Shaun of the Dead (2004)

When people talk about zombie movies, I generally tune out. Most of these gore flicks are made to shock and glorify death. This one is different.

Shaun sells TVs and plays video games. His best friend lives with him and has generally dampened his social life - check that, his life since high school. When zombies begin spreading their destructive virus throughout London by biting people, Shaun decides that life is worth defending and so are the people he loves.

The film is essentially an allegory on today's entertainment generation and how they are apathetic towards the things that truly matter - including each other.

If you don't mind a bit of over the top gore, this film is a riot to watch while maintaining a genuinely sensitive story.

Official Site | IMDB

The Invasion (2007)

It seems that starting with a classic story, big time actors, and a big budget doesn't necessarily equate a good movie. By trying too hard to earn good ticket sales, the film is hollow; this remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a flop.

An alien virus takes hold in the world, but we get the inside scoop on the center of the universe, Washington D.C. The virus only manifests itself after the carrier sleeps. The infected then show no emotion and join the army of zombies trying to infect the masses by vomiting in their drinks (or faces). The story rides on a series of coincidences and illogical sequences with a perky Nicole Kidman trying too hard to show emotional restraint.

There is a hint of allegory in regards to people being asleep to the realities and horrors of the world because of government control, but it fades pretty quickly behind story repeats that we've seen before in War of the Worlds and 28 Days Later among a multitude of other movies.

Truth: Human nature is to be cruel and at the same time resist cruelty; indifference should not reign.

Official Site | IMDB

I Am Legend (2007)

Another in a rash of apocalyptic films where salvation comes from the United States. Sorry, I'm cynical that way.

Will Smith plays a scientist who is immune to a virus that destroyed the majority of the planet by transforming its victims into nocturnal vampire-zombies. He's alone in New York City - and really this is the strength of the film - where he hunts deer and we see the infrastructure decaying under nature's clutches over the past three years. Much like 28 Days Later we see an empty city and this is very, very cool.

The film makers try to avoid heavy explanation time about what has happened to all the people by dropping hints with newspaper clippings all over Smith's flat. But in the end, they cannot resist and we get a run down of events.

I didn't particularly enjoy the film for it's super hero nature and the comic book nature of the villains. I Am Legend fails where 28 Days Later succeeds. We dwell on cool stuff like the solitude in the city far more than cultivating the protagonist's struggle - and maybe this is because there aren't many turns in the story to begin with.

Official Site | IMDB

28 Weeks Later (2007)

As much as I hoped this would be a killer sequel, it wasn't. I really enjoyed the drama and layered themes of 28 Days Later, this one just recycled the same themes and dumbed down the story.

There were some parts that had me excited. The opening sequence was excellent and had me sold. Sadly, a great set-up and exhilarating chase scene turned sour. It seems the filmmakers wanted to go big and push the story to the outer reaches of unbelief. It's too bad because they missed some great chances to portray redemption and fear - instead it was cheap revenge and terror.

I must say too that the amazing were the 3 second sequence shots of an abandoned London. I remember reading about how they had to shoot the first movie and got permission to block streets for 15 seconds or so to shoot fast and get out; no second takes allowed. Part 2 milked the stunning images of an abandoned London and took it off the street level and we get shot after aerial shot of motionless streets with crooked cars dotting the pavement. After awhile, it became a bit over the top.

There were so many things that disappointed in this film. The shameless carrier/DNA plotline was so weak. The fact that the zombies could so easily track down the runners. The American presence in the film just to make it more appealing to a wider viewing audience. Even the strategies to resettle London rather than a more agrarian part of England or not resettle at all were just over-the-top terrible.

Finally, the Jurassic Park ending was brutal.

IMDB