Day of the Dead (2008)
May 14th 2008 01:06
It gets worse. Directed by Steve Miner, who was responsible for the first two dreadful sequels to 1980's Friday the 13th (although the MPAA did cut most of the best stuff out of Part 2), as well as the trash House (1986) and the ill-conceived Warlock (1989), not to mention the producer of television’s teen-soap Dawson’s Creek. Partly because it was obviously shot on HD-video, and partly because of Miner’s visual style, the movie looks like television (hardly surprising then that it’s been shunted straight-to-DVD). Hideously garish opening credits pixelate as they move down the screen (cheap opening credit design is always a good sign as to whether a movie will be good or bad).
Mena - what was I thinking?? - Suvari as Sarah
Zack Snyder’s “re-imagining” of Romero’s Dawn of the Dead (1978) managed to balance between creating a viable new interpretation of the original premise whilst adding new flavour and a very particular element of cinematic chutzpah which the original lacked. I actually think Snyder’s version is superior, but I’ll concede I’m probably in the minority with that opinion.
Ving - I'll pretend I wasn't in this! - Rhames as Captain Rhodes
Nick - where's my damn hipflask?! - Cannon as Salazar
Ving Rhames was in the remake of Dawn of the Dead also, and it’s blatantly obvious the producers have used him to confuse less-savvy audiences into thinking this is a direct sequel. He has second top-billing but has about fifteen minutes screen time tops. The only choice moment he has is when he eats his own eyeball then scurries after Sarah on half-devoured legs.
AnnaLyne - I knew my extensive weapons training would come in handy! - McCord as teenager Nina
Stark Sands - yup that's my name! - as Bud
The survivors (my sincerest apologies if I’m spoiling the plot for you) Sarah, her brother Trevor (Michael Welch), his girlfriend Nina (AnnaLyne McCord, the movie’s token eye-candy), and the very annoying Salazar, eventually get the hell out of dodge and end up in a military bunker, but not before stocking up at the local gun store where they conveniently find automatic and semi-automatic weapons. Trevor and Nina immediately know how to handle their hardware, gee, how damn convenient is that? Yup, this movie is real stupid, but in that frustratingly arrogant way.
A miscellaneous zombie displays her contempt
Jeffrey Reddick’s pitiful screenplay steals more from 28 Weeks Later than Romero’s Day of the Dead. Of course 28 Weeks Later eats this corpulent piece of rotten flesh for breakfast. If you’re a zombie purist (if there is such a thing) then avoid this like the plague.
Exactly what I felt like doing after this putrid excuse of a movie
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Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
I have no interest in seeing this... they somehow managed to cut out all the interesting parts of Romero's Day. The dread, the feeling of hopelessness, the claustrophobia. The antagonism between the military and the scientists!
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
That last poster has already put me off.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
JD ... some things we'll never know.
Comment by XlupoldX
It was just awful, there weren't any redeeming features to this piece of artistically bankrupt drivel, no amusing moments of splatter or gore, no characters I had an intense connect or loathing for. . .absolutely nothing. Add a gawdawful racial stereotype to the mix of and insipid script and some of the worst zombie make up design I have ever seen and you have one hell of a bloated and reeking turkey.
The worst thing about the whole experience. . .I am never getting those minutes of my life back. . .and I SO very badly want them back to do something more constructive with my life, like descaling the teapot or repeatedly poking myself in the eye with a dull pencil. . .it’s a sickness I tell you, a sickness.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile