Entre os Vivos

While watching a decidedly low-budget film, I often ask myself why the filmmaker's chose to devote time and money to making it. Was the story so compelling to them that they felt it must be told? Did they believe they'd make a killer sale to Netflix? Or did they receive a government grant that needed to be spent?

It's hard to say what motivated the team behind this film to undertake this talky, static production that barely qualifies as a zombie entry. It features an ineffectual and deceitful sod wandering around the countryside supposedly looking after his sister as he tries to find their father. Along the way they meet some other folks, have long conversations, drink beer - or get smacked about.

You meet a few "infected", but this is mostly a film about hiking and camping, punctuated by gabby intermissions and the main character - the author of his own misfortune - weeping at his self-inflicted fate.

With surprisingly few edits, this could be sold as stock footage of the English countryside.

Ok I gave 9, but it's at least a 7. And here's why...

This movie is NOT AN ACTION HORROR FLICK. It's a REALISTIC approach to sci-fi about zombies. It is actually pretty great and entertaining. Acting is on low-par, but it's believable and reminds me of a documentary (live documented event).

Many different situations, except for one long dragged episode where yeah it could have been done better. But still it's pretty good. This movie focuses on survival in the event and gives a broad perspective over real life situations. And very realistic human interactions and decisions as well.

This movie looks like a fan-fiction of something. But I mean that on the caring spectrum. A thought-out dramatic events and reactions - survival. I wish there was maybe more back story or at least descriptions how the zombies are and their characteristics (virus symptoms) though.

Written and acted as if it is real life. Reminded me of the series Black Summer, which also seemed as if it could be real life.

This movie is NOT a zombie slasher flick and NOT a zombie blood fest!

Acting is perfect.

Writing/script is on point.

Locations are beautiful.

The zombies 'style' is something I have not seen before. From their makeup to their 'thirst' we get to see something new and refreshing.

(Funny, referring to zombies as being new and refreshing)

This is a slow burn, human driven movie. It kept me interested throughout.

I will definitely be watching this a second time. And, I would like to buy it on DVD to add to my Zombie movie/series collection!

Definately worth watching.

#1. In an opening and closing song by The Renaldis "Likes of You". I will look for that band.

I thought it was realistic (except for the zombie/sick/dead bloodhounds choice of look) and realistically showed a dynamic between an older brother and accident prone pubescent sister. The older brother being about as equipped as any average person would be if the world was suddenly askew. The sister acting as most girls that age would also. The same can be said for others they meet. Good folks, bad folks. Just a different sort of horror/drama, not a ton of either. I enjoyed the scenery and the locations and overall thought it was a good effort put forth by all.

I happened to stumble upon the 2022 horror drama "Among the Living" by random blind luck. And with it being a movie that I hadn't already seen, and it sounded like a zombie movie of sorts from the synopsis, of course I had to sit down and watch watch writer and director Rob Worsey had to offer.

"Among the Living" is not an archetypical zombie movie. No, it is more of an infected human type of movie, though there is no explaination given to the infection, the cause of it, or how it started. So in that aspect writer and director Rob Worsey followed the blueprint of most zombie movies.

The storyline in "Among the Living" was adequate. Sure, it was a watchable movie, but the storyline was a little bit too uneventful for my liking. There was a whole lot of just milling about without anything much exciting happening throughout the majority of the movie. And it was a shame, because that approach to the narrative was sort of holding the movie back.

I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble in "Among the Living", but they had gotten a handful of interesting and talented actors and actresses together for the movie. Dean Michael Gregory (playing Harry) and George Newton (playing Karl) really carried the movie quite well with their performances.

Visually then "Among the Living" was okay. It is not a movie that makes use of an excessive amount of blood, visceral gore and mayhem like many other zombie movies. So if you're expecting a zombie movie with special effects rivaling "The Walking Dead", you'll be sorely disappointed. The make-up was adequate for the infected beings that were in the movie, though the black shark-like eyes made no sense. It looked cool, but it made no sense. Nor did the growling sound that no human throat is capable of producing make any sense. Or the fact that the infected could smell blood from a long distance, much akin to the ability of a shark sensing blood in the water.

"Among the Living" made for an adequate, albeit something bland, viewing experience. It definitely had its moments, but the overall impression after having sat through 85 minutes is that of it being a somewhat mediocre movie.

My rating of "Among the Living" lands on a five out of ten stars.