Diary of the Dead- The Review

OK, finally saw it, it was limited release, but saw it, South Beach Regal Cinema (another story entirely).

After a devastatingly lackluster big budget zombie film (Land of the Dead), Romero returns to his roots, DAY ONE of the zombie crisis, the same day, and the same feel as the now revered Night of the Living Dead. Cast with a group of unknowns, you get the same feel, that ANYTHING could happen, and EVERYONE is expendable. A total reboot of the franchise. I make no assertions otherwise, I think no one does the zombie as social relevance genre better that George A. Romero, so, here is my spoiler free review.

This is a stark, dark. film. Easily the most uncomfortable of all of the "Dead" films. This films follows a group of film students, while shooting a night scene in a remote area (with the caricature British professor) on day one of the zombie crisis. With usual, wide eyed student zeal, the decision is made to film the downfall of humanity. The legend of the zombie crisis now has the added textures of Youtube, Myspace and the whole "Instant Access" media. From across the world, information, fear and horror are dispersed in a nanosecond. And when instant access crumbles, so does this new society.

As usual, Romero spends much, much more time exploring humanity, it's faults and whether humanity is worthy of salvation to begin with, over the rambling dead. After watching the film, it is difficult to remember much about the zombies, but the crass, self serving, last denizens of humanity are fresh in my mind.

The "Blair Witch", "Cloverfield", style of handheld photography, although in perfect context of the film, does wear on the eyes early and often. And that is the only negative thing I will say about the film.

This film gets a "must see" for all Romero films, and a "recommend" to others, only after seeing the original "Night of the Living Dead" and "Dawn of the Dead" (originals only, not the remakes).

Romero, the master of keeping you afraid for your life, and questioning whether you, in fact, deserve that life, does it again. I'm hopeful this film spawns another (just like the living dead).