Quarantine (2008)

Featured Audience Ratings

• John M

  
  Predictable but not bad. I really dont have much more to add.

• Jeff "

  
  Mediocre remake of Rec, which is far superior in every way, Quarantine is a poorly constructed film that uses everything from the original film to create its terror. Like every other horror fan, I have a love / hate relationship with remakes. Some are good, some not so good. Some lack… More
  Mediocre remake of Rec, which is far superior in every way, Quarantine is a poorly constructed film that uses everything from the original film to create its terror. Like every other horror fan, I have a love / hate relationship with remakes. Some are good, some not so good. Some lack anything that would it interesting viewing, others are pretty good even though they're not all that memorable. With Quarantine we have a remake that just doesn't deliver. The cast aren't that great, many deliver mundane performances, especially Jennifer Carpenter, who unlike her role in Dexter, doesn't do anything interesting with her character. This is yet another pointless remake to a great film. Hell, that sentence seems to be used a lot to describe remakes, but it is very true. Rec was a stunning found footage film, a great piece of horror that brought genuine chills to a franchise obsessed with remaking everything. Quarantine is a mediocre remake at best, the film is a bit entertaining, but as a fan of Rec, I don't think that this film stands out and doesn't deliver the thrills that the original gave its viewers. Quarantine is a film to watch only if you're totally bored. If you want the total effect of a memorable and watchable horror film, then give Rec a view. If you're looking for genuine scares watching this remake, you may be disappointed as the script suffers from the usual jump scares cliché, and in the end it doesn't make Quarantine a worthy film to watch. Add to that a mediocre cast, and you've got another forgettable remake on your hands. Watch Rec instead.

• Albert K

  
  This movie is only good if you have your sound system cranked up with dim lights. Watched it in the movie theaters and scared the crap out of me... watch it at home, not so much. But still, it's a B-movie. Too bad they spoil the ending. I'll leave it up to you to figure out… More
  This movie is only good if you have your sound system cranked up with dim lights. Watched it in the movie theaters and scared the crap out of me... watch it at home, not so much. But still, it's a B-movie. Too bad they spoil the ending. I'll leave it up to you to figure out how.

• Coxxie M

  
  Jennifer Capenter stars as "reporter who refuses to let her camera man stop recording unless there is violence involving dogs." Steve Harris is "camera man who is so obsessed with protecting the sound of his precious film that he doesn't let out one single… More
  Jennifer Capenter stars as "reporter who refuses to let her camera man stop recording unless there is violence involving dogs." Steve Harris is "camera man who is so obsessed with protecting the sound of his precious film that he doesn't let out one single 'hale mudda fuggin nawww!'" Jay Hernandez is "fire fighter who seems like a real badass stud while the crew is at the firehouse but then just kinda sits in the back of the apartment building once people start spitting out their gallbladders." Greg Germann is "veterinarian who knows more about rabies than any doctor knows about AIDS." Andrew Fiscella is "man who says 'fuck you guys' alot and doesn't trust people who are pretty trustworthy." Marin Hinkle is "loving mother who gets her left cheek chewed off by infected daughter and amazingly does not want to shatter her entire skeleton with a fire extinguisher." and Joey King is "little girl who shows record breaking stupidity by witnessing people experiencing the exact same symptoms as herself and yet never gets the idea to bash her own head open with a fire extinguisher."

• Alexander D

  
  An American remake of the 2007 Spanish cult-horror film [REC], this film isn't much new. Especially if you are a horror fan. QUARANTINE takes the "found footage" sub-genre (the informal name used to describe movies filmed without professional equipment and camerawork… More
  An American remake of the 2007 Spanish cult-horror film [REC], this film isn't much new. Especially if you are a horror fan. QUARANTINE takes the "found footage" sub-genre (the informal name used to describe movies filmed without professional equipment and camerawork in order to make the horror seem more realistic, such as in PARANORMAL ACTIVITY and THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT), and it grotesque-ifies it, leaving little fluid to the imagination of the viewer. It's like if in the last scene of the first PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, Katie had shouted, "Micah! Get the camera! Bring it down! Zoom in! Let them all see the demon bloody me up!", rather than making it eerier by just leaving it off-camera. In my opinion, showing the blood and all totally destroys the "found footage" sub-genre. Why? It's now been officially established that the two main points for the sub-genre are two a) enhance the realism, and b) imply 90% of all the stuff that isn't left to imagine in SAW. Think of it: SAW isn't a scary movie. It aims to gross out, not to frighten. But the goal of this film clearly was to frighten, and only fulfilling one of the two points of "found footage", keeps at least ten-thousand more people from staying awake a whole night. This wasn't a bad film; it just had so much potential to be ridiculously disturbing.

• Bethany M

  
  I switched off watching it. It wasn't that great and you're too busy focusing on the subtitles!

• J P

  
  Unfortunately, this movie was worse than what I had anticipated. It kind of ruins the entire movie when the ending is in the trailer, (girl gets dragged away from the camera). It could've been a frightening scene in the movie, but since I watched the trailer, as soon as I saw… More
  Unfortunately, this movie was worse than what I had anticipated. It kind of ruins the entire movie when the ending is in the trailer, (girl gets dragged away from the camera). It could've been a frightening scene in the movie, but since I watched the trailer, as soon as I saw that part, I already knew what was about to go down. It wasn't very clever thinking whoever made the trailer. The acting annoyed me the most. Especially the girl reporter who couldn't get her ass together and kept whining throughout the entire movie. I don't think I've ever seen a more whiny brat. It just sucks *SPOILER* she didn't die until the very end. Then maybe I would've been able to enjoy Jay Hernandez more. It also annoyed me when Hernandez started kicking ass, and the reporter didn't help. It's really insulting to make a character so worthless and obnoxious. It makes girls everywhere look bad. Then the shaky camera was really sickening. I never liked that in any movies- Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activity- it just doesn't work for me. The movie starts out slow and once the action kicks in, it just makes it more frustrating to watch.

• Leigh R

  
  It was alright. Nothing too spectacular or frightening. But can I just point out one thing... Jay Hernandez = YUM!

• Richard C

  
  B+

• Eric S

  
  An intense, somewhat apocalyptic thriller regarding a television reporter(Jennifer Carpenter) and her cameraman who are assigned to spend a night shift with a Los Angeles fire department. As the fire squad is being documented, a routine 911 call brings them to a stricken small… More
  An intense, somewhat apocalyptic thriller regarding a television reporter(Jennifer Carpenter) and her cameraman who are assigned to spend a night shift with a Los Angeles fire department. As the fire squad is being documented, a routine 911 call brings them to a stricken small apartment building which soon after becomes quarantined due to an unknown virus, and the subsequent feeling of doom for the quarantined individuals. This film is a remake of the film "Rec", and I'm not one for remakes. Therefore, my review of this little film only delves into this director's interpretation of a film which is supposedly superior in every way. I just have yet to see "Rec", so this review is by no means a comparison. I do have to give props to Jennifer Carpenter for her believable performance as a devastated reporter amidst an area of chaos, and there are some chilling shots here and there that kept me watching. The film is shot in a way reminiscent of "The Blair Witch Project", so it gives you an uneven, realistic feeling of not knowing what horror lays ahead, or behind for that matter.

• Wahida K

  
  What people actually didnt notice this Movie was the American answer to Rec. It was awfull and horrible. I couldnt believe a remake made in America copied from Spanish? lol Not even tiny bit good as the orginial one. Go watch Rec, if you are seeking for Blood.

• Dean !

  
  A really great horror film, made apparently just months after the Spanish original Rec. What I don't understand is so many people saying this is not as good? It's almost the same film scene for scene, but with a different cast and set in LA. Only changes from the original… More
  A really great horror film, made apparently just months after the Spanish original Rec. What I don't understand is so many people saying this is not as good? It's almost the same film scene for scene, but with a different cast and set in LA. Only changes from the original are a few more attacks and the origin of the virus was changed slightly. The only real problem if you have seen the original first is you know what is coming and when second time round so less scary. Otherwise almost a carbon copy of the original but in English. Watch out for Rec2!

• Jason S

  
  While I prefer the original (Rec) this one was good as well. The movie is beat by beat similar to the original but with the addition of a few more characters to add to the body count and a slight change in the source of the virus that both works and doesn't at the same time. I… More
  While I prefer the original (Rec) this one was good as well. The movie is beat by beat similar to the original but with the addition of a few more characters to add to the body count and a slight change in the source of the virus that both works and doesn't at the same time. I liked the take of the original a little better than the way they went with this one but it doesn't take away from the movie. The scares are all there and all the same but with a couple more thrown in for good measure. This is so close to the original movie I find it even more silly that we needed to remake the movie in the first place. Folks need to stop being scared of reading subtitles and see the original movies.

• Cassandra M

  
  Angela Vidal and her cameraman are making a documentary about the fire brigade. Joining up with a couple of them, called out to an apartment building, they soon discover something horrific is going on.... Quarantine is a an American remake of Rec. This means it has two major problems… More
  Angela Vidal and her cameraman are making a documentary about the fire brigade. Joining up with a couple of them, called out to an apartment building, they soon discover something horrific is going on.... Quarantine is a an American remake of Rec. This means it has two major problems to overcome. First, Rec was to me the scariest movie I've seen in a cinema for almost 18 years (the last, was The Exorcist III)! The second, is that it IS an American horror movie remake. Now, the track record for this has been awful. Consider the evidence - The Ring, The Grudge, One Missed Call, The Wicker Man to name some. Hell, they can't even remake American movies! The Hitcher, When A Stranger Calls (I still shudder about that one!), Prom Night, Halloween. So this movie starts with two major points against it. However, despite a couple of minor issues, and one major one, it's not that bad. The reason it works, is that the director John Erick Dowdle has taken the scares from the original and simply re-done them. In fact the movie is almost a shot for shot remake of Rec! The fact that despite having seen Rec, the scares still work is a testament to not only how scary the original was, but also how well they've been re-done. As I said, there are a couple of minor faults. Some of the make-up effects, don't quite work. The other minor fault is that the cast, while good aren't as convincing as the original cast were. Case in point, Jennifer Carpenter as Angela. At the start she's fine, but by the end she's a bit over the top in hysterical and terrified mode compared to Manuela Velasco. But the major fault, and this one is harder to overlook is that they've changed what is actually going on. In this movie, it's suggested that it's a strand of rabies that has caused the outbreak. In the original, it's never really revealed what is causing it, although events towards the end suggest a possible supernatural cause. But because they've changed it here, it means the final scenes don't work as well, and don't really fit. And the final shot, which was revealed in the trailer by the way, again doesn't work in the remake. The movie is slightly longer than the original, spending more time with the fireman at the station before the events begin, and has a little more emphasis on what is going on outside also, but these little changes don't affect the movie that much. How you view this movie will depend on the original, Rec. If you've not seen the original then it is a pretty effective scary movie, especially the last 15 minutes. However if you've seen Rec, then this movie offers nothing new, and isn't as good overall.

• jd c

  
  It's official. I think John Erick Dowdle is a horrible director. First the shitty Poughkeepsie Tapes, now this. Quarantine was just as embarrassing, for slightly different reasons, but it's still a joke(and killer rats are hilarious.). Did he even pay attention to the movie… More
  It's official. I think John Erick Dowdle is a horrible director. First the shitty Poughkeepsie Tapes, now this. Quarantine was just as embarrassing, for slightly different reasons, but it's still a joke(and killer rats are hilarious.). Did he even pay attention to the movie [REC], or did he just listen to it in the background, drunk and half asleep on the couch, covered in cheese doodles? This guy doesn't understand the key qualities to a good movie. He just understands poo poo, and how to light a match. [REC] was horrifying, and perfectly filmed...Quarantine just sucks, and smells bad. Stick with [REC]. Scary sh*t! And look out for [REC] 2, coming soon, filmed by the same two directors. Should be interesting. Anyway Quarantine was not scary. It made me chuckle and then I went beddy-bye. I had a nightmare that John Erick Dowdle remade The Exorcist, and asked Justin Timberlake to play Regan. Creepy stuff.

• Dean M

  
  What a brutal terrifying experience like <i>28 Days Later</i>. This is the best horror film in the tradition of spine-tingling creep-fests since <i>Cloverfield</i> and <i>The Blair Witch Project</i>.

• Bruce B

  
  WOW ! And that would say it all for this movie. It has been a very long time since I have held my head, put my arms on top of my head, put my hands over my eyes, and turned my head away, but this movie put the smack down on me. No movie has made me this jumpy in a very long time, when… More
  WOW ! And that would say it all for this movie. It has been a very long time since I have held my head, put my arms on top of my head, put my hands over my eyes, and turned my head away, but this movie put the smack down on me. No movie has made me this jumpy in a very long time, when it was over my dog made the door move and creak and I about jumped out of my shoes. I know nothing about the actors, but they were grate. As far as some of the comments about it being like cloverfield, all I can say is I didn't puke and have to leave 20 minutes into the movie. You can tell there is going to be a sequel and I can't wait. 4 1/2 stars/ A breath short of 5 stars. Oh yea see it and add it to the collection.

• Summer W

  
  Not too shabby; like a cross between Cloverfield and 28 Days.

• Derek A

  
  It should be noted that I have never seen the Spanish film <i>REC</i> that <i>Quarantine</i> is re-making. <i>Quarantine</i> is another hand-held camera, "found footage" knock off that appears rushed into production just to earn a quick… More
  It should be noted that I have never seen the Spanish film <i>REC</i> that <i>Quarantine</i> is re-making. <i>Quarantine</i> is another hand-held camera, "found footage" knock off that appears rushed into production just to earn a quick buck. Moviegoers, including myself, are fascinated by this sense of realism. This regurgitated horror follows a reporter and her cameraman as they shadow a team of firefighters for a night. A call leads them to a small apartment complex where they encounter an old woman who is sick and begins biting people. At once the reporter and everyone inside the complex are quarantined inside and not allowed to leave. Unimaginable horror ensues.... Dark, gritty, and terrifying, <i>Quarantine</i> is an effective horror film. This film is shot solely behind the lenses of the news reporter's cameraman. This effect enhances the film, submerging the audience into a realistically eerie atmosphere. What keeps this film from being creditable is its huge plot holes and inconsistencies. The time it took to "change" after being bitten varied tremendously. It took some hours to turn, and it took others only moments to turn. <i>Huge</i> error in the screenwriting. Another aspect that plaques this film is the shaky camera work - it serves as a distraction, and it's hard to tell what is really going on during some intense action scenes. At times, the camera work is very erratic and annoying. Overall, <i>Quarantine</i> is successful in conjuring up some cheap thrills. However, it's primarily cheap and unoriginal... Check out <i>Cloverfield</i> instead.

• A.D. V

  
  Wow what an overhyped piece of poppycock. No real scares or logic or point. It starts off well enough with likeable characters but when the stuff hits the fan it falls apart as it reveals itself to be another 28 Days Later clone. Yawn. And by the way whatever the cameraman used in… More
  Wow what an overhyped piece of poppycock. No real scares or logic or point. It starts off well enough with likeable characters but when the stuff hits the fan it falls apart as it reveals itself to be another 28 Days Later clone. Yawn. And by the way whatever the cameraman used in this--I want that camera! You never have to replace the batteries or the tape and then you can (in what has to be one of the best unintentionaly funny moments ever) kill people with it too! Without damaging the lens! That's going to the top of my "must own list"!

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