The later part of last decade was when the whole zombie film
thing was really hitting the saturation point.
After the success of “Zombieland” it seemed like everyone was putting
out some kind of zombie movie. It’s only
gotten worse now in the wake of the hit TV show based around the ol’ zombie
apocalypse. Anyways, back in 2009, the
French got in on the action with a rather cookie cutter action packed zombie
bonanza extravaganza, about cops and robbers and, of course, zombies. At best it will play out like if Luc Besson
made a zombie movie, and at worst, it will be exactly what we expect it to be.
[...]
[People at a funeral, ALL INTENSE. Some dude plans on going after the
dudes that killed his… miscellaneous relative / friend (?)… so they go and attack a whole
apartment building.]
Lovelock: Wait, the bad guy gangsters have a whole building?
Starkwell: I guess they’re squatting in an abandoned building.
Lovelock: France
looks like it totally sucks. And not for
the usual reasons.
[...]
So the rag-tag gang charge the group of drug dealers to get
their friend back, and two of them are shot immediately. Wait, I just realized that the rag-tag gang are actually cops. I guess they were going vigilante
style in order to kill the dudes that killed their friend, and and also rescue the
hostage. Too late, the drug lords just
shot the hostage and now the “gang” are all hostages. And the drug lords just killed another one of
them.
[...]
Starkwell: Worst vigilante cops ever.
Lovelock: They should have watched “Death Wish 3” beforehand
to see how this shit is done.
[...]
The action so far has been pretty good, but it moments later EXPLODES into
a frenzy of zombie action
when the recently deaded hostages start eating gangsters, and zombies start charging
the building. The zombies are definitely
more rabid than slow and lumbering, and take a bit from “Demons” to be
completely honest.
[...]
[Weak ass gangster dude jumps on zombie’s back and hits
him.]
Lovelock: Dude hits like my grandmother. They just shot the thing thirty times and
it’s still up and about and he thinks his limp-wristed whacks are going to… ?
[Head Gangster figures out to go head shot styles, with a
shotgun.]
[...]
The cops and the gangsters decide to WORK TOGETHER, to try
to get out of the building. BEST
FRIENDS.
[...]
[Weak Punch Gangster takes down two zombies with his bare
hands.]
Lovelock: Where was that before? I don’t know, movie, you’re being a touch
inconsistent.
[...]
The movie trucks along.
There is a fair amount of action, and the dialogue is alright. The problem?
The characters are ALL scumbags.
Even the cops are shitty cops and shitty people. Hard to have a ton of fun when you’re not
really rooting for anyone.
[...]
Lovelock: So I can root for shitty cops, evil drug dealers
or this crazy racist old man that they just met?
Starkwell: Yeah, I’m actually hating the characters MORE as time is
passing.
Lovelock: I’m starting to dig the chief gangster guy. At least he’s staying cool.
[...]
A few twist and turns later, many more zombie kills and a
bunch of dudes being eaten, head cop finds himself at ground level, standing on a car
surrounded by zombies, spinning around, with guns blazing like he’s in the
Matrix. Then he runs out of bullets and
gets eaten. Which leaves us with Crazy
Old Racist, Head Gangster, and the Girl That Everyone Hates Because She’s A
Mega Bitch.
[...]
Lovelock: Honestly, I really hope no one makes it.
Starkwell: That makes two of us.
[Three, actually.]
[...]
Head Gangster and Bitch make it out alive and BITCH
SHOOTS HIM IN THE HEAD. The end. Roll credits.
It’s the fucking worst. The worst character makes it. The worst.
The French have a lot to answer for with a lot of the zombie oversaturation! First there was that book which inspired the movie They Came Back, and that inspired failed pilot Babylon Fields, then inspired French show The Returned, American show Resurrection, and the NEW Babylon Fields! Jesus! Along with those, there at at least two other zombie TV shows on at the moment! Too many zombies!
ReplyDeleteThey Came Back was alright, intriguing... I'm sure the book is better. Haven't yet watched the French show nor the American version. I know the French one is on Netflix, so it's only a matter of time.
DeleteThere was a French zombie movie from around the same time as this called Mutants that I really really enjoyed. SO, it hasn't been all bad over saturation :)
Yeah, this has got some really unpleasant characters and a bad ending. Spot on review!
ReplyDeleteThanks! It's funny, this was the second time I've watched it, and unlike some movies, this one gets worse with repeat viewings.
DeleteEvery time this title pops up on Netflix, I've passed it by. I guess there's a reason. I'll bet it's still better than Zombie Lake, though.
ReplyDelete