In Angela Harger's directorial debut feature doc Quarantine at Sea: Trapped Halfway to Nowhere, an adventurous crew of five people and one sea dog leave Panama on March 7, 2020. 

Think about that day. 

It was the week before everything blew up and the world as we knew it changed. One week into their transpacific passage headed toward the Marquesas, they receive news via satellite that the Coronavirus has spiraled into a global pandemic. What was already an adventurous journey was amplified as they, like so many of us remember, faced ever-changing government restrictions everywhere they turned as different countries handled the virus in different ways and previously open borders were suddenly tightly shut. Faced with being quarantined at sea, this crew must now face what to do and where to go at a time when most of us didn't really go anywhere. 

Quarantine at Sea is an engaging first effort from Harger, an admirable effort even if there were moments I found a bit maddening and the storytelling never quite captured enough tension to really keep us glued to our seats. While it would be easy to say "Who needs another Coronavirus film,?" the truth is that such a common global experience has created an irrevocable bond and Quarantine at Sea captures a unique angle to it all. As one might expect considering the grittiness of the scenario, the lensing in Quarantine at Sea is hit-and-miss, occasionally intimate and jarring and other times surprisingly sterile. Occasional use of still photographs is almost completely disappointing, however, these moments are for the most part relatively brief and never quite take us out of the film's narrative rhythms. 

The sea dog in Quarantine at Sea is perhaps the film's most compelling character, emotions surprisingly worn on his sleeve (Do dogs have sleeves?) and you can't help but ride an emotional rollercoaster alongside this unsettled pooch. 

Headed toward an independent release thanks to Bitmax, Quarantine at Sea is one of those difficult films to review because it neither entirely succeeds or fails in anyway. Those who can appreciate a sea adventure film will appreciate this documentary and will mostly forgive its tech challenges and indie roots. In the world of Rotten Tomatoes, I can't quite call it "fresh" yet it's a film I admire and it's a film I hope finds its audience.  

I also genuinely hope we get the chance to experience Angela Harger's cinematic voice again. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic