Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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32 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Travesty to see one of Romero's classic titles treated in this manner, May 21, 2008
I honestly don't want to waste my time with this but I too have watched this film. I do enjoy George Romero zombie flicks and after watching this I thought this was a joke. More disappointed actually cause all I got was some rookie director coming up with a 'remake' of one of the master's well known title and jacking it all up. A rookie in the sense of trying to capture the dark, gritty, viciousness of the zombie epidemic as envisioned by Romero in his earlier films. Steve Miner has directed episodes of Dawson's Creek, (which explains some of this film's truly boring dialog and Ken and Barbie type characters) and Smallville (which has effectively turned Superman into a soap opera).What Miner has done here is show us that he can capture all of the plot lines, and zombie behavior previously shown in a dozen zombie flicks, put Mena Suvari (of American Beauty) in the lead and make a horrible horror movie.
While this film might appeal to young folks who don't understand the art as developed by Romero, those who do will undoubtedly turn away from this one after the first half hour. It only takes that long to get an idea of the poor characters. Suvari plays an army Corporal (who carries a gun with no bullets. Why even pull it out?) Ving Rhames has a small part, perhaps wise enough to not stick around. Suvari's character is remarkably calm in the face of danger despite her seemingly bad decision making. The rest of the cast are like refugees from a Dawson's Creek episode. Nick Cannon (Mariah Cary's husband) plays the part of the bad a.., machismo Army Private, and while not giving a particularly good performance, due in part to the horrible script, Cannon does manage to bring some charisma and toughness to the character.
The zombies seem to do extraordinary things one moment (like crawl on ceilings and run real fast-like the Dawn of the Dead remake), but when it comes to attacking the lead actors they seem inept. This picture doesn't do any justice to the zombie film genre. It ranks down there with the very low budget. The title was used to possibly draw attention to it's existence, nothing more.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
when is the day finally going to end, July 6, 2008
Just when you thought you seen it all. now lets go down the line. We seen zombies talk on radios(return of the living dead). we seen zombies driving cars and in the same movie we saw a zombified Michael jackson(rotld2) and we saw a zombie fight a shark and win, which was cool by the way(zombie). Now we got zombies sticking to walls and pretending to be the predator, plus going up in flames like they just fought Blade. Well this garbage crosses the line of stupid a bit too far for me. I just can't fathom anybody honestly saying they enjoyed this craptastic pile of driveling nonsense. Lord have mercy the human race never stops surprising me. Ignore the positive reviews, zombies ate they brain.
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26 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Very low quality writing, directing, editing, acting, and SFX artistry. . . but, still watchable, February 18, 2008
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
'Day of the Dead' (2008)
In comparison to the original. . . there is none. No characters are the same. The setting is completely different. The plot is entirely different. The only similarities this film has to the original is a title and a couple character names. Even though Dr. Logan is now a 35 year old hospital physician.
Without comparison. . . the SFX were horrendous. . . decapitation and head explosions looked like something from '96. 1896. Even back then it would've probably been pretty bad. The zombies look like utter morons running around. Their arms flail all over the place (yeah, that makes sense for a dead guy, flailing arms like a chimp). And. . . they can climb on ceilings and walls like Spiderman. Yeah. I kid you not. It looked like something out of Resident Evil or House of the Dead or whatever that one wicked video game is.
The acting is pretty awful. Even from (and especially from) the adorable Mena Suvari. Ving Rhames, the only shining light I had for this movie, is gone within the first 40 or so minutes and ends up playing a mockery of a zombie. Nick Cannon, or *cough* Salazar (trust me, he's no Antone DiLeo), plays an over-the-top moron jerk for most of the film.
As you watch, look closely at the military personnel. And find me one that actually knows how hold a goddamn gun. I mean, yeah, these are National Guardsman, but still. . . they DO see combat, so they should probably learn how to operate their equipment. Also, someone should tell Mena. . . bangs are a big no-no in uniform. The military requires you to clip those back. Especially when they're covering your eyes, you blithering idiot.
As far as actual film-making goes, the writing is stiff and contains a pretty good amount of outward spoken monologues. You know how much I hate that. Remember The Wicker Man remake? That's what I'm talking about. (Girl walking alone in Woods: "It's so over! Huh? What's that?") Seriously. I believe it was Syd Field who said that, in addition to unintentional humour, outward-spoken inner monologue is the biggest mistake a writer can make. Guess what else this film had. The direction and cinematography, too, are fairly bad. Though it might be the fault of the editor, as the cuts are almost unwatchable at times.
I'm writing this review as I watch the last 15 or so minutes. So, correct me if I'm wrong (but, as a Romero fanboy, I don't think I am), but the bunker was a PRETTY important setting in the original right? Well, guess where they've just arrived. Yeah, the military bunker. With 15 minutes left.
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So, the rest of this will be my old 'Credit 2 Credit' review, my thoughts as it happens.
Awesome line: 'Some people have a natural immunity to specific viruses.' Now, can someone please explain to me exactly how one's body would develop a 'natural immunity' to a man-made, unnatural virus? That is just a totally ridiculous statement.
Wow. So much for conservation of ammo. They just put about 200 rounds into this ghoul and it's still standing. That's preservation, folks! Preservation of the dead, that is! Dr. Logan's death was kinda cool. I'll give them that. You knew it was going to happen soon, but that was actually a good way to go. Me likey.
Does anyone else hate slow-motion death scenes? Seriously? They're so melodramatic and remind me of something from a freaking daytime soap. "Sarahhh, runnnn!" Doesn't get much more lame than that, to be honest.
So, this fire plan is okay, I guess. I mean, it does what it's meant to do, but does no one notice the one smallllll problem with it? The fact that they're well below the Earth's surface in a CLOSED nike site? So when large amounts of fire course through the tunnels, I'm pretty sure they'd have a bit of a problem. . . breathing. Suspension of disbelief doesn't extend to lack of oxygen, sorry.
But hey, at least they get to ride home in style. Who wouldn't want to drive away from a zombie invasion in a pimp G Wagon?
Wow. That ending shot. . . is like a less scary, much lamer version of those scary maze games online. Sad.
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Well, it's over. Finally. The film, though terribly made, with almost no cinematic value, including very low quality writing, directing, editing, acting, and SFX artistry. . . was still watchable and held my attention long enough to get me through it. So, for that, 'Day of the Dead' (2008) receives:
4/10
-AP3-
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