Movie:
Carriers
is Zombieland ? but
without the laughs or the zombies . . .
In this post-apocalyptic road movie an unstoppable virus
has wiped out most of humanity and destroyed civilization. A group of
friends ? two brothers and their girlfriends - are making their way to the
coast.
Like the car full of survivors in Zombieland this bunch also
lives by a set of rules. If you get infected, you are as good as dead and
must get left behind. Don't come in close contact with those who are
infected. And so on.
Obviously they break those rules - otherwise there
wouldn't have been a movie of course - with such alarming alacrity that it
is a wonder that any of them has survived this long!
Carriers was made as far back as 2007, but never
got a theatrical or even a DVD release date before now. That it finally
got both in 2009 has much to do with actor Chris Pine's appearance as
Captain Kirk in J.J. Abrams' blockbuster re-imagining of
Star Trek. Pine's character in
Carriers is a bit of a jerk by the way. That's the problem with having
survived the apocalypse: Hell is other people as the man said and you
might still have to cope with jerks.
WORTH IT? There is nothing particularly new in
Carriers. (One reviewer scathingly dubbed it ?28 Movies Later . . .?)
Still, the whole post-apocalyptic scenario is still a compelling one for
science fiction fans and it is a welcome respite from all
those cheap straight-to-DVD blood spattered zombies have overrun the
world. (There are no zombies in Carriers.) It is relatively
gore-free and plays as more of a drama than an action or horror movie.
(The movie has a mild PG-13 rating in the States.)
Carriers however lacks any real punch and is cheerily
sun-drenched and scenic throughout. It may be the end of mankind, but it
sure is a nice day outside. Be sure to pack the sunblock!
RECOMMENDATION: Not a bad rental for a slow
night. File under "okay, but could have been better."
