Zombies with more intelligence than Paris Hilton? (Land of the Dead (DVD))

Member Name: neillus182

Product:	Land of the Dead (DVD)
Date:	08/03/09 (103 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Bloody, never boring

Disadvantages: Not quite up to Dawn if the dead's standard

Many people state that this film was a big mess, but i personally liked it. The idea that, even in a world destroyed and vacant due to an epidemic, corruption will be more prevelant than ever, was pretty sweet. Basically, thats what this movie is about, a world that is so different but in many ways so similar.

Plot-
In the not too distant future, the zombie epidemic has resulted in a world where people live in a handfull of hidden, closed off comunities, with zombies roaming and effectively ruling the outside world.
Riley (Simon Baker) is an average guy trying to live through what has happened. He works for Kaufman (Dennis Hopper) as a scavenger for supplies. Kaufman has taken advantage of the invasion by taking taking command of a skyscraper and its surrounding land, which he uses to protect people, as long as they give him back sufficient supplies and money in exchange.
However, Riley becomes sick of his position, and wants to escape from the contained society. He then meets Slack (Asia Argento) a gorgeous woman who Kaufman tries to have killed, and this sets of a trail of events, which puts him against both the zombies, and his own friends.

I realy enjoyed this movie, as Riley is a convincing nice guy who just wants to live his own life, though in a society full of corruption, he can't do so. I loved the way in which in this film, the rich live in complete safety, acting as if nothing has happened, while everyone else suffers for them. It paints a great vision of a world in which society has been completely divided by social class.

I felt that the way in which the zombies acted in this movie was sometimes a little odd, but then how do you direct a movie in which the zombies are intelligent succesfully? seeing a zombie using a gun was always gonna be weird.

And hey, if paris hilton can construct a sentance, then why cant someone with no functioning brain operate a weapon?

The casting was good i felt. John Leguizamo was excellent as Cholo, the guy who disagrees with Kaufman, but does his dirty work for cash nonetheless. He is probably the star of this film, as Riley suffers from a lack of personality, where as Cholo is arrogant, funny, and aggressive, and therefore becomes somewhat of an antihero in the movie, when he decides that Kaufman has gone too far.

Asia Argento isn't the best actress, but i guess she makes pretty good eye candy. It seemed strange that her and Riley's character had no chemistry whatsoever i the movie, as this would have been a good sub plot.

The special effects in this film are pretty impressive, with George A Romero doing his typical over the top gore. Expect a lot more blood and flesh tearing than in the Dawn of The Dead remake, as here there are a lot more people (prey) for him to work with, and he does it to great effect. This is a movie in which faces are trully ripped apart, eyes eaten, and intestines treated like a delicassy, so definately not for the weak hearted!

The film roles along at a good pace, and you can expect a good hour and a half of non stop gore and drama. To me, this never got boring, due to the level of new drama's that the people encounter. This is the same tactic that Romero used in Dawn of The Dead, as he consistently adds new situations into the plot that you wouldnt typially expect, therefore ensuring that the action never slows.

Conclusion-
This is a pretty good horror film overall, not as good as DOTD but closeish. Its mix of intense gore and character drama goes along nicely. This is most definately a film for those with strong stomachs, as many people will be thoroughly disgusted with some of the scenes here. So, watch with caustion, and enjoy....

Summary: A must for horror/zombie fans out there!