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Cargo (2018)

Number Rolled: 44

Movie Name/Year: Cargo (2018)

Tagline: The most precious of all.

Genre: Drama, Thriller

Length: 104 minutes

Rating: TV-MA

Production Companies: Addictive Pictures, Causeway Films, Head Gear Films, Kreo Films FZ, Metrol Technology, White Hot Productions

Producer: Russell Ackerman, Zak Brilliant, Kristina Ceyton, Sally Clarke, Hilary Davis, Ian Dawson, Craig Deeker, Fergus Grady, Tom Harberd, Jeff Harrison, Phil Hunt, Samantha Jennings, Stephen Kelliher, Ian Kirk, Mark Patterson, Compton Ross, John Schoenfelder

Director: Ben Howling, Yolanda Ramke

Writer: Yolanda Ramke

Actors: Martin Freeman, Anthony Hayes, Susie Porter, Caren Pistorius, Kris McQuade, Natasha Wanganeen, Bruce R. Carter, Simone Landers, David Gulpilil, Lily Anne McPherson-Dobbins, Marlee Jane McPherson-Dobbins, Finlay Sjoberg, Nova Sjoberg

Stunt Doubles: Cody Mackie

Blurb from Netflix: Amid a terrifying pandemic, a father searches the wilds of Australia for someone willing to protect and care for his infant daughter.

Selina’s Point of View:

I haven’t had a movie cause me to ugly cry in a very long time.

This movie was the perfect example of taking a trope and utilizing it to create something that feels fresh. Zombies aren’t new. Dramatic takes on the zombie apocalypse aren’t new, either. Never-the-less, something about Cargo felt like nothing I’d ever seen before.

Maybe it’s because the creators didn’t bother boring me with another predictable origin story. Maybe I just absolutely fell in love with the characters. Maybe I was just very impressed by the ending. Whatever the reason, Cargo felt different from the rest of the zombie flicks out there and, even though it went the drama route, it didn’t forget the thrills along the way.

Martin Freeman (Black Panther, StartUp, Sherlock) was absolutely perfect in his roll. In fact, I don’t have an issue with any of the actors in this film. 

Even Simone Landers (Grace Beside Me) captured my attention brilliantly, and we know I’m not the biggest fan of child actors. Seriously, Landers is going to be making a hell of a name for herself in the coming years.

I would watch this again and I would recommend other’s watch it as well. It felt honest and real. And if you need a good ugly cry, there’s no better way to get it.

Cat’s Point of View:

I was significantly impressed by this movie. When this came up as a candidate for our Top 20 list, the trailer had me hooked right away. The Outback of Australia is already a place of wild beauty as extreme as the dangers that dwell there – but it’s also one hell of a place to be isolated in the sort of scenario the characters of this movie find themselves in.

The trailer makes it clear that this is an Aussie spin on the zombie apocalypse genre. The film is steeped in psychological horror more than the guts and gore factor. There’s a hefty dose of it, but not on the level of, say, The Walking Dead (2010-). All the same, this is a new take on a familiar concept.

Cargo is fascinating and utterly gut-wrenching. I seriously felt like an infected had started digging for my heart. There was purpose and nuance, and it didn’t feel like it was meandering. I was intrigued by some of the cultural aspects of the aboriginal people which the film touched on. I will be looking up more information later to see what parts (if any) were made up and which were real tidbits of lore.

Casting did a phenomenal job here, as well. Martin Freeman (Svengali, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Ghost Stories) found himself in another tale of a bleak journey against the odds and stomped on all of my feels as he persistently trudged his way through the film.

I’m not crying, though – I forgot to take my allergy meds today.

The young Thoomi, played by Simone Landers (Grace Beside Me) was also a delightful surprise, in spite of the darkness of the story. This was her first role credited in IMDb. I see bright things in this young lady’s future.

Cargo is definitely the quality film that I’ve come to expect from the streaming giant’s studios; and I have zero qualms in recommending this particular Netflix original for anyone that enjoys this genre.

Languages

Speech Available: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish

Subtitles Available: English, French, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 82%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 69%

Metascore - 65/100

Metacritic User Score – 6.3/10

IMDB Score – 6.4/10

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 5/5

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4.5/5

Movie Trailer: