Stereotypes In The Film 'Cargo'

Cargo is a 2017 Australian post-apocalyptic film directed by Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke. The film is set in rural Australia and follows a man named Andy and his child struggling to survive in a world overtaken by a disease that infects people, turning them into zombies. Since the release of Crocodile Dundee the Australian film industry has changed dramatically. This case study will analyze and appraise representations in the film Cargo and analyze the changes in the Australian film industry over the past few decades.

Released in cinemas in 2017 and on Netflix in 2018, Cargo was produced by Causeway Films with a production budget of A$4 million (Staff, 2020), and supported by Screen Australia. The film underperformed at the box office,

Andy meets him halfway through the film. He lives with a woman named Lorraine, and he gives Andy and his child shelter in his house. Throughout the rest of the film, Vic’s true nature is revealed, that of a loud, abusive man who has held Lorraine captive after murdering her actual husband. Throughout the film, Vic is portrayed as angry, prone to fits of rage, and carries around his gun in most of the scenes he’s in. This, combined with his loudmouthed style of speaking, portray him as someone who is far from friendly. An example of this would be when Andy and Thoomi escape from the cage Vic put them in, alongside Lorraine. He screams at them, and spends the rest of the film hunting the two down. Vic’s characterization, though perhaps a representation of a stereotypical Australian male, may negatively impact the audience’s perception of the film. Vic is not particularly endearing to watch, with most of his scenes made intentionally uncomfortable to the audience. Because of his character and how he acts throughout the film, Vic may make the film less enjoyable to its general

Films created by Australians have changed since the breakout success of 1986’s Crocodile Dundee, a film that made around 500 million Australian dollars internationally and domestically (Crocodile dundee (2023)). This film is one of the most successful Australian films ever made financially, and its total revenue eclipses that of Cargo’s meager 90 thousand Australian dollars. Cargo is one of many Australian films to be produced in this generation of films that underperformed at the box office both internationally and domestically. There are multiple trends in these films that have lead to them underperforming at the box office, with Cargo being no exception. One of these trends is the recurring setting of the outback. The setting has been used repeatedly in many Australian films, and has lead to its homogenization. While the setting can be used effectively in films, it may feel boring to some members of the audience, and hence, may lead to the film underperforming or gaining negative reception. A solution to this issue could be to utilize a different Australian setting, as Australia is not composed entirely of the outback. Another trend found in many Australian films is the underlying non-fiction narrative present in many fictional Australian stories. These kinds of films are often advertised to appeal to a specific demographic, only for the film to subvert the expectations of its audience by instead