Adelaide film festival: This zombie movie, with soul and pathos, is one of those in which the Z word is never uttered

The time it takes for a bitten person to transform into a slobbering, brains-hungry ghoul in a zombie movie is often commensurate to the importance of the character. Expect a quick chomp-chomp, now-you’re-an-oogie-boogie for those on the peripheries of the story, and a protracted departure – with speeches, rueful expressions and rushed inheritance planning – for the most important players.

In Cargo, from first-time feature film-makers (and co-directors) Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke, the time it takes to turn from normal to Romero monster is supposedly the same for everybody: about 48 hours. Therefore Andy (Martin Freeman) has two days to find somebody to take care of his infant daughter, after he is chomped on by his newly turned wife Kay (Susie Porter).

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