Dance of the Dead

I always bite on B-horror films like this (and Black Sheep) and so far, the same results - disappointment. Dance of the Dead has absolutely no suspense whatsoever, and the pacing of the movie, along with comedic timing, is a bit off at all times. Then there's the acting which ranges from acceptable to down-right BAD (I guess that's what you get when you cast real High School-aged actors). All in all, it's no better than a b-film. I wouldn't even rank it a B+. But that's not to say it lacks any redeeming value. The character development is weak, but not non-existent. There's some serious lack of creativity (Power Plant for example) and there are moments of complete cliché (I understand what kind of movie it is but let's face it), but there's also some good gory laughs thrown in during later scenes if you can bare with it a while. The gore is here and there, and the special effects are good enough. My main problem was the amateurish aspects of it. The pacing, the timing, etc. The movie just seemed to skip too quickly without building up scenes or parts of the plot. It does get better as it goes though.

I'm no disgruntled employee, but I do think the movie is way over-hyped. It's by no means anything comparable to the likes of Shaun of the Dead or Evil Dead for that matter, but it does have a few things going for it. Only recommended for zombie fanatics that have an affinity for b-quality films. If you like polished production values, you might want to avoid it. A good test is watching the intro sequence.

My first and obvious reaction when I saw "Dance of the Dead" standing on the shelves of my local video store a couple of years ago was: "Yet another highly acclaimed and supposedly hilarious zombie comedy? I think I'll pass…" Zombie comedies (also referred to as 'zom-coms' or even 'zomedies') exist since many years, as in the 80's and 90's we already had cult classics like "Night of the Creeps", "Return of the Living Dead" and "Braindead", but particularly since 2004 and the release of "Shaun of the Dead" we can speak of a genuine epidemic. A selected few of them actually manage to be original and funny (like "Zombieland", "Dead Snow" and "Fido") but the vast majority of them are just dumb, derivative and downright pathetic. Automatically assuming that "Dance of the Dead" would fit right into the latter category, I always refrained from watching until now I could pick up an ex-rental DVD copy for the bargain price of $1. Now I'm pleased to announce that "Dance of the Dead" is a lot better than I thought it would be, merely because it's a 200% unpretentious, straightforward and rejoicing little flick. Nearly all the characters are stereotypes and the gags/situations are hugely predictable, but at least the movie is never boring and doesn't waste any time on wannabe intellectual dialogs or far-fetched plot twists. The film opens with a quirky cemetery caretaker having enormous difficulties to keep his cadavers underneath the ground. As the camera zooms out, we perceive that the cemetery lies right next to an overactive nuclear power plant; so there's your explanation. In this same sleepy nuclear energy town, the popular kids prepare themselves for the annual high school prom, whereas the outcasts carry on with their Sci-Fi club meetings, rock band activities and pizza deliveries. As the zombies adrift from their regular cemetery boundaries and head towards the prom, it's up to the freaks and geeks to rescue the rest of the school. Personally, I wouldn't refer to "Dance of the Dead" as one of the best zombie comedies ever made, and I would definitely not label it as an instant cult classic, but it's undeniably a fun and unhinged little gem. The clichés and stereotypes are amusingly enlarged and the make-up effects are often gloriously over-the-top. The pacing remains fast throughout the entire running time and the movie doesn't contain any redundant sequences or padding footage whatsoever. The acting performances are more than adequate, as you can clearly tell that everyone truly enjoyed starring in this one. Recommended to watch in group, or on a lazy and rainy Sunday afternoon.

Really zombie movies are such a hit and miss genre that you can't ever honestly watch one with high hopes. Which is why when one turns out to be pretty damn good you are more than pleasantly surprised.

This was just a well put together movie. I thought the direction, script, and acting were all very well executed...especially for a bunch of relative unknowns. It had gore, humor, story...and what I really appreciated was they gave you just enough insight and character build up that when someone did finally kick the bucket...you know who it was and cared. The dialog was also pretty fun to listen to. I'm a fan of horribly foul language...which this movie did not have...but the dialog kept me interested enough that I didn't even notice the lack thereof.

Plot summary. It's prom time in this town, and all the teens are scurrying to find their dates. All teen categories are featured here, there's the nerds (sci-fi club), the misfits, the punk rockers, and the in-crowd (tools). While this minor school drama that everyone can relate to is going on, a menace is looming. The town power plant has been leaking toxic waste into it's surrounding town causing the dead to return to life. While the prom is in full swing, the dead arise and start wreaking havoc. Naturally the first to notice are those who are without dates and it is up to them to not only protect and save themselves...but to save the obvious buffet that is the teen prom.

If you like fun zombie movies, with good lines, and gore...watch it.

A high school prom is disrupted by an influx of zombies with the usual mayhem resulting. The school nerds gather to fight the zombies and save the prom. Sort of a cross between Night of the Living Dead and Revenge of the Nerds, with better jokes.

This small budget horror film has the usual zombies with the usual lurching, slobbering, flesh-eating behavior, and an undercurrent of good humor. Various sub-plots, mostly involving unlikely romances between nerds and cheerleaders, are responsible for most of the jokes. The gore is standard-level horror fare, not especially bloody but with enough dismembered bodies for enthusiasts. If there was any nudity it must have been quick because I didn't see it.

This is an enjoyable horror film to watch with friends, there is enough humor and romance for both genders to enjoy. I'd watch it again.

Definitely worth a look. Good laughs (good cheesy one liners), good horror, good gore. I was pleased to see a lower budget come out high on my list of zombie picks. Zombie films are a hit and a miss. This one with the humor was a hit. More flicks like this need to be made. I don't want to explain the plot except its a Prom Dance with Zombies. How do you survive? From beginning to end the film keeps you involved. There wasn't a dull moment or too heavy of a character build up. It was a film that doesn't go out for shock value yet creating the B style horror. The CGI was fantastic with ample amounts of gore to please any horror fan.