The Zombie Diaries (2006)

Tuesday, 25 November 2008 00:00

DVDs - Reviews

Reviewed by Carol Sullivan

Genre: Horror
Release Date: November 18, 2008
Rating: R for violence/gore, language and some nudity

Directors: Kevin Gates, Michael Bartlett
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DVD Features
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Commentary with the Filmmakers
Commentary with the Cast
Until The Last Light Goes Out: The Making of Zombie Diaries
12 Deleted Scenes
Theatrical Trailer

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Like many of you, I am always waiting to see to what extreme filmmakers will go to for the next shocking zombie movie. Some have gone the comedy route, with great success. The Zombie Diaries is not one of these movies; it is definitely a film that breaks the mold of the classic zombie movie. The direction that this one takes is harsh and disturbing; but as it's wrapped in a documentary-style film, you don't see it coming...

The movie begins in the bustling city of London. Rumors abound of a strange flu-like virus spreading across Asia and other countries. Officials and newscasters soon report that hospitals are filling-up in Europe with the infected.

We then join a documentary team as they navigate the clogged city streets; headed for a rural poultry farm to begin their interviews with the locals.

(When they arrive at the poultry farm, I had to giggle; it's the same farm they used in the film "The Substitute".)

Anyway, when no one answers the farm-house door, the team heads inside, only to find that the farm-owners have turned into zombies. When the film team flees towards the woods, they soon realize that the un-dead are everywhere. We wonder how they can possible survive the night as we are then taken to another pack of friends; also filming their experiences with the un-dead.

This scenario of home movies continues; covering 3 different groups of people. Wandering the country-side, looking for other survivors, they eventually run into each other. We soon see that the zombie infestation is not the worst of their problems; Believe it, or not, their are two unbalanced men in one group that are doing the unthinkable to survivors and un-dead alike. These two sociopaths will rape, torture and kill the zombies, as well as their fellow survivors.

Now, this may sound horrendous, but fortunately most of that violence is intimated rather than shown. Thank goodness, right?

But, The Zombie Diaries, as a whole, was surprisingly boring to watch. It views like a bad home movie; extremely shaky and dizzying, but the zombies aren't even scary. We discover that the un-dead are incredibly slow moving and even the characters aren't running and screaming after a while; just calmly shooting them in the head and then lighting a cigarette.

While I watched the movie, I did get the distinct feeling that the filmmakers had tapped into movies like Cloverfield, The Blair Witch Project and Diary of the Dead. Some have said that this film was even better than 28 Days Later. I totally disagree.

While interesting, The Zombie Diaries left a lot to be desired; the foremost thing being some good scares. The music sets up, and thus ruins, any possibility of fright and surprise. Though the filmmakers took the story in a new direction, the rest of the film was disappointing.

Recommended as a rental...

Overall Rating: 2

VIDEO | Official Trailer

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