The Rezort

Zombie films are pretty common place these days with the sub-genre being saturated with entries. So expectations are generally pretty low when a new one comes around the block. This rule of thumb applies to The Rezort. But I have to say that this one keeps things a little more interesting than usual. The set-up about a high-tech resort where adrenaline mad tourists can visit to shoot zombies is a pretty good new angle for the genre; even if it essentially borrows heavily from Michael Crichton penned sci-fi classics Westword (1973) and Jurassic Park (1993), especially when we have the zombies breaking free and causing all manner of horrors on the humans in a very similar way to what the androids and dinosaurs did in those two earlier films. Still, I didn't really mind this derivative aspect very much as at least it seemed – to me at least – to be a new angle for the zombie film.

For those who are interested in the distinction, this is one of the ones which has fast zombies. They bomb about in hot pursuit of the protagonists and you can probably imagine that it ends in tears for almost everyone. There is a little bit of political subtext added to the mix as well with a revelation later in the film involving refugees, which of course taps into a current issue in a zombie tradition that goes all the way back to George A. Romero. But mainly, this is a nicely distinctive new entry into an over-populated sub-genre. All things considered, I thought it was pretty good.

A zombie pandemic that has claimed 2 billion lives is finally over, the remaining undead kept on an island where guests can pay to shoot the carefully restrained reanimated corpses with high-powered firearms. Unfortunately for the resort's latest visitors, the technology designed to keep them safe from harm goes on the blink, allowing the living dead to satisfy their hunger for human flesh once more.

Put simply, The Rezort is Jurassic Park with zombies. But director Steve Barker is no Spielberg, and his modest budget can only stretch so far, which means that the promising premise really isn't given the treatment it deserves. Barker doesn't do a terrible job given the circumstances, I suppose, keeping the pace going at a decent lick, but with limited gore, not enough scares, and a cast whose only 'star' is Dougray Scott (i.e., he's the only one I've heard of), this is ultimately just another in a long line of unexceptional zombie flicks.

After humanity wins a war against zombies, tourists are able to kill zombies for sport at the Rezort.

Director Steve Barker who debuted with Outpost (2008) offers a zombie flick which echoes

Westworld (1973)and Jurassic Park (1993) premise. While Rezort isn't as tight as Outpost, quite choppy in fact the zombie resort idea is a winning formula. Despite some dubious casting and dialogue this modest budget horror has plenty of great zombie action. Its Island setting gives it an throw back feel to Fulci's Zombie (1979) and Fear the Walking Dead (in which Dougray Scott also appeared) rather than Romero's 'of the Dead' films and/or The Walking Dead series.

To writers Paul Gerstenberger's credit there is an interesting novel aspect as guest Melanie, played glowingly by Jessica Elise De Gouw who wants to conquer her psychological issues caused by the zombie war. This take is clearly what brought Barker and Scott's talent to the table. That said, it feel rushed in places especially when the park's security begins to unravel. The on location shoot works in its favour and Gerstenberger comes up trumps with a social commentary of sorts around refugees and class reminiscent of The Dead (2010), The Dead 2 (2013) and WWZ (2013) to name a few.

As forgettable sub characters get picked off one by one Martin McCann is notable as Lewis, but Dougray Scott effortlessly steals any sort of screen presence from the rest of cast excluding De Gouw of course who plays the trouble everyday girl in a horrific situation well. There's no lack of effort in the makeup department either, the effects are finely executed from the most part, rapid head shots, zombie bites, all the zombie staples are there. But technically there's some short comings in the editing and staging notable when the group try to pass through a fence damaged by a jeep it loses its lustre and logic.

With Resident Evil (2002) Hive like rooms and an impending countdown to doom. Its far from a DTV or SYFY film. The issue with Rezort is not that its derivative, it's just not slick enough or able to focus on a potential bleak tone or its unique and interesting aspects making it feel more like the entertaining Cockney Versus Zombies (2012) without the comedy rather than the Day of the Dead it should be.

Still the Michael Crichton themes with robots and dinosaur replaced for zombies makes Rezort worth watching just for the living dead hell of it.

Survivors of a zombie holocaust travel to an expensive island resort, where the last remaining creatures are kept in captivity, but things don't go to plan.

Jurassic Park of the undead. This was a pleasant surprise, since most zombie productions are basement crud while this production is well paced and put together. We're introduced by an after the fact news report, then we get to know the characters before the action kicks in. The zombies are called pacers, but they sure can move, and there are several effective jump scares as they lunge out of nowhere.

The plot makes political points, but more of the earnest type than Romero-style satire, and while the refugee angle turns out interesting you have to wonder why we would have that problem after a big chunk of the population has been wiped out. Turns out movie makers aren't Marxists after all. Duh.

Some of the dialogue is on the nose, and there's a poorly judged sequence as the characters saunter along expositioning to each other just after their deadline for escape has been set. Also, typical of British horror to subject the audience to irritating joke characters. And some "why don't they just close the door?" moments.

Performances are good. Photography good, although the zombies are a bit tame with not enough bizarro images. Editing on the news reports is irritating to begin with, but otherwise fine. Music was lively.

Overall: not perfectly conceived or executed, but good entertainment.

Right, well anything that even remotely reeks of anything zombie, and my interest is caught. And I hadn't even heard of "The Rezort" prior to finding it by sheer luck. I was intrigued by the fancy movie cover, and surprised to realize that it was a zombie movie after having read the synopsis.

I had no expectations to the movie, especially since zombie movies often tend to turn out to be stinkers - no pun intended. However, "The Rezort" was an entertaining movie, albeit it did have its flaws.

The story is set in a post apocalyptic world where zombies have been confined to a remote island where a people pay money to go on a morbid safari, if you will. They are equipped with guns and can shoot zombies on the island. However, due to a security breach, something goes awry with the system and the zombies break free of their containment, chasing after those who where there to put them down.

Right, well the story was original, and it was actually quite entertaining. So a big thumbs up on that part. It was nice to watch something new and refreshing for a change, as zombie movies tend to stick to the traditional Romero-blueprint.

However, the movie wasn't of the biggest of budgets, and that was reflected in the special effects and zombie make-up department. I am not saying that they were B-movie bad, not at all. I am just saying that they could have profited from having better effects and make-up, because some of it was questionable.

Personally I have a hard time with zombies, or infected people, who are agile and running around. It just doesn't sit well with me. So it was a notch downward when they introduced fast, agile and running zombies in "The Rezort".

Honestly, then I don't recall any of the acting performances to stand out. With that being said, I am not saying that people were doing poor jobs. No, what I am saying is that people did good enough jobs, although there just wasn't anyone who was particularly outstanding or memorable.

All in all an entertaining movie, with a nice fresh take on the zombie genre. "The Rezort" is well worth watching, if you haven't already seen it, just as it is a welcomed addition to the movie collection of any zombie aficionado.