It's not just the big budget Hollywood extravaganzas that inspire, but the no budget, amateur efforts as well. SICK AND THE DEAD, which I happened across at a xombiecon this past October, was shot on video and would've benefited a great deal from a) a decent script and b) more judicious editing (the scene where the hero enters the auto repair shop should've been followed by the scene where he wakes in a dumpster, for instance). There are some good performances (the three leads are VERY good and have an on-screen chemistry that's palpable) and a couple of well-executed fx, etc., that make this one worth a look if (like myself) you're a hardcore George Romero fan who just has to see everything with a zombie in it. (And that often means seeing movies that are just this side of Public Access.) Again: these guys aren't seasoned professionals; they're eager amateurs... with lots of guts.
4 Reviews
Entertaining B Movie
brotherorto3 June 2011
Warning: Spoilers
As long as you pick up this movie with the understanding it only cost $20,000 to make, then you'll enjoy the flick. Don't look for new plots or story lines, but it's an entertaining B movie that kind of has the quality feel of Evil Dead I.
It's definitely better than some B-movie zombie features I've seen. The transitions from one scene to the next in the beginning is pretty ingenious. The "hero" is well-defined; you know who he is when you see him by his action scenes and action music.
About the middle of the movie I wondered if there was a plot or if it was just going to be a series of interesting ways to kill zombies, but eventually it went from the slaughter-fest back to the main character.
There were a couple scenes of frontal top nudity of women. Fortunately, there were just a couple scenes. They were unnecessary, a distraction, and seemed to only be in the movie to satisfy the teenage guys watching it. However, once the producers got that out of their systems, the rest of the movie was clean (except for language). This made the movie more enjoyable and one that mixed company can watch without awkwardness.
Right before the credit roll there were two outtakes which added a touch of class and reminded us this was a movie put together by folks like you and me, not a league of Hollywood producers who have a bazillion dollars at their disposal.
The editing could have been tightened up more and there was one scene that I believe was supposed to be at night but it was day, then another scene was dusk and back to day.
Spoiler alert: Towards the end, one of the characters gets shot in the shoulder, but then walks around clutching the center of his chest. If you get shot in the center of your chest, you're not going to be walking around. And, strangely enough, everyone who wasn't a zombie and was killed somehow became the living dead. Even the girl who cut her own wrists.
An entertaining B-movie made by folks like you and me. I bought my disk for a couple bucks. I wouldn't pay any more for it, but I'm glad to have it in my collection of zombie flicks.
It's definitely better than some B-movie zombie features I've seen. The transitions from one scene to the next in the beginning is pretty ingenious. The "hero" is well-defined; you know who he is when you see him by his action scenes and action music.
About the middle of the movie I wondered if there was a plot or if it was just going to be a series of interesting ways to kill zombies, but eventually it went from the slaughter-fest back to the main character.
There were a couple scenes of frontal top nudity of women. Fortunately, there were just a couple scenes. They were unnecessary, a distraction, and seemed to only be in the movie to satisfy the teenage guys watching it. However, once the producers got that out of their systems, the rest of the movie was clean (except for language). This made the movie more enjoyable and one that mixed company can watch without awkwardness.
Right before the credit roll there were two outtakes which added a touch of class and reminded us this was a movie put together by folks like you and me, not a league of Hollywood producers who have a bazillion dollars at their disposal.
The editing could have been tightened up more and there was one scene that I believe was supposed to be at night but it was day, then another scene was dusk and back to day.
Spoiler alert: Towards the end, one of the characters gets shot in the shoulder, but then walks around clutching the center of his chest. If you get shot in the center of your chest, you're not going to be walking around. And, strangely enough, everyone who wasn't a zombie and was killed somehow became the living dead. Even the girl who cut her own wrists.
An entertaining B-movie made by folks like you and me. I bought my disk for a couple bucks. I wouldn't pay any more for it, but I'm glad to have it in my collection of zombie flicks.
Interesting
tommy_sims4 February 2010
I actually enjoyed this. I thought it might have needed a little more editing and some better equipment would have been nice, but come on! It's a Zombie film! A lot of it made me laugh and I thought the make-up was pretty good. I was wondering where it was filmed?
Anyway, it took me a little while to understand who the main characters were. Once I did, I got into the story a little bit better. Might have been nice if the hero had more of a grudge with the psycho.
Online forums have a lot of talk about what to do in the event of zombies and many of them seem to take it very seriously, which is part of what makes it so fun for me. I think they would like this film.
Anyway, it took me a little while to understand who the main characters were. Once I did, I got into the story a little bit better. Might have been nice if the hero had more of a grudge with the psycho.
Online forums have a lot of talk about what to do in the event of zombies and many of them seem to take it very seriously, which is part of what makes it so fun for me. I think they would like this film.
Zombie entertainment on a budget.
mcpierce-126 May 2010
"Sick And The Dead" was. for me, an example of what happens when you combine a love of zombie films with an interest, and some talent, for writing and filming a genre story.
The story was well written and consistent. It starts from the outbreak and drives forward with segue pieces that transition from one tale to the next. Each piece gives either the story of Flynn and the people he meets up with as he moves west, or else gives a glimpse into the life, and death, of a zombie Flynn is forced to dispatch. Which contrasts well with Flynn's desire to not know who it is he's having to put down a second time.
All in all a worthwhile film, one I definitely recommend.
The story was well written and consistent. It starts from the outbreak and drives forward with segue pieces that transition from one tale to the next. Each piece gives either the story of Flynn and the people he meets up with as he moves west, or else gives a glimpse into the life, and death, of a zombie Flynn is forced to dispatch. Which contrasts well with Flynn's desire to not know who it is he's having to put down a second time.
All in all a worthwhile film, one I definitely recommend.
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