Netflix Zombie Apocalypse Movie Everyone Slept On Will Leave You In Tears
Ever since George A. Romero released Night of the Living Dead in 1968, zombies have been a mainstay in the cinema world. From The Walking Dead to 28 Days Later, there have been countless zombie movies that have added their own spin to the beloved genre, yet there is one slept on zombie apocalypse movie that just might have you wiping away a tear or two. Available to stream on Netflix, Cargo is an emotionally charged film that examines the human element in a world overrun by unspeakable chaos.
The Birth Of Cargo
In 2013, Australian filmmakers Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke dipped their toes in the zombie film ocean with their short film Cargo. The short became a finalist at the Tropfest Short Film Festival in Australia, but it wasn’t until the film was uploaded to YouTube that it became a viral sensation among viewers eagerly looking for the next iconic zombie classic.
Banking on their short film’s online success, Howling and Ramke looked to strike gold when they adapted their short into a feature length film in 2017.
Trying To Escape The End Of The World
Cargo follows the story of Andy Rose (Martin Freeman), who travels across rural Australia with his wife, Kay (Susie Porter), and their baby in the hopes of finding a safe haven amid an apocalyptic event.
With a vicious virus, which happens to turn everyone into a bloodthirsty zombie, spreading across the country, Andy and his small family use a houseboat to sail down a river while avoiding the virus. But with their supplies dwindling, the couple decide to venture to shore to scavenge the nearby area.
Zombies
However, things take a turn for the worse when the couple comes face to face with the looming threat of death after Kay is bitten by an infected zombie. With no time to waste, the couple quickly sets out to find a hospital, holding onto the slim chance of discovering a cure for the virus before Kay turns into a zombie herself.
But as they venture across the Australian landscape, they soon find out that danger lurks behind every corner, and delivering their baby to safety might be an impossible challenge.
Critically Hailed
With a critic score of 87 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, Cargo earned high praise for its examination of humanity during moments of despair in a country in turmoil. In an effort to authentically portray Australia’s indigenous people heavily featured in the film, directors Howling and Ramke hired cultural advisors to ensure accurate representation.
For its effort, the film earned a Best Film nomination at the 8th Annual Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards in 2018.
Stream It Now
GFR SCORE
With its eagerness to focus on powerful human moments and everyday people thrown into brutal situations, Cargo is unlike many zombies that have come before it. I admire Freeman’s performance of a man who is nowhere close to a gun-toting hero who knows how to save the day without hesitation.
Andy is a character that represents how most people would likely respond to a zombie apocalypse, with trepidation and an undying desire to keep our loved ones safe, even if that means not being a typical hero.
For anyone looking for an action-packed zombie thriller, you might want to look elsewhere. Cargo is a character driven drama that just so happens to take place in a world filled with zombies. I recommend this film for anyone that has always wondered how they would fare in a zombie apocalypse, because this is as real as it gets.
