U.S. remakes of foreign films have a spotty history as often what made the foreign film so special is lost in translation. Even the well adapted ones often pale in comparison to the original. Netflix currently has Quarantine, an adaptation of Spain’s [REC], available for instant play.

WATCH: Quarantine (2008) – “While on assignment shadowing firemen, a Los Angeles news reporter (Jennifer Carpenter) and her cameraman (Steve Harris) get trapped in a quarantined apartment complex with a vicious unknown killer. With all forms of communications cut, the news crew keeps the cameras rolling as they search for a way to escape rabies-infected zombies. John Erick Dowdle writes and directs this frenzied horror film that also stars Johnathon Schaech.”

In 2007, Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza made the wonderful [REC], a Spanish horror film about an out of control rabies infection. In 2008, John Erick Dowdle remade this as Quarantine. Many of the scenes in Quarantine are slavishly copied shot-for-shot from [REC] although I found this to be a good thing as [REC] was unavailable in the US until after Quarantine’s release. Jennifer Carpenter plays the lead and makes Angela a very different character from her portrayal as Dexter’s sister in Dexter. The movie plays out much like a roller coaster – you have some build up for a while as we get to know the reporters and firemen then once we reach the apex (the first confrontation with an infected resident), it’s a non-stop thrill ride straight to the end. The whole movie is shot POV (Now with shaky-cam!) which works well but after The Blair Witch Project, Cloverfield, this, and Diary of the Dead, I’m hopeful that we can give the Verite a bit of a rest. The story is fleshed out a bit in-between the screaming and running but is actually easy to miss. There is a very effective feeling of claustrophobia and there are a few added bits not in [REC] that add a little more depth. All in all this is a very fun thrill ride – [REC] is definitely better but this is a good adaptation.