Day of the Dead (remake) (2008) Movie Review, Trailer, Film Still and Poster

U.S. 2008
Director: Steve Miner
Cast: Mena Suvari, Nick Cannon, Ving Rhames, Stark Sands, Matt Rippy
Rating: R
Release Date: April 8th 2008
Running Time: 1 hour 26 minutes

The Movie Review

Day of the Dead film still 1

Zombie movie or zombie game?


DAY of the DEAD (REMAKE)
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Werewolf, Frankenstein, Dracula, Monster and Zombie--to name a few of the horror figures--have gained many fans throughout the decades. From all of those horror figures, there is one that I always consider them to be actually fun. Fun? Yep, the Zombies. At least in my adult life I think they’re fun. Although back at my childhood watching the Night of the Living Dead (1968) is anything but fun. it crept me out, bbrrrr and the sight of those dead bodies always lingers in my mind. Seeing your neighbours walk soullessly seeking for living persons to be munched like cookies?! Freaking great movie by George A. Romero back then.

Zombies are creepy and they're strong but they walk slowly, it means they give you enough time to think and run. Compare to Werewolf that would outrun you and Dracula that would outsmart you. But Zombies have improved, notably after several movies like 28 Days Later, 28 Weeks later and the remake of Dawn of the Dead (that was also originally a movie by Romero in 1978), now Zombies have the ability to move fast! Thus making them more dangerous but also less creepy.

This year, in year 2008, the horror fans have been presented with another remake of Romero's film. This time it's Day of the Dead, which was originally released back in 1985.

Just like other Romero's movies, the explanation for what really turns living people into zombies is not very clear, so is the case in Day of the Dead. Corporal Sarah Cross (Mena Suvari) is assigned under Captain Rhodes (Ving Rhames) to guard Sarah's sh*t hole small hometown where the town is infected by a flu-like virus that turns the inhabitants into zombies. At the same time Sarah's ill mother's condition are getting worse, so she takes her along with her brother Trevor (Michael Welch) to a Hospital. Sarah notices there are uncommonly so many patients in the hospital that share the same symptoms as Sarah's mom. After a horrible incident, they are separated into two parties, Sarah, Bud, Salazar and Dr. Logan while Trevor is with his girlfriend Nina. Both parties are trying to get to safety amidst the outbreak spreading across the the entire town. The plot is basically just that.

Day of the Dead is good but...I was a bit disappointed. Let's start with the cast shall we, their performances are still raw, the frighten expression on their faces still seem fake. And those actors who do perform well seem to be miscasts, not for their ability to act but for their figures and looks. Let's take for an example, Mena Suvari, good actress but her cute presence lessens the horror atmosphere. All that added that some characters are over-developed that it "steals the thunder" from the Zombies. And one of the most ridiculous things is a scene where a Zombie falls in love..., oh my, does that part really have to be inserted?

What about the Zombies, like I've stated earlier, they move so fast, so fast that it's not that scary anymore, you would feel like you're playing in a video game. That's right, the tension is almost exactly the kind of tension that you would get from playing a game. Not those creepy zombies that make you really feel thrilled and chilled. Having fun in seeing zombies doesn't mean that to feel like playing a game, it should be fun in a scary way.

I'm not saying that there isn't any good value from this movie at all, of course there are some positive aspects. This zombie flick do have its moments, at the hospital where everyone looks weird (don't want to say it to spoil it), the gore and munching scenes, and the way the zombies chase our heroes like straight-walking bulldogs. If you have never seen a single zombie movie at all, certainly this horror movie would amaze you and amuse you too. But for those who have seen a couple of them, Day of the Dead would just be good enough to fill up your movie collection, since this is a direct-to-video release.

Day of the Dead with its mediocre quality might force the Dead "back to their graves again".

© iwan pranowo of Movielogy.com