Movie Review: [Cargo] (2018)

November 15, 2018

Written by DanXIII

Daniel XIII; the result of an arcane ritual involving a King Diamond album, a box of Count Chocula, and a copy of Swank magazine, is a screenwriter, director, producer, actor, artist, and reviewer of fright flicks…Who hates ya baby?

Anthony Peterson (Ron Thompson) is in a bit of a fuckin’ pickle. See, ol’ Tony-baloney has got his ass kidnapped and locked inside a cargo container located in parts unknown, with only his cellphone to keep him company. Good thing he has that device, as soon he is contacted by his captors and ordered to come up with ten million dollars in twenty-four hours or those vile bastards will rape and murder his wife, live on the ol’ wicked web, as restitution for atrocities that Anthony allegedly committed in the name of business. Along with the stress of getting the cash, our hero’s oxygen is running low, and the entire container can be set to deliver electric shocks. Of course things grow ever more dire, and we get to see just what length’s Anthony will go to in order to secure his freedom and his wife’s safety.
Writer/Director James Dylan has come up with one hell of an effective and economical (both in storytelling and budget) in [Cargo].  Comprised of one teeny-tiny location and basically a one man show (though there are voice overs from those Anthony converses with on the phone), the film makes for a compelling narrative considering that what we get is an hour and nineteen minutes of a man in a fucking black box.
The situation is definitely fraught with tension, and it grows exponentially as Anthony’s desperate attempt to get the cash grows ever more out of control, the rules keep changing, and the truth of what is going on twists and turns like two snakes doing…snake stuff…whatever, you get the picture you cretins.
Speaking of how this is a rather solo affair, let’s talk about our main man Ron Thompson as Anthony. I absolutely dug the hell out of this dude’s performance. Instead of being totally terrified at the situation, he is just completely pissed all of the goddamn time and full of live-wire manic energy. I can imagine playing off of nothing in a confined, featureless space had to be a challenge, and Thompson was up to it (minus a few unsure passages that could either mean dialog was improved, or it was done intentionally to emphasize nervousness?).
Simply put, [Cargo] is a flat-out rad-ass thriller with a butt load of great tension, solid acting, and plot twists…get your eerie eyeballs on this pronto!
 

 


 

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