Innovated by Cannibal Holocaust, made popular by The Blair Witch Project and turned into an event film with Cloverfield; the first-person horror film has become a whole genre onto itself. The latest film is Quarantine, a remake of the Spanish horror film [Rec]. Which I would have preferred to have seen first, but since it isn't yet available on American DVD, I started here. I knew exactly what to expect from this film from beginning to end, and I mean the literal end. There it is, right there on the poster and featured prominently in the trailer. One of the best shots in the film wasted, but that doesn't mean the film isn't worth checking out.

We follow along with Angela who is shooting a reality show that features a couple of firefighters on the job. She and her cameraman go with them on what they believe to be a routine medical call, and quickly turns into a living hell. There's an outbreak of a deadly rabies like virus that turns people and animals into mindless killers. The entire apartment building is quarantined with the emergency workers, the residents, Angela and her cameraman stuck inside with these freaks. At first they try to figure out what's going on, then they're trying to find a way out, then all that's left to do is survive.

Quarantine is pretty well done. The reality show concept quickly brings us into the story, as it is a format that we're all familar with. We get to know Angela and the firemen a little before they're stuck inside the building, which lets us have some feelings for them on their decent into utter terror. The gruesome effects are well done, they're assisted by the dark lighting and constantly shaking camera. Execpt for a few money shots, you only catch glimpses of what's happening, which helps sell the horror. There are a some cheats with the speed the virus takes effect, sometimes it happens in seconds, for others it has taken days, which the filmmakers use to their advantage for maximum scare effect. Other than that, the film feels pretty real; most of the actors do a good job of keeping you in the moment, and the constantly moving camera makes us feel like we're the one behind the lens. Not a classic, but a good entry into this realatively new genre. - Grade: B

(I'm trying to go back to my original intent for this blog, writing a short review for whatever film I watched the night before. There will be gaps I'm sure, life is too hectic, but I want to keep this up.)