Carriers (2009)

Four friends fleeing a viral pandemic soon learn they are more dangerous than any virus.

Directors:

David Pastor, Àlex Pastor (as Alex Pastor)

Writers:

Àlex Pastor, David Pastor

Stars:

Chris Pine, Piper Perabo, Lou Taylor Pucci

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview:
Lou Taylor Pucci	...	Danny
Chris Pine	...	Brian
Piper Perabo	...	Bobby
Emily VanCamp	...	Kate
Christopher Meloni	...	Frank
Kiernan Shipka	...	Jodie
Ron McClary	...	Preacher (voice)
Mark Moses	...	Doctor
Josh Berry	...	Survivalist
Tim D. Janis	...	Survivalist (as Tim Janis)
Dale Malley	...	Survivalist
Dylan Kenin	...	Tom
LeAnne Lynch	...	Rose
Jan Cunningham	...	Passenger
Mary Peterson	...	Laura Merkin (voice)

Storyline

In a world devastated by an outbreak, Brian, his girlfriend Bobby, his brother Danny and their friend, Kate, are heading to a beach where the brothers spent their childhood vacations expecting it to be a sanctuary. When their car breaks down on the road in the desert, they negotiate with a man called Frank, who is also stranded but without gas. He is trying to get his daughter Jodie to the hospital (she is infected with a disease of some kind), they all decide to travel together. During the journey, massive moral dilemmas arise, as events head into a downward spiral.

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Plot Keywords:

post apocalypse | disease | beach | virus | pandemic | 

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Taglines:

The rules are simple. You break them, you die...

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for violence, disturbing content and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Spain]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 September 2009 (Indonesia)

Also Known As:

The Untitled Pastor Brothers Project

Filming Locations:

Zia Pueblo, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$90,820, 6 September 2009, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$90,820, 6 September 2009

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Vantage,Likely Story,This Is That Productions

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Though filmed in late 2006, Carriers was not released by Paramount until September 2009, following the success of Chris Pine's appearance in Star Trek, released earlier in 2009.

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Goofs

During the conversation about Brian's car keys, the sweat stains on Brian's shirt appear and disappear several times.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Danny Green: Twenty questions. Go...

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Alternate Versions

The German Blu-ray and DVD release contains hard language and more bloody violence than the PG-13 Rated U.S. version.

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Connections

References The Wiggles (1998)

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Soundtracks

June Light
Written by Jack Trombey
Performed by Jack Trombey
Courtesy of DeWolfe Music
By Arrangement with RipTide Music

User Reviews

Could have been something, but wasn't

There's a good movie lurking here, but this isn't it. The basic idea is good: to explore the moral issues that would face a group of young survivors of the apocalypse. But the logic is so muddled that it's impossible to get involved.

For example, our four heroes are (understandably) paranoid about catching the mysterious airborne contagion that's wiped out virtually all of mankind. Yet they wear surgical masks some times, not others. Some times they're fanatical about wiping down with bleach any area touched by an infected person. Other times, they seem completely unconcerned.

Worse, after apparently surviving some weeks or months in this new kill-or-be-killed world, these people constantly behave like total newbs. They don't bother accumulating proper equipment, or food. They're forever running out of fuel in the middle of nowhere. They don't take elementary precautions when meeting strangers. And after wading through the rotting corpses of the entire human race, they're as squeamish as sheltered debutantes. You have to constantly wonder how they could have survived this long... and even if they did, why anyone would want to make a movie about them.

So when these dweebs stop to agonize over the moral dimensions of their actions, it's impossible to take their soul-searching seriously. Their actions would first have to make some kind of minimal sense.

On top of all this, we must contend with the dubious acting abilities of Chris Pine. His portrayal of an arrogant young James T Kirk might have seemed shrewd, when viewed in isolation. But in Carriers he plays on exactly that same note: arrogant and boneheaded. It's impossible not to suspect that this constitutes his entire dramatic range.

On the positive side, the film *looks* excellent. It's got an over-sharp, saturated look that really suits the southwestern US locale. But that can't save the truly feeble writing nor the paper-thin (and annoying) characters. Even if you're a fan of the end-of-the-world genre, you should save yourself the agony of watching Carriers.