Well, as I sat down to watch the 1988 movie "The Carrier" here in 2021, it was actually my first time to watch it. In fact, it was the first time I even heard about the movie. So I had no idea what to expect from writer and director Nathan J. White's movie.

As the story went, well then it was a mildly entertaining movie. I mean, it wasn't particularly thrilling, nor were there any grand ups and downs along the way as the story trotted on. It felt very monotonous, and there wasn't really much of any deeper underlying layers to the story. As such, it just felt a bit too shallow. Sure, the movie was watchable, but it was hardly an impressive movie.

The acting in the movie was adequate, taking into consideration the type of movie it is, the age of the movie and the boundaries set by the limitations of the script and storyline. I weren't familiar with anyone on the cast list as seen in "The Carrier".

Sure, there were some aspects to the storyline that was better than others. I liked the fact how the story shows the way some people turn utterly selfish and act irrationally during a time of crisis; much as is seen in these times of Covid-19 actually.

However, for entertainment purposes then "The Carrier" was a less than mediocre movie. I managed to sit through it, but I wasn't particularly entertained, much less enjoying the storyline. My rating of the 1988 movie from writer and director Nathan J. White lands on a four out of ten stars.

"It's cats or death." This is so ridiculous it's really a horrendous excuse for entertainment. I'll give you it's low budget, with dozens of no futures actors, and there is a touch of originality. But let's get real, for the better part of the movie everyone is running around in trash bags, half the time you can't understand their dialog because they are speaking through plastic. Then there is the cat angle, which is so ridiculous, using cats to to test objects for contamination. Unfortunately the best lines refer to collecting cats like they were currency. I will keep this DVD as a gold standard of bad, and believe me it will have few challengers. " Sharks in Venice" is like "Citizen Kane" compared to this. "The Carrier" might have been tolerable as a "Twilight Zone" half hour episode, but nothing more. - MERK

Filmed in upstate Michigan by writer / director / executive producer Nathan J. White and company, the interesting, symbolic "The Carrier" is a regional, independent horror film worth checking out. While undeniably very low budget and fairly crude, it does live up to the word "horror". It shows just how ugly things can get in times of crisis when there are no real leaders. It has a certain intensity, fueled by a sense of paranoia. In that sense, it's reminiscent of "The Thing" as well as George Romeros' "The Crazies", with its plot of a biological terror striking fear into the hearts of God fearing small town Americans.

Gregory Fortescue stars as Jake Spear, a young man who lives on the fringes of the small town of Sleepy Rock. Most other people there treat him like crap, because they 100% believe him guilty of the long ago deaths of his parents. One of a select few who will actually talk to him is Treva (Stevie Lee). One night, Jake is attacked by a fabled "black thing" which badly scratches him. Unbeknownst to Jake, this has now caused him to be infected with a truly hideous disease, making him "the carrier" of the title. And this disease has a quick acting, frightening ability to dissolve its victims. The local doctor (Steve Dixon, "Mosquito") urges calm and reason, but to little avail.

The acting is largely negligible, but there's no denying the sincerity of the cast. Fortescue and Lee are reasonably appealing, Dixon is fine as the doctor, and Paul Urbanski and Patrick Butler come off fairly well as the guys in charge of two warring factions. Die hard genre fans will recognize the names of some of the crew, like composer Joseph LoDuca, who contributes a very fine score, and cinematographer Peter Deming. B movie icon Bruce Campbell is credited as a sound effects recordist. The scenery & atmosphere are nice, the visuals striking (citizens must wrap themselves in whatever material they can find), and the special effects passable for whatever they cost to make. The subject matter has some poignancy and will undoubtedly make its viewers think of things like AIDS, which was very much on peoples' minds during this decade.

"The Carrier" is somewhat obscure now, but it definitely merits a look from horror enthusiasts.

Seven out of 10.