An airplane crashes, somewhere above West Africa. There’s been a zombie outbreak, and many are panicked. Washing ashore is the lone survivor, who somehow held onto a floating crate, while passed out. This American seems to be the main character, who forms an uneasy alliance with an African soldier, trying to find his son.
The gross-out factor is pretty high, from the cold intro on. The gory special effects are impressive. There’s not much dialog, lots of action, and that’s probably a good thing. Lots of killing and running. In terms of storytelling, it’s quite minimalistic, and reminds me of the videogame, Left 4 Dead.
This movie was made by the Ford Brothers (Howard J and Jonathan). I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more movies created by these gentlemen in the future.
It’s refreshing to get a zombie story based somewhere other than the United States. The Dead definitely gets stylish-cool points for being placed in Africa (and for not needing expensive sets to build). The barren sahara landscape was astounding… as if it was a supporting character in the movie. Somehow, I’ve picked two good Redbox Rentals in a row. Maybe it’s because both flicks have two-word titles. Maybe it’s because both include fields, of some sort. Or maybe, even a blind mouse finds a nut once in a while. Regardless, I was pleased with The Dead. If you like zombie movies, so will you.
Strength: Actions speak louder than words.
Weakness: What little dialog is spoken, is a bit cheesy.
WTF Moment: All zombies shall wear creepy yellow-green contact lenses!
Notable Quotes:
– “I don’t understand the White Man.”
– “Maybe we’re being punished for our arrogance.”
– “Perhaps, nature has put in motion, the ultimate solution to its problem. Nature is restoring its delicate balance.”
Review: 4/5