Hollywood has given us so many horror movies that an original idea is so hard to come up with, so they rehash what has proven effective in the past, Satan is one favorite as is the viral pandemic film. This has been a staple of the horror genre for a long time. In Alex and David Pastor's new film "Carriers" we learn of a virus that has already killed most of the Earth population, we learn little of how it began or how it spreads, at first it is thought to be by the infected breathing on another person but soon find out it is airborne. The story centers on two brothers and their girlfriends as they journey to an abandoned beach the boys used to visit as children. During the journey they discover that the true danger isn't the virus but each other.
Brian (Chris Pine) and his younger brother Danny (Lou Taylor Pucci) are driving across the country, they are headed to a place where they once spent so much of their childhood, they believe nothing can hurt them there, they are hoping this will be true because most of the Earths population is dead or dying from a viral infection that spread so fast, no one knows how to protect themselves from it. Along for the ride is Brian's girlfriend Bobby (Piper Perabo) and Danny's school mate, Kate (Emily VanCamp). The journey is filled with enough tension that is is palpable and it only gets worse when they are confronted by a stranded vehicle in the road, the driver, Frank (Christopher Meloni) is standing in the road yelling that he is in need of gas, Kate sees a little girl in the backseat who is infected and Brian drives the car around the vehicle and speeds away. When their car breaks down the group is forced to walk back to Franks car, they think they can wipe the car down and it be safe for them. When they get there Frank tells them he is taking his daughter Jodie (Kiernan Shipka) to a medical center that claims they have a vaccine for the virus.
Reluctant to let the two come Brian decides that if they tape up the back of the car they four of them should be safe, so they set up what they think is a shield between the father and daughter and themselves. Of course this isn't going to protect them or the movie would be a standard run of the mill spoke fest. The virus is spread to one of the four and that person tries to hide it from the others, knowing that they are surly infected this person decides to ride the virus out and hope to not be discovered by the others. Of course this one person infects a second, although it is the second persons fault, (I am purposely leaving out who gets infected for a reason). When the group is confronted by what at first appears to be military they are forced to strip and that is when the virus is discovered amongst the group. Later this person is forced to get out of the vehicle and is left to fend for themselves on the side of the road. Later when the three try to rob some gas from another passing vehicle the group is forced to use violence when Brian is wounded by the passenger of the vehicle. When the second person discovers that they are infected it is up to one of the brothers to make the hardest choice he has had to face in his life. Dealing with the issue takes all of his courage and something more.
The movie ends all to sudden leaving a lot of unanswered questions, to say this disappoints the viewer is to say that the movie entertains us to start with, Carriers is cheaply made and looks it from start to finish, the script seems more rehashed than original, and the characters don't really come off as sympathetic just pathetic. This movie could have been so much better, but its sad to say this movie has nothing worth recommending it, not even Chris Pine.
I give Carriers a 0 and on my avoidance scale a 4, this is one movie that leaves the viewer with anything but a bad taste in their mouths, Hollywood has given us so many horror movies that are worth going to see, Paranormal Activity is amazing and Zombieland is awesome take your money and go see either of these be glad you didn't waste it on this movie.
Carriers is rated PG-13 for Violence, Disturbing Content and Language
Running time is 1 hr. 24 mins.
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