Monday, April 1, 2019

“Cargo” Movie Review


    I have been checking out more of Netflix’s original movies lately and one of the films I came across was called “Cargo”.  I probably would have skipped the film had it not starred Martin Freeman to be honest.  So, with no idea what I was getting myself into, I started watching “Cargo”.
    The film is essentially a father and daughter survivor story during a post apocalyptic future in which zombies roam what is left of Australia.  Martin Freeman plays Andy Rose, a father traveling with his daughter who only has 48 hours left before turning into a zombie after being bitten.  Will he manage to save his daughter before turning into a zombie?  No spoilers here!
    Despite being a low budget film, the cast was stellar and Martin Freeman helps elevate the film beyond what it could have been.  It’s amazing how many “The Office” alumni are killing it in the horror genre.  Newcomer Simone Landers was also a revelation as Thoomi, the young woman accompanying Andy and his baby on their journey.
    While “Cargo” isn’t the most original movie of all time, there have been countless zombies movies of varying qualities, it does treat the subject matter more seriously than most other zombie films.  The post apocalyptic setting of Australia also helps set it apart from most other films in the zombie genre.
    The film does have pacing issues and sections could have been edited out since they don’t necessarily advance the  plot along but they do let us get to know the characters better as well.  “Cargo” is beautifully shot and the setting of Australia provides a great deal of rich visuals.  The film’s score was also better than the average film score and added a sense of tension to a great deal of scenes.
    “Cargo” may or may not appeal to the average viewer since at times, it feels like a film that has been made a hundred times before.  The acting is what makes this film worth a watch, and even I have to admit I shed a tear or two over the heartbreaking ending.


Grade: C+

No comments:

Post a Comment