Dead & Deader

I caught the start of this on the Sci-fi channel a while back but I fell asleep before the end (not a testimony to how bad it was or anything, it was on at 3am). Much to my delight I found it for £3 online so I happily added it to my zombie collection.

The story revolves around Dean Cain who is dead, a zombie but not quite the evil kind unless he gets hungry (good idea to carry a bag of steaks around in his presence). He wants to get to the bottom of why he's dead yet alive.

There are some incredibly silly parts including the fact Dean Cain heals instantly every time he is hurt. How would his cells regenerate if he was dead? That and the overacting from his sidekick who steal's Will Smith's number one catchphrase.

If you're expecting a hardcore zombie film you'll be sorely disappointed. If you want a lighthearted look at the living dead with some nice green splatter special effects and Dean Cain flashing his man-boobs then this is exactly what you need.

A slightly above average 6 out of 10.

Well, i have seen better, i have seen worse... but now i just finished looking it and i nearly smiled all the time for the funny gags. If you liked the humor of other films, where they run around in deepest trouble and discuss the quality of other horror films, then it will fit your sense of humor, too. I won't give a plot summary here, for i am German and i hope, you forgive all faults that might appear. Back to topic: this film is for a TV-Production well done and if you are not the one, who aspects million dollars special-effects, but some that are compared to other zombie films very well done, it will be fun to you. Like i just wrote i just finished the film and during writing this i smile all the time for the gags that pass my mind. Well, like everything, it is a matter of taste *ggg*.....

Dead and Deader is about some insects that infect humans who then become flesh eating zombies. The star is infected, but cuts the insect out before it can fully infect him and helps the living get ride of the infected. I expected the film to be a real bomb, but it wasn't too bad for a cheap TV movie. Not too dark and not too gory as a small group of heroes take on the zombies and the don't ask don't tell military to save the world. Flakey fight scenes and poor fight camera work just make you dizzy watching it. I think I can attribute the film's appeal to the seasoned actors and a lighthearted storyline. It's not too serious and not the best technically, but not a total waste of time.

After dying in Cambodia, a team of soldiers wake up back in America to discover... they're not quite dead. But also, they're not quite alive. Bobby Quint (Dean Cain), the most human of the team, decides to stop the rest of the soldiers before they infect the whole world with their zombie illness.

There should be some discussion about what this film is, and what it isn't. While the film is funny to a point (or at least it doesn't take itself seriously), Fangoria's assertion it's a "zom-edy" like "48 Hours" is overstating this more than just a little. I enjoyed this film, but certainly didn't think it was really laugh-out-loud funny (for that, rent "Shaun of the Dead").

What this isn't is a high budget film with professional quality. It's a made-for-TV film from the Sci Fi channel. However, keeping in mind it's in this category, it's quite good. Unlike "Abominable", this film is decent... and considering it is made by a first time director, I was quite impressed with what they accomplished (calling in an all-star cast and Greg Nicotero for makeup was a good idea).

Also, this probably isn't a film for the general public. They might enjoy it, but I will say this: my number one reason for liking this film (besides the sexy Susan Ward) was the constant barrage of references to other films ("Dawn of the Dead", various James Bond films, "Bullet", etc.). If you're not a film geek, much of the humor will go over your head. The rip on Michael Bay was the bait for me, and the hook came with the lengthy analysis of "Dawn of the Dead" versus the remake (which correctly, in my opinion, pointed out the key differences including the consumerism aspect and Ken Foree's role in both films).

Much of the plot doesn't really make sense if you think about it and plot holes are more common here than one might like (and we are left with questions such as the sexual ability of zombies). But this film isn't here for the plot... it's here for showcasing makeup and was clearly made just to have fun. The makeup, by the way, is great... although some of the props -- such as a fake arm -- were sort of cheesy and filmed from poor angles.

If you're skeptical about this one, don't rent it. But for the right audience I think this film has something to offer. I certainly enjoyed what it was trying to do, even if some things seemed really thrown together hodge-podge (the witty black sidekick, the gratuitous shower scene). And if Sci Fi is showing this, keep your remote control on the coffee table, because this is the best thing you'll get out of them for a while.

This movie was much much better than what I was expecting. The action was exciting, the acting decent, and the writing very funny. It had a ton of "in jokes" for horror movie fans, and movie buffs in general. Although it was mostly a comedy, it wasn't light on horror, action or gore. The main villain was very creepy in a soft-spoken way. Susan Ward's character was awesome! Tough and sexy, yet a movie geek at heart. Where can I find a woman like that? haha The zombies in the film were great! They had the zombie-walk down, but were a bit quicker than the average Romero ghoul. My only complaint is the bitten victims became zombies a little too quickly. The whole scorpion thing was an interesting twist also. All in all, an excellent movie. I can't wait to own it when it comes out on DVD.