[Cargo] 2018 Crime Thriller Movie With A Man In A Box
Streaming on Amazon Prime and TubiTV (check your region at JustWatch.com) is [Cargo]. Its title is marked in square brackets. [Cargo] is a crime thriller movie, this time released in 2018 by writer-director James Dylan. Kidnappers stuff a man, Anthony Peterson into a Cargo container with a cell phone and 24 hours to raise $10 million. Mother of Movies likes single-location movies. In addition, we like ransom films that promise a timeframe prior to a likely death. Somehow, this story manages a pretty cool poster and the same man pacing in his cell for 80 minutes. He talks to a handful of people in an attempt to wrangle money from his investors, his children, and his employees.
Anthony Peterson is not a likable prisoner. He is accused of orchestrating a hit in a deal gone wrong. His kidnappers were involved in the fallout and have woken up and decided on revenge. The man on the phone also sounds like that ‘movie voice-over guy” from viral videos around the internet. It was all I could think of. They have Anthony’s wife and basically, announce he needs to come up with the cash and fast.
Crime Thrillers Aren’t Always Thrilling [Cargo]
His children and ex-wife may despise him, but that doesn’t deter him from depleting their trust funds. In this low-budget crime thriller, the protagonist finds an unlikely ally in one of his employees, someone he frequently interacts with. Despite receiving suggestions to let his wealthy wife meet her unfortunate fate or even steal the money for himself, he bravely risks it all by embarking on a perilous mission.
On the surface, the concept seemed promising. However, perhaps the story should have remained confined to the pages of the script. What could have elevated this independent film was attention to the intricacies it aimed to portray. Given that the entire narrative unfolds through the perspective of a cell phone, the crucial moments should have been intensely charged. Regrettably, crucial scenes lacked the necessary tension and urgency.
For instance, during the course of the robbery, the protagonist’s loyal yet easily persuaded employee encounters security personnel, engages in a struggle for control of the weapon, and miraculously manages to deliver a headshot. Undeterred, he becomes the target of a police chase, experiences a car crash, and even gets bitten by a police dog. Astonishingly, these significant events unfold with minimal impact or emotion. It is worth noting that time seems to pass at an unrealistic pace throughout these sequences. The entire scenario concludes remarkably swiftly, all while the characters are engaged in a phone conversation.
How Many Teeth Can You Pull Out?
And then there’s Anthony’s valiant attempt to obtain more money once his captors re-raise the bar they originally set. He is given pliers and told which body parts are worth the most money. Anthony pulls ten teeth and continues to speak on the phone almost as if nothing has happened.
Cargo is not abysmal. Given budget restraints, the overall film makes an exemplary effort to try and be original without falling back on additional casting, special effects, and props.
Cargo 2018 is rated
2 out of 5
- Director and writer: James Dylan
- Starring:
- Eliot
- Danika Fields
- J.C. Maçek III
