Post by Bob Schlapowitz on Feb 25, 2008 18:53:13 GMT -5
Well the WC's Silver Medalist of movie reviews is back. (I know my place in the pecking order!) with "George A. Romero's Diary of the Dead."
**1/2 out of five.
In Romero's newest "Dead" flick, a group of film students making a horror film of their own must deal with a real zombie infestation. Most of the film is shot in hand-helm "shaky-cam" so bring some drammamine, and DON'T sit within the first ten rows. (we made that mistake.) The shakiness of the camera didn't bother me, personally, but a couple of the people I was with were affected by it, so take that for what you will.
What we see in "DotD" is typical zombie movie business, which, I felt makes the film suffer. It's basically a movie within a movie, it's shown as the group of film students' documentation of the zombie attack. The biggest problem I had is that there was nothing particularly memorable about it. The main character Jason (played by Joshua Close) is rarely seen, though often heard (He's the one "filming" the whole thing) Though through his actions he occasionally comes across to the viewer as an insufferable jerk.
This is not to say that "Diary" is a bad movie. Far from it. It just doesn't offer anything that we haven't really seen before from other zombie movies. If you are a fan of this sort of thing by all means, find out where (IF)* it's playing near you, and go see it, you won't be disappointed. If you're not a fan of the genre, This movie won't change that. Though a brief scene where the group is helped by a Deaf, mute Amish man is worth the price of admission by itself.
* I have no idea why this movie was released the way it was. I live in a pretty big market and we have ONE theater showing it. I recall reading somewhere that it's showing on less than 100 screens nationwide. Maybe the Weinsteins are hoping for it to be a DVD success.
**1/2 out of five.
In Romero's newest "Dead" flick, a group of film students making a horror film of their own must deal with a real zombie infestation. Most of the film is shot in hand-helm "shaky-cam" so bring some drammamine, and DON'T sit within the first ten rows. (we made that mistake.) The shakiness of the camera didn't bother me, personally, but a couple of the people I was with were affected by it, so take that for what you will.
What we see in "DotD" is typical zombie movie business, which, I felt makes the film suffer. It's basically a movie within a movie, it's shown as the group of film students' documentation of the zombie attack. The biggest problem I had is that there was nothing particularly memorable about it. The main character Jason (played by Joshua Close) is rarely seen, though often heard (He's the one "filming" the whole thing) Though through his actions he occasionally comes across to the viewer as an insufferable jerk.
This is not to say that "Diary" is a bad movie. Far from it. It just doesn't offer anything that we haven't really seen before from other zombie movies. If you are a fan of this sort of thing by all means, find out where (IF)* it's playing near you, and go see it, you won't be disappointed. If you're not a fan of the genre, This movie won't change that. Though a brief scene where the group is helped by a Deaf, mute Amish man is worth the price of admission by itself.
* I have no idea why this movie was released the way it was. I live in a pretty big market and we have ONE theater showing it. I recall reading somewhere that it's showing on less than 100 screens nationwide. Maybe the Weinsteins are hoping for it to be a DVD success.
