Survival of the Dead (2009)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

George A. Romero

Writer (WGA):

George A. Romero (written by)

Release Date:

2009 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

On an island off the coast of North America, local residents simultaneously fight a zombie epidemic while hoping for a cure to return their un-dead relatives back to their human state. |

Plot Keywords:

Zombie | Apocalypse | Sixth Part | Sequel To Cult Favorite | Violence

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Devon Bostick
Athena Karkanis	...	Tomboy
Julian Richings	...	James O'Flynn
Kathleen Munroe	...	Janet / Jane O'Flynn
Kenneth Welsh	...	Patrick O'Flynn
Joris Jarsky	...	Chuck
Alan Van Sprang	...	'Nicotine' Crocket
Richard Fitzpatrick	...	Seamus Muldoon
Wayne Robson	...	Tawdry O'Flynn
George Stroumboulopoulos	...	Talk Show Host
Stefano DiMatteo	...	Francisco (as Stefano Colacitti)
Heather Allin	...	Sally Muldoon
Matt Birman	...	Lem Muldoon
Michael Rhoades	...	Good Old Boy #2
Jerry Schaefer	...	Zombie #2
Zeljko Kecojevic	...	Zombie #5
Pete Zedlacher	...	Talk Show Stooge
Wayne Curnew	...	Muldoon Zombie Hunter
Eric Woolfe	...	Kenny
Philippa Domville	...	Beth Muldoon
Craig Dawson	...	Police Officer Zombie
Salar Madadi	...	Construction Worker Zombie
Mitch Risman	...	Drooling Zombie

Also Known As:

...of the Dead (Canada: English title) (working title) (USA) (working title)
George A. Romero's Survival of the Dead (Canada: English title) (complete title)
Untitled George A. Romero's Diary of the Dead Sequel (USA) (working title)
Untitled Romero Project (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Filming Locations:

Port Dover, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Blank of the Dead Productions

Trivia:

This marks 'George A. Romero''s second time using the SCOPE format (2.35:1, 2.39:1, 2.4:1) for his Living Dead films. The first time was Land of the Dead (2005). The other Dead films were either shot in 1.33:1 (Night of the Living Dead (1968)) or 1.85:1 (Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Day of the Dead (1985)).

Movie Connections:

Follows Dawn of the Dead (1978)

A little less conversation, a little more action...

Set within the first 6 weeks of the outbreak, "Survival of the Dead" follows 3 different groups of people: A troupe of rogue army soldiers who will do whatever it takes to survive, the logical yet heartless O'Flynn family, and the hopelessly delusional Muldoon family, each of whom are trying to accomplish a different means of coping with the newly awoken zombie outbreak on the small island of Plum in which they call home.

Romero's "Survival" works on many levels but also falls short on some of the very aspects that made his first 4 Living Dead films so great.

What worked was Romero's apocalyptic edge, the lingering feeling of utter doom and the unknown in which has run throughout his entire series. Whether or not it was intended, the films subject matter can easily mirror many of today's social conflicts such as the oil war in Iraq, the genocide's in Rwanda and Darfur, health reform in America or for that matter the differentiating opinions of politicians and their followers anywhere around the world. The film was able to evoke some thought but still managed to have a gory good time like his previous "Dead" films and NEVER held a dull moment. Romero even brings a few surprises to the table for his traditionalist zombie fans – those of you hardcore zombie enthusiasts will know what I'm speaking of when you see these curious... little... curveballs.

Where it fell short unfortunately was in the character department. Unlike many of his other films, the characters in "Survival" come off feeling two-dimensional and boring. As a viewer I was unable to feel any sympathy or remorse for even the more important characters throughout the film. Essentially, what it lacked in dialogue or story it made up for in action sequences and its many Western inspired shootouts. In addition, it also featured a little more computer generated gore than his previous films. I recall in "Land" how some of the prosthetic gore effects were augmented with, but not fully comprised of CG and that seemed to work fine but in "Survival" there were times where a nice prosthetic head (a la Scanners) would have brought a lot more substance to the table than an animated one.

So, all in all, it was a gory good time even despite its shortcomings and I would definitely recommend checking it out, especially if you're a fan of the genre this legend created.