Land of the Dead Review

Written by: Chad Langen   

I was more excited to see Land of the Dead than I've ever been to see a film.  Every film George Romero has released has become a classic and I could expect nothing less from Land of the Dead.  Unfortunately after finally viewing the film all I can say is that Land of the Dead is just 'okay'.  It's your average run, chase, shoot, and kills zombie flick that lacks several of the same elements that made films like Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead good.

The film opens with a couple of individuals moderating the zombie's behavior. It doesn't take them long to realize that the zombies are acting unusually strange.  Instead of roaming the streets in pure stupidity, they appear to be trying to act human. Also they have somehow figured out how to communicate which comes as a threat to the humans. They quickly race back to one of the last surviving cities to inform their fellow mates of what they have just seen. This is where the story begins to lose interest. For almost thirty minutes we see nothing but people moping about how they have to live on the streets instead of a hotel. The film begins to gain interest toward the end when the zombies figure out a way in the guarded city and begin brutally killing the inhabitants.  Just when we think the film is getting good it is over just as soon as it started. We are then given a crummy resolution that is almost an exact replica of Dawn of the Dead's resolution. At least Romero was copying his own work.

I can't say that I didn't enjoy myself as Land of the Dead is an awesome film experience, yet somehow I never had the feeling that I get after seeing both Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead. There was something vital missing and I couldn't figure out what it was.

Romero does an excellent job with the direction. There is a scene in which the zombies arise from the water that will forever be in my mind. Also I loved the fact that the man takes risk. This is easily one of the goriest flicks I've seen. I mean, I've seen a load of gross out flicks, but this one was extremely realistic in my opinion. Way to go Romero!

I guess the biggest problem with Land of the Dead is the story. The story was in no way terrible, it was just too similar to those such as Resident Evil: Apocalypse and 28 Days Later. If neither of those films existed, then yes, Land of the Dead would have definitely had a better outcome. It was extremely awesome to see Romero back in the business. I know the man hasn't worked on a film of his own in twenty years, however, I believe twenty years is more than enough time to develop a decent and original story.

Land of the Dead is an average film that'll definitely be loved by zombie fanatics, and if you shake off the fact that you've already seen something similar story wise, you can easily find a way to enjoy yourself.  Whether you see it in theaters or on DVD, I recommend this film to anyone who is a pure horror fan.