BrainDead

Brain Dead (2007)

This movie from director Kevin Tenney is one that I’ve been hearing about for a while but had never had the chance to check out. The story here revolves around a group of people that end up in an isolated cabin. Outside are the reanimated corpses of earlier victims of an alien invasion of sorts. As the movie opens we see an asteroid streak from space and clobber a fisherman in the noggin, with him reanimating and munching on his friend. See the aliens invade a living person and feed on their brain until they are ready to reproduce with the new alien moving onto a new host. Basically this is an excuse for lots of gooey mayhem and quite a bit of nudity from the female cast members. Can’t complain about that can you?

There have been a lot of movies lately that are trying to capture that ‘80s horror film vibe. Most of them have failed to pull it off. Here we have a director who made some great ‘80s horror in Tenney coming back and making a movie that feels like it could have been right out of that decade. The story is familiar, but really entertaining. This movie seems to know what it is and what the audience wants. You don’t get more then 10 minutes in before you have already seen some good gore and the first set of “twins”. Yeah that is right I’m going to be that sophomoric when describing the assets of the ladies in this movie. Not because I’m a creep or anything, but you know it fits the spirit of the movie… Okay I’m a creep! But really this is the kind of movie that just puts a smile on my face. And it just isn’t the nostalgia for the gore and nudity. The movie is written very well and has some great characters and dialogue in it. The minister character had me cracking up and the comic relief is actually funny! I won’t ruin things by repeating the best lines, but trust me you will be laughing.

So lets talk about the special effects. Now be warned there are some CGI shots that look pretty bad. The opening with the traveling thru space isn’t very good. But luckily most of the movie is done with old school practical effects. You have eye gouging, head splitting, face smashing, and by god an old school torso being blasted in ½! There is also a bit with latex involving a “Trojan” horse bit that well you really just have to see to believe. Even the old jaded horror fan that is yours truly was sitting on my couch saying out loud, “Hell no they wouldn’t dare… Yep they did it!” All in all I haven’t had this much fun with the effects in a newer movie in a long time. I would be shocked if the gore hounds are disappointed in this one.

Brain Dead is available to purchase on October 5th, 2010 and you guys really need to go get yourself a copy. I hardly ever say this, but this is a must own for genre fans. Plus we really need to support a filmmaker like Kevin Tenney, who is making the kinds of movies that most of us dig. I highly recommend this goofy romp of a horror flick.

3 ½ out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer