Taken 2

20th Century Fox/Europa

Back in 2008, there was a film called Taken, which did “take” a lot of money home from the box office. (See what I did there? The word “take”?) Then in 2012, the same producers decided they wanted to “take” more of our money, so they released a sequel, creatively entitled Taken 2. (See, I used “take” again. Never mind.)

20th Century Fox/Europa

"I see what you did there, and I don't like it."

Quarantine

Critics have mixed reactions about this film, most of them positive. I, however, will have to disagree.

Okay, let me start by giving the plot of the film. Some people get trapped inside a building when one woman, infected with some sort of rabies-like disease that infects other people like zombies, begins to infect the other tenants. This whole building is then quarantined by the government, hence the title, and more and more of those trapped inside get infected.

This film, by the way, is the American remake of the Spanish film REC. The treatment for this film was a reality-TV approach, told from the point of view of a reporter, played by Jennifer Carpenter, and her cameraman. The cinematography was tolerable, although it tried to focus too much on looking too realistic, sacrificing dramatic lighting in some scenes where I think it would've worked better. Sometimes the lighting was too dark, and I was really bothered by the jerky camera movements. Personally, I thought it was a good decision by director John Erick Dowdle to go hand-held all the way, but he doesn't seem to have made much use of the Steadycam. Bottom line is, it jerked too much, it was disorienting.

On the performances, I think the script limited everyone's acting. Veteran actor Rade Serbedzija was not given a chance to stretch his muscles, and even Jay Hernandez wasn't given the chance to showcase his pretty boy looks. And Jennifer Carpenter, talented actress that she is, does nothing but scream in this picture.

Now as a frightfest, the film is very, very effective. The only problem is, I watched it alone (oh, poor pathetic old me). Do not make the same mistake I did. Watch it with your buddies, or with your special someone, as frightfests are never meant to be seen alone.

Oh, and since it's almost the end of its theatrical run anyway, here's a spoiler for you people: everyone in the movie dies. So there.


Rating: Three stars.