Phil's Horror Watch, Day 9: Phil sees THE DEAD at the Camera 12-October 9, 2011

Hello again and welcome back to day nine of my horror movie marathon! So for today, there was a new British horror film that opened up this past Friday at the Camera 12 in Downtown San Jose that sounded like a winner to me. The film is called THE DEAD, and I was totally caught off guard by just how original and great the film was! This was a welcomed surprised!!

Theatrical Movie Poster (2011)

American Air Force Engineer Lt. Brian Murphy (Rob Freeman) is the lone survivor of a plane crash that was fleeing the zombie infested land of Africa. Along on his journey of survival, he meets Sergeant Daniel Dembele (Prince David Osei) who is searching for his missing son, which he soon finds out that he is still alive at an army base north of their location. To reach their destination, the two men must travel through the unforgiving African landscape, filled with an army of the dead.

Right off the bat, I want to say that this film is like a breathe of fresh air. One reason being is that it is set in a different location, meaning Africa. Some of the images in the film, like scenes of the African sunset are quite breathtaking, juxtaposing to see several undead zombies walking in front of said sunset brings a level of realism to the film.

Second is the fine acting from both Freeman and Prince Osei. Though they have minimal dialogue, they are realistic enough that we are able to sympathize with them during the course of the film. Third is that the zombie makeup effects were really quite gruesome and real looking. The filmmakers actually used real amputees to portray some of the zombies that were missing limbs. Again, making it even more creepier than the overused CGI effects that take away the believability of any zombie or horror film. There isn't a lot of gore in the film, but when the bloodshed happens, it is a outstanding and gruesome.

Another aspect of the film that I personally enjoyed was that it took the conventions of the zombie genre, and went in a complete 180 degrees, and not once in the film was there wasn't any humor to be found. It stayed serious, grounded in the realm of reality. The film never explained how or how or where did these zombie creatures come from. They're just there, eating every human being they can find. While tranquil and beautiful Africa is portrayed in the film, this magnificent land has a dark side, and will find you and eat you alive!

The film was directed by Howard and Jonathon Ford. These two brothers have clearly demonstrated that they are a force to be reckoned with. With this, just their third film, the Ford brothers have created a film that is a worthy entry to annals of not just the zombie genre, and not just the horror genre, but for the world of cinema. These two deserve a standing ovation!

THE DEAD is the most daring and original zombie film that I have ever seen since George Romeo's 1968 masterpiece NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. Combing simple directing, a great story, and genuine fear, THE DEAD is the best zombie film to come out in a very long time!

THE DEAD is currently playing in select theaters in the country, including at the Camera Cinemas here in the South Bay. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.cameracinemas.com

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!