not trying to convince anyone that ‘Quarantine’ is a better film than ‘[REC]’ nor am I going to defend the former by calling out anyone who doesn’t agree with me. I’m not going to make this review into a battle of the remake and the original, though I obviously will compare them in terms of similarity throughout. This review is mostly going to be me and my own thoughts and feelings towards a random movie and I want you to know why my mind is messed up and rearranged to like one more than the other. I hope you will be able to see my points and at least understand why I still like this film and why I don’t love the other one that much.
First off I have to say, that this review may be my most annoying one I have ever tried to write. I say that since I have never been as confused about what to write and how to write it, simply because of the controversy circulating this random movie all of a sudden. At first I wanted to deliver a review without much fuss, then “the great debate” of the forums came along and suddenly I wanted to deliver something more substantial, which would defend and debate-proof ‘Quarantine’ so I could have something to use when discussing it. Then I realized that I really don’t need to defend or uphold anything in the end. I like this movie, but I won’t try to desperately explain myself or make a 5000-word review just because I’m not part of the norm. I like the movie and I’m going to review the movie – but apart from a little introduction, I won’t do anything too different than what I usually do – though it will be a little long…
Quarantined from foreign film
When this little horror film came out, called ‘Quarantine’, I knew absolutely nothing about anything. I didn’t know that a remake existed, I didn’t know who made it, I didn’t know the people who starred in it and I didn’t even know about the found footage format at that time. All I knew is that the cover looked cool, especially when you were 12 or 13 years old and searched for random fright films in the horror section. I watched quite a lot of horror films back then, but at that age and at that point in time, I didn’t understand or appreciate much about foreign cinema and rarely sought them out within any genre – I just wanted to watch bloody horror films and action blockbusters like ‘Transformers’ – come on people, we have all been there.
I liked horror at a young age, like many probably did, but as it is likely also the case with people born in a different decade, they saw whatever was populating at that time or what looked interesting based on DVD or VHS covers. It was the same thing for me; I picked ‘Quarantine’ because someone looked to be dying on the cover and the Danish release even had a little sticker saying “warning: very graphic and violent images” (no kidding, this is true) – obviously I was crazy about watching it for that reason alone. So to sum it all up… I knew nothing about the original; I knew nothing about the found footage genre; and I knew very little about the entirety of the horror genre. I was young and out for blood… within film of course, I’m not a sicko people, relax!
The Review
I will go out on a limp and say that whichever version you watch first, whether being ‘Quarantine’ or ‘[REC]’, that one is going to be the definitive version for you. This may not be entirely correct, since a decent dosage of nostalgia probably plays its part in this case as well, but when they are so extremely similar aren’t it fair to say that your fondness of one movie will make the other look like a “copycat” whether or not that really is the case? If you like a certain movie, then you probably won’t like when another movie comes out looking exactly like the one you already love. I know that is the reason many don’t like ‘Quarantine’, but if that is the case then people should also understand why I don’t like ‘[REC]’ as much, since my point of view is the same only flip-flopped.
The premise of the film starts out as some kind of suspicious element to the story, then it all become very much real to the characters, but they still aren’t sure what it is. When they finally figure it all out, several people are already infected, and the movie pretty much turns absolutely insane after that. Fear-provoking disease-ridden beings hurdles towards the screen when you are least expecting it, and it is hard not to be “infected” by the high level of terrifying entertainment that it brings forward, especially if you like a fair share of dumb fun. And when the last few minutes kicks in, the film also shows how to create the same level of intensity with little to nothing of those elements previously used, even though I actually do prefer how ‘[REC]’ did the last 10 minutes. The original had a much more frightening creature and an even calmer approach, which made it all the more frightening for it. Actually it is one of my favorite scenes in a horror movie. I really like Jennifer Carpenter in this film, but she did definitely overact in the last third of this film, which also brings it down a little. But in general I think she did a better job than the lead in ‘[REC]’, which I guess is just a matter of preference.
But in all honesty, it shouldn’t be about the acting or characters in either of these films, because non of them are all that great in those areas. But a lot of that is due to the format and set-up, since we are just thrown directly into a random news segment, which does show the audience what usually ends up on the cutting floor, but it doesn’t lend a lot to true character development. I like Jennifer Carpenter, I like how the cameraman is more involved in the movie than in ‘[REC]’ and I like Jay Hernandez as the hero type of guy – even if he is clunky and cliché, he feels more human and relatable than the firefighter(s) in the original film. But while I can live with the main characters and their minimalism, I find it slightly harder to accept the stereotypical and paper-thin portrayals of the other people at the apartment building. Whether the original or the remake, I dislike each and every one of these basic characters, who lack a proper purpose beyond a plot point or victim to the zombie outbreak.
But then again, this film is clearly made to be a tense tour de force “fright fest”, which is something ‘Quarantine’ does pretty damn well in my opinion, especially in the last third of the movie. It feels like an amusement ride through hell, where you are following this reporter slowly figuring out what is happening around her, only to be trapped inside an apartment building with an infective disease spreading faster than herpes at a college graduation party. What really drives this film through the (fourth) wall and right into your living room is the sheer intensity of it all. It almost has that video game feeling of a first person shooter, which isn’t far from the truth either. When all hell breaks loose though, I feel like ‘Quarantine’ really shows its potential; not necessarily as an all-out scary piece of filmmaking, but as a frightening yet fun sprint through your worst nightmares. I even feel like there is control within the chaos when they run up and down the stairs with zombies popping into frame all over and blood flying everywhere.
But even though the highlight is definitely the last third of the film, I think the build up in the building is still a lot better than in ‘[REC]’. I kind of got bored with the original, while ‘Quarantine’ somehow kept me more interested throughout. It may be almost a shot-for-shot remake, but to me I like almost all of the added elements in the film. If I had to pick a favorite one it would be how the directors added the sounds of a creaky and noisy old building, which keeps the realism intact since there is no musical soundtrack, but still adds intensity to the film with creepy background noise that can create a great atmosphere without making it feel forced or fake. I also like the added window shoot-out scene slash double-zombie-trouble scene, the dog elevator scene, as well as the smaller changes to the cameraman’s involvement in the film; like when he drops the camera and it continues to roll or when he uses the actual camera to kill off one of the zombies. All that worked great in my opinion.
Lastly, you all have to remember one thing… and that is the fact that I don’t think this movie is great. I don’t think it is the finest filmmaking I have ever seen, but it is a lot of fun to watch and I still think it gets too much hate in terms of how well-made it actually is on its own. Within its (sub)genre, I think it does a good job and definitely also when compared to a film like ‘[REC]’, which isn’t even that revolutionizing in my opinion – ‘Quarantine’ may be easy to hate on, but ‘[REC]’ is no masterpiece. Of course, this is only my personal opinion, but just because the remake is universally considered lackluster doesn’t automatically make the original a great film all of a sudden. I have lots of respect for the people behind ‘[REC]’ and for those who love it, but I struggle to see why this particular film is considered a revolutionary and truly great horror film. To me, it is just another found footage film – just like ‘Quarantine’ – and I’m not trying to call that one great or revolutionary.
Anyways, both ‘[REC]’ and ‘Quarantine’ does a better job than the other a few places throughout, but ultimately it just happens to be ‘Quarantine’ I like the most. Maybe because I saw it first; maybe because I like the fun of it; maybe because I’m extremely weird. Whatever the reason might be, I will continue to love this film and I don’t care if you agree or not, though I do hope you got something out of all this if you read the entire thing. Thank you.
__________________________
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... current day count
284 .......................... 325
__________________________
August 21th
—— 2008 ——
QUARANTINE
—— horror ——
EXTENDED REVIEW
REWATCH
So... Whatever... Meh...
Uh... F*ck it...
The Introduction
Before I start babbling away I want you all to know and understand something. I’m not trying to convince anyone that ‘Quarantine’ is a better film than ‘[REC]’ nor am I going to defend the former by calling out anyone who doesn’t agree with me. I’m not going to make this review into a battle of the remake and the original, though I obviously will compare them in terms of similarity throughout. This review is mostly going to be me and my own thoughts and feelings towards a random movie and I want you to know why my mind is messed up and rearranged to like one more than the other. I hope you will be able to see my points and at least understand why I still like this film and why I don’t love the other one that much.
First off I have to say, that this review may be my most annoying one I have ever tried to write. I say that since I have never been as confused about what to write and how to write it, simply because of the controversy circulating this random movie all of a sudden. At first I wanted to deliver a review without much fuss, then “the great debate” of the forums came along and suddenly I wanted to deliver something more substantial, which would defend and debate-proof ‘Quarantine’ so I could have something to use when discussing it. Then I realized that I really don’t need to defend or uphold anything in the end. I like this movie, but I won’t try to desperately explain myself or make a 5000-word review just because I’m not part of the norm. I like the movie and I’m going to review the movie – but apart from a little introduction, I won’t do anything too different than what I usually do – though it will be a little long…
Quarantined from foreign film
When this little horror film came out, called ‘Quarantine’, I knew absolutely nothing about anything. I didn’t know that a remake existed, I didn’t know who made it, I didn’t know the people who starred in it and I didn’t even know about the found footage format at that time. All I knew is that the cover looked cool, especially when you were 12 or 13 years old and searched for random fright films in the horror section. I watched quite a lot of horror films back then, but at that age and at that point in time, I didn’t understand or appreciate much about foreign cinema and rarely sought them out within any genre – I just wanted to watch bloody horror films and action blockbusters like ‘Transformers’ – come on people, we have all been there.
I liked horror at a young age, like many probably did, but as it is likely also the case with people born in a different decade, they saw whatever was populating at that time or what looked interesting based on DVD or VHS covers. It was the same thing for me; I picked ‘Quarantine’ because someone looked to be dying on the cover and the Danish release even had a little sticker saying “warning: very graphic and violent images” (no kidding, this is true) – obviously I was crazy about watching it for that reason alone. So to sum it all up… I knew nothing about the original; I knew nothing about the found footage genre; and I knew very little about the entirety of the horror genre. I was young and out for blood… within film of course, I’m not a sicko people, relax!
The Review
I will go out on a limp and say that whichever version you watch first, whether being ‘Quarantine’ or ‘[REC]’, that one is going to be the definitive version for you. This may not be entirely correct, since a decent dosage of nostalgia probably plays its part in this case as well, but when they are so extremely similar aren’t it fair to say that your fondness of one movie will make the other look like a “copycat” whether or not that really is the case? If you like a certain movie, then you probably won’t like when another movie comes out looking exactly like the one you already love. I know that is the reason many don’t like ‘Quarantine’, but if that is the case then people should also understand why I don’t like ‘[REC]’ as much, since my point of view is the same only flip-flopped.
The premise of the film starts out as some kind of suspicious element to the story, then it all become very much real to the characters, but they still aren’t sure what it is. When they finally figure it all out, several people are already infected, and the movie pretty much turns absolutely insane after that. Fear-provoking disease-ridden beings hurdles towards the screen when you are least expecting it, and it is hard not to be “infected” by the high level of terrifying entertainment that it brings forward, especially if you like a fair share of dumb fun. And when the last few minutes kicks in, the film also shows how to create the same level of intensity with little to nothing of those elements previously used, even though I actually do prefer how ‘[REC]’ did the last 10 minutes. The original had a much more frightening creature and an even calmer approach, which made it all the more frightening for it. Actually it is one of my favorite scenes in a horror movie. I really like Jennifer Carpenter in this film, but she did definitely overact in the last third of this film, which also brings it down a little. But in general I think she did a better job than the lead in ‘[REC]’, which I guess is just a matter of preference.
But in all honesty, it shouldn’t be about the acting or characters in either of these films, because non of them are all that great in those areas. But a lot of that is due to the format and set-up, since we are just thrown directly into a random news segment, which does show the audience what usually ends up on the cutting floor, but it doesn’t lend a lot to true character development. I like Jennifer Carpenter, I like how the cameraman is more involved in the movie than in ‘[REC]’ and I like Jay Hernandez as the hero type of guy – even if he is clunky and cliché, he feels more human and relatable than the firefighter(s) in the original film. But while I can live with the main characters and their minimalism, I find it slightly harder to accept the stereotypical and paper-thin portrayals of the other people at the apartment building. Whether the original or the remake, I dislike each and every one of these basic characters, who lack a proper purpose beyond a plot point or victim to the zombie outbreak.
But then again, this film is clearly made to be a tense tour de force “fright fest”, which is something ‘Quarantine’ does pretty damn well in my opinion, especially in the last third of the movie. It feels like an amusement ride through hell, where you are following this reporter slowly figuring out what is happening around her, only to be trapped inside an apartment building with an infective disease spreading faster than herpes at a college graduation party. What really drives this film through the (fourth) wall and right into your living room is the sheer intensity of it all. It almost has that video game feeling of a first person shooter, which isn’t far from the truth either. When all hell breaks loose though, I feel like ‘Quarantine’ really shows its potential; not necessarily as an all-out scary piece of filmmaking, but as a frightening yet fun sprint through your worst nightmares. I even feel like there is control within the chaos when they run up and down the stairs with zombies popping into frame all over and blood flying everywhere.
But even though the highlight is definitely the last third of the film, I think the build up in the building is still a lot better than in ‘[REC]’. I kind of got bored with the original, while ‘Quarantine’ somehow kept me more interested throughout. It may be almost a shot-for-shot remake, but to me I like almost all of the added elements in the film. If I had to pick a favorite one it would be how the directors added the sounds of a creaky and noisy old building, which keeps the realism intact since there is no musical soundtrack, but still adds intensity to the film with creepy background noise that can create a great atmosphere without making it feel forced or fake. I also like the added window shoot-out scene slash double-zombie-trouble scene, the dog elevator scene, as well as the smaller changes to the cameraman’s involvement in the film; like when he drops the camera and it continues to roll or when he uses the actual camera to kill off one of the zombies. All that worked great in my opinion.
Lastly, you all have to remember one thing… and that is the fact that I don’t think this movie is great. I don’t think it is the finest filmmaking I have ever seen, but it is a lot of fun to watch and I still think it gets too much hate in terms of how well-made it actually is on its own. Within its (sub)genre, I think it does a good job and definitely also when compared to a film like ‘[REC]’, which isn’t even that revolutionizing in my opinion – ‘Quarantine’ may be easy to hate on, but ‘[REC]’ is no masterpiece. Of course, this is only my personal opinion, but just because the remake is universally considered lackluster doesn’t automatically make the original a great film all of a sudden. I have lots of respect for the people behind ‘[REC]’ and for those who love it, but I struggle to see why this particular film is considered a revolutionary and truly great horror film. To me, it is just another found footage film – just like ‘Quarantine’ – and I’m not trying to call that one great or revolutionary.
Anyways, both ‘[REC]’ and ‘Quarantine’ does a better job than the other a few places throughout, but ultimately it just happens to be ‘Quarantine’ I like the most. Maybe because I saw it first; maybe because I like the fun of it; maybe because I’m extremely weird. Whatever the reason might be, I will continue to love this film and I don’t care if you agree or not, though I do hope you got something out of all this if you read the entire thing. Thank you.
__________________________