Carriers

Set within a landscape devastated by a viral outbreak, Carriers follows a quartet of friends (Lou Taylor Pucci’s Danny, Chris Pine’s Brian, Piper Perabo’s Bobby, and Emily VanCamp’s Kate) as they attempt to safely travel to a supposed waterfront sanctuary – with their journey complicated by a number of post-apocalyptic problems (eg a pervasive lack of gas, roaming bands of deadly survivalists, etc). It’s an awfully familiar premise that’s employed to lukewarm (yet watchable) effect by filmmakers Alex and David Pastor, as the movie, for the most part, plays out exactly as one might’ve assumed based on the spare setup – with the commonplace feel extending even to the personalities of the four central characters (eg Brian is the pragmatic hothead, Danny is the wide-eyed optimist, etc). There’s little doubt, then, that it’s the stellar performances and smattering of stand-out sequences that ultimately sustain the viewer’s interest, with, in terms of the latter, a trip to a seemingly deserted school certainly ratcheting up the suspense level to an impressive degree. (Likewise, the four leads are all incredibly strong in their respective roles, though it’s clear that Christopher Meloni, cast as a desperate father, stands as the movie’s MVP.) But, as becomes increasingly clear, Carriers has been infused with a deliberate sense of pacing that does prevent the viewer from wholeheartedly embracing the narrative, and it’s ultimately impossible to label the film as anything more than a well made, well acted, yet far from engrossing drama.

**1/2 out of ****