DeathoftheDead

Death of the Dead (2010)

I’m not even sure how to begin explaining the plot of this independent movie, but I’ll give it a shot. See Wanda is a high school girl that is picked on by the popular kids. Her only refuge is the training she gets from her sensei, though he isn’t really a good one. She gets her butt kicked at a competition and runs out of the building. The winning team, lead by the evil sensei, is on their way home when they are exposed to a toxic chemical. This turns them into ninja zombies and everyone they bit into ninja zombies. Wanda runs to her sensei who tells her that he wears a magic belt that gives him all his martial arts powers. She ends up with the belt and then the wackiness ensues. Oh wait never mind it was wacky from the first scene!

If you read many of my reviews you know that I’m a huge supporter of independent cinema. Now that doesn’t mean that I give independent filmmakers a pass, because I don’t. If you movie is poorly written or shot then I’ll let them and you guys know. This means I’ve sat thru many terrible movies and had many angry emails about my subsequent reviews. Sometimes I question why I bother doing that to myself, but then I get to see a flick like Death of the Dead. This is without a doubt my favorite independent movie of the last 2 or 3 years. Hell this might be the best one that I’ve ever seen! Let me explain why.

If you can’t tell from the plot synopsis this movie is meant to be a comedy. I’ve always felt that to make a really funny movie you need even more talent in front of and behind the camera then to make a straight horror movie. I’ve seen some movies that I thought were funny at times and because of that I’ve given them decent reviews. But Death of the Dead hits you with one really funny joke or visual gag after another from the opening scene to the final credits. It isn’t often that I’ll watch a movie that has such clever dialogue and one that also contains some funny physical comedy as well. You have characters questioning Wanda’s one-liners and referencing other movies that genre fans will recognize. Then you will get amusing gags like the balls as weapons and a running joke with obvious doubles for the sensei (they really play this one up and it works). They even break the fourth wall and talk straight to the audience to point out an overused plot device that they also take advantage of. Damn they even have the boom mic operator involved in some really hilarious stuff too.

But as much as I enjoy the writing it wouldn’t go far without a cast that can make it work onscreen. I’ve never seen or head of any of the actors that are in this movie before, but they all do a great job. This is especially so of Christina Rose who plays Wanda. Not only does she do a great job delivering some funny dialogue, but also she is perfect when it is time for her to play straight for the other jokes. The fact that she does this so effortlessly is what really impressed me. While I’m not going to recognize them by name the rest of the cast is just as good.

A few other things that I wanted to talk about. There is some CGI used for the special effects. But since Death of the Dead is being played for comedy that doesn’t really bother me. In fact some of the cheesiness brought by bad effects only makes the movie funnier, which is a good thing. The practical makeup is limited and basic, but it also works. The camerawork and lighting are solid. And while there are a few awkward moments for the most part the fight choreography is great.

Bottom line guys is that there is talent in front of and behind of the camera in this one. I’m not sure of when this will be hitting DVD, but I do recommend that you check it out. Even if you are one of those fans that normally avoids independent movies I would be shocked if you didn’t have fun with Death of the Dead. For more information about the movie check out http://strangestuff.com or look them up on Facebook. Trust me it is worth it.

3 out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer