Cargo 2017 A Desperate Pandemic Thriller Filmed in South Australia

Films about outbreaks are prevalent in 2020. With coronavirus sweeping the world, people are stuck at home looking for something to watch. Cargo is an Australian movie that deals with a virus that leads to people becoming zombies. Sometimes it’s nice to dive into some fiction to provide some much-needed escapism when the world is a little scary. Cargo 2017 is streaming on Netflix in Australia, the USA, and France.

Movies About Contagious Viruses

Spawned from a short film, the movie begins with a father who gets bitten by one of the infected. Carrying his daughter, an infant, he struggles to find sanctuary in the harsh landscape of the pandemic that’s spread across Australia. Cargo 2017 is streaming on Netflix and is from the director team Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke.

The original short film went viral on release, and if you’ve seen it, it’s easy to see why. Cargo runs in a different direction, and aside from this, it’s certainly nice to see a short film adaptation executed as well as this.

Cargo 2017 Directed By Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke

Both Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke punched out their directorial debut feature film Cargo together. Both worked on Jungle 2017 as trainee directors and Ramke wrote the story behind both the short and the film.

Rosie (the movie’s Cargo) is played by Marlee Jane McPherson-Dobbins. This is Marlee’s first and only feature film.

Genres:  Drama | Thriller

Also Starring: Martin Freeman (The Hobbit as Bilbo), Anthony Hayes (the Animal Kingdom as Dt. Norris), Susie Porter (Hounds of Love), Caren Pistorius (Offspring as Eloise), and Simone Landers.

• Cargo is distributed by Netflix, most countries got it on May 18th, 2018 with a run time of 105 minutes.
• It also had some heavy-hitting producers on the team with Russell Ackerman (Mama), Kristina Clayton (The Babadook), Mark Patterson, and Samatha Jennings.

Cargo Movie Review

The last character-driven zombie flick I watched was Here Alone (2016) and I didn’t much care for it. Comparatively, I did consider Cargo a little slow at times but I became quite attached to the main characters. Sure they made some completely uninformed decisions early on, but the story itself flowed into a beautifully crafted portrayal of an apocalypse.

South Australia’s mesmerizing landscapes serve as the stunning backdrop for the movie “Cargo 2017,” which was filmed along the picturesque Murray River and Murraylands. The rugged terrain, with its dirt, trees, and expansive blue sky, provides an ideal setting for a pandemic unfolding on the screen.

One of the most gripping elements of the film is the countdown of numbers, steadily ticking down as the story progresses. This clever addition of a timer intensifies the tension, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. An intriguing aspect of the movie is the unique behavior of the zombies, as they bury their heads in the dirt. While the reason behind this remains unexplained, it is clear that there is a connection between the strain of the infection and something within the soil itself.

Films About Outbreaks

The character of Vic, the antagonist, adds much-needed conflict to the storyline. His presence is somewhat convenient, but there is no denying the foreboding shadow he casts on Andy, the protagonist, as he races against time.

One of the highlights of this heart-bashing horror movie is the underpinning storyline involving the indigenous people of the region. Their rich customs, beliefs, and ideas seamlessly merge with the overall narrative, bolstering the film and balancing out any minor flaws in pacing. Notably, the performances of the cast, many of whom are newcomers to the film industry, are superb.

In conclusion, “Cargo 2017” is an unmissable movie that depicts an intense outbreak scenario. With its stunning Australian setting, gut-wrenching plot, and the incorporation of indigenous culture, it offers an immersive cinematic experience. With plenty of symbolism peppered throughout, I enjoyed this just as much as I thought I hoped I would. I am an enthusiastic lover of films with zombies. It’s great to see an independent film as this comes along and stands out amongst the crowd.

And confession, this is the second zombie film that has made a watery-like substance come out of my eyes, and while that is not cool, the movie, Cargo, certainly is.

I give Cargo 2017

4 face-melting films about outbreaks out of 5.