Cargo

Cargo

Year: 2011

Runtime: 86 min

Language: Italian

Director: Yan Vizinberg

Drama

During a four-year voyage aboard a cargo spaceship headed for Rhea, Dr. Laura P. finds herself immersed in a perplexing mystery. Unusual events begin to occur within the ship's cargo hold, and an unsettling quiet falls over the crew. As she investigates the captain's sudden death, Laura must confront reanimated crew members and a disturbing silence to uncover the truth that threatens her understanding of reality.

Cargo (2011) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at Cargo (2011) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In a future where Earth’s ecosystems have collapsed and humanity survives on orbital habitats, long‑range cargo vessels become the lifelines between the dying homeworld and distant colonies. The sleek freighter Kassandra is bound for the promised‑land settlement of Rhea, carrying supplies, secrets, and a crew in cryogenic stasis. The endless black of deep space presses against the ship’s hull, setting a tone of isolated desolation tempered by the faint hope of a brighter destination.

The story follows Laura Portmann, a young medical officer thrust into a solitary watch over the vessel. While the rest of the crew slumbers, she moves through narrow corridors and dimly lit common areas, her routine punctuated by the hum of life‑support systems and the occasional, almost imperceptible shift in the ship’s atmosphere. Laura’s inexperience is matched by a quiet determination; she carries memories of a world that once teemed with life and a yearning to reunite with her sister on Rhea, fueling both her resilience and her curiosity.

As the journey stretches into months, subtle irregularities begin to surface—a soft thrum from the cargo hold, an inexplicable stillness among the frozen crew, and a lingering sense that the ship itself may be holding more than its manifest declares. These hints create a creeping tension, inviting Laura—and the audience—to question what lies hidden beneath the routine of interstellar freight. The film’s mood balances the stark, clinical environment of a spacecraft with an undercurrent of psychological unease, promising a voyage where ordinary duty may give way to extraordinary discovery.

Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 07:36

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Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Claustrophobic Space Mysteries like Cargo

Unraveling dark secrets while trapped in the vast emptiness of space.If you enjoyed the tense, isolated atmosphere of Cargo, explore more movies like it. This list features sci-fi thrillers and dramas where characters are trapped in confined spaces, facing psychological horrors and unraveling conspiracies that challenge their perception of reality.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative typically follows a protagonist, often a scientist or crew member, who becomes suspicious of strange occurrences in their isolated environment. Through methodical investigation, they peel back layers of deception, confronting a threat that is often psychological or existential in nature, leading to a grim revelation.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared atmosphere of extreme isolation and paranoid discovery. They combine the sci-fi trope of a confined ship with a slow-burn mystery, creating a specific vibe of intellectual dread and claustrophobic tension.

Slow-Burn Dystopian Truths like Cargo

Protagonists sacrifice everything to expose a bleak, systemic deception.For viewers who liked Cargo's theme of uncovering a grim reality, these movies feature similar journeys. Explore films about dystopian futures, corporate deceit, and protagonists who make heavy sacrifices to expose the truth, often leading to bittersweet or bleak conclusions.

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Narrative Summary

The plot revolves around a central conspiracy or hidden truth about society. The protagonist's investigation is a slow, sobering process that systematically dismantles their understanding of the world. The climax often involves a moral choice or personal sacrifice, resulting in an ending that is impactful but far from happy.

Why These Movies?

This thread connects films through their core theme of reality-shattering discovery within a dystopian framework. They share a dark tone, heavy emotional weight, and a narrative structure focused on the grim consequences of challenging a deceitful status quo.

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Cargo Summary

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Cargo Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Cargo

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Cargo

More About Cargo

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