Quarantine 2: Terminal [2011]

May 11, 2023

There’s something so soothing and relaxing about good B zombie movies that I can’t stop watching them. I think I’m developing a fetish. The first thing you need to know about Quarantine 2: Terminal is that you don’t need to know anything about the original in order to enjoy it. Just treat it as a standalone zombie movie mostly taking place in just two locations. Now, we’ve already talked about a phenomenal Spanish found-footage masterpiece Rec a couple of weeks ago. This movie is the sequel to the ill-fated American remake of that movie. And it’s better than the original! Especially when you consider its rather small budget.

I should also tell you that this is not a found footage but a “regular movie”. To describe Quarantine 2: Terminal as just another “something on an airplane” movie would be a mistake. If you’re looking for something like that, I suggest you check out Plane Dead. Although there will be zombies on an airplane here. However, I would like to direct your attention to another element of this movie. And that is the complete lack of music or any type of soundtrack. Not just the tension but also some of the kills gain this intense and realistic dimension without a cheesy soundtrack playing in the background.

The scenes feel ominous and more gripping than in other, similar movies. So, we will be following a flight from Los Angeles to Kansas City that soon turns into a living hell on Earth. The acting is solid and the characters are sufficiently developed. Still, you should not forget that this is a relatively low-budget production. I wonder if this is the reason why we didn’t get much gore. Although there will be two really nasty scenes. One was obviously fake while the other seems quite genuine and unnerving. And I have to admit that I did look away as I have a thing when it comes to eyes. Anything to do with eyes and I’m freaking done.

As the passengers are slowly boarding a flight from Los Angeles to Kansas City, everything seems normal. There seems to be some bug going around but they don’t give it much thought. Each of them has their worries and they’re focused on them, not knowing what’s about to happen. 15 minutes into the flight and one of the passengers starts feeling unwell. Soon, all hell breaks loose on this flight from hell.

Considering just how well Quarantine 2: Terminal was able to build tension in the first half, the second half of the movie feels a bit underwhelming. Luckily, the fast pacing and short running time cover that up nicely. Not to mention the fact that the story unfolds in real-time. I also loved the lack of melodrama or any attempts to add humor to this quite ominous situation. And you won’t be able to guess who’s going to make it out of it alive. Well, for the most part, as some things are pretty obvious right from the start. In the end, I would recommend this movie to zombie and airplane movies fans.

And if you’re looking for something similar, check out Containment, following an outbreak in an apartment building in London. If, however, airplane horror movies are your thing, Flight 7500 and Shadow in the Cloud.