Martin of the Dead

-

By Tom Pacak

Right when you think the zombie genre is literally dead, a small Aussie film “Cargo” comes along. Inspired by the Cormac McCarthy novel and film, “The Road” the film follows a couple in the outback trying to survive the zombie apocalypse. The movie has some bumps in the road with its story but is watchable due to Martin Freeman’s committed performance. Freeman surprisingly hasn’t been in a zombie flick before this, if you don’t count a small cameo in “Shaun of the Dead.” It’s nice to see him dive into a genre you wish he had more roles in.

“Cargo” opens up with a couple Andy (Martin Freeman), wife Kay (Susie Porter), and their newborn Rosie going down the Australian river looking for food and shelter. A virus has hit the outback where the soon infected have 48 hrs before they turn undead. Every survivor in this apocalypse has an “every man for himself” mentality. When Andy sees a young family on land, the father pulls up his shirt to show off his revolver. This is the world that directors Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke set up. Despite the zombies, our protagonists encounter several living survivors who are far from friendly.

Overall, I did find “Cargo” to be better than the above average Netflix film which really isn’t saying much. The film lags with pacing and some of the encounters Andy faces seem a little bit unnecessary. Howling and Ramke want these survivors to have different motives than our protagonists; the protagonists want safety, while the other humans have other sinister plans. If there is one reason to check it out is for Martin Freeman. Freeman has always been a remarkable actor who dives into whatever role he plays. Here, he gives a performance as a man searching for closure that his newborn can survive in this world. The newborn literally represents the weight that Andy carries trying to survive. Rosie is a saving grace that keeps Andy from going on this journey. Overall, despite the film’s flaws, “Cargo” is a onetime road to go down.

Note: On Netflix




Rating: 2.5 stars out of 4 stars

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Best Movies of the 2010s

-
Image
By Tom Pacak This list is easily the hardest movie-ranking list I’ve had to do. It requires a lot of movie watching from the past ten years and it’s so hard to choose when there were so many mind-blowing movies that came out. The 2010s in cinema really helped paint a broad picture of who we are today. These films gave a different light to ideas that are both old and new. The ten films on my list are not only important now but will be remembered in the upcoming years. Without further ado, here are my favorite movies of the 2010s. 1.      The Social Network (2010):   “The Social Network” is the best movie of the decade. No film defined the 2010s more accurately than David Fincher’s brilliant biopic. Since its inception, Facebook has changed expeditiously over the years. Some cases for the better and some cases for the worst. It has helped connect people who haven’t seen each other in years and has also divided us when discussing political issues. Aaron’s Sorkin’s
Read more

We Need To Talk About Joe

-
Image
                                                                            By Tom Pacak Joe (Joaquin Phoenix), the main protagonist of “You Were Never Really Here”, is a man damaged by his past. Most of the film we rarely see Joe on screen, instead we live in Joe’s compressed head which is always in a state of trauma. We get flashbacks of Joe’s abusive childhood and violent memories from his work in the FBI and military. He is clearly a man suffering from PTSD. Think of Joe as Freddie Quill from " The Master" but minus the alcohol.   Joe is the center of “You Were Never Really Here” a film based off of the novel by Jonathan Ames. Since being retired from the FBI and the military, Joe works as a hired gun to rescue victims of sex trafficking.   Joe has a long beard and almost looks like a homeless person. The first scene we meet Joe he is finishing a job in New York City. Once he puts on his hoodie, Joe goes full throttle on anybody who stands in his wa
Read more

Do a Good Turn Daily

-
Image
By Tom Pacak A Scout is: trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. As an Eagle Scout, I remember citing this law after every Scout meeting. It's an oath that we treat all of those with love and respect. Nobody was ever an exception to this law. I thought of The Scout Law while watching Debra Granik’s “Leave No Trace,” a compassionate tale of a veteran, Will (Ben Foster) and his daughter, Tom (Thomasin McKenzie) living off the grid in Portland, Oregon. The law is shown in every frame of the film, whether it’s the caring people at social services, a cautious truck driver who drives them to Washington, or a group of folks living in the woods of Washington. All of the people here know where Will and Tom are coming from. In a cynical world where these two would easily be brushed off, instead, they’re taken in with open arms. The outlook on human connection is very positive here.  In the beginning, Will
Read more