Cargo

Cargo is a 7 minute movie, so It's difficult to discuss much about the film without giving away too much of the story. What I can say is that this (short film) was crafted by very skilled hands by people who take film making seriously. The acting, concept, directing, script, special effects are all top notch. While shot on what I'm sure was a shoe string budget, It is more polished then a great deal of the movies coming out of Hollywood these days. The story is about a Father and his infant daughter who find themselves in a very dire situation and some quick thinking and a lot of luck are going to be required to see any kind of semblance of a happy ending. The film is free of Nudity, foul language, violence (on screen), or adult situations. Individuals 13 and older should have no real issues with watching this 7 minute film. I give it 10/10 because it truly is an example of great film making.

Cargo, a touching 7-minute Australian short by directors Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke, focuses on just one of the small-scale personal tragedies that occurs as a result of a zombie outbreak.

The film opens with a man (Andy Rodoreda) waking from a car crash to find that his wife (Alison Gallagher), still strapped in by her seat belt, has turned into a zombie, and that he has been bitten on the arm. His baby daughter (Ruth Venn) is in the back of the car, unharmed. How can he guarantee the safety of his child once he also becomes a zombie?

Without giving away the answer, his plan is both a little yucky and rather ingenious, leading to a satisfying conclusion that should pull on the heartstrings of even the most hardened zombie fans.

Never have I ever thought in my entire life a seven minute zombie film would make me cry and think as much as Cargo did. As a parent and as an avid zombie enthusiast it really did it for me. The simplicity and lack of lines made it seem so much more real than the top films in the genre. What I perceived from the film was this: Unconditional love never dies, no matter how much change we have in ourselves (for better or worse in this case becoming the undead) we can and will do anything to protect our children even from ourselves if we must. I'd really hope they could have won the award this was nominated for. I can't wait for more work from Yolanda. This this seven minute piece of art really made me think and of course cried. Thank you for Cargo.

Cargo (2013) is the short film that inspired the fantastic Cargo (2017) starring Martin Freeman and is a hugely condensed version essentially of the same plot.

It in 7 minutes tells the story of one mans desperate attempt at finding help for his baby daughter during the zombie apocalypse after he himself is bitten and has mere hours before he turns.

If you have watched the feature first then you will likely go in with expectations that couldn't possibly be met. However if you take it for what it is, a simple hyper quick short version of the story with a quaint modified version of the features finale then you may find enjoyment.

This was also written/directed by the same people who would go onto do the feature movie four years later and honestly it shows.

The Good:

Heart wrenching

The Bad:

Finale was stretched out a bit far

Oddly paced

Things I Learnt From This Short:

Moral of the story, don't have kids. Though honestly that's the moral of every story including the tale of life itself!

I recommend this film to viewers who are interested in character development, great cinematography, a well written script, and a solid meaningful ending. Please don't come into this movie expecting The Walking Dead/ Zombieland type of action film because this isn't it.