Thursday, August 17, 2006

C'mon ... look alive out there!: "Land of the Dead"

When it comes to zombie movies, I try to choose wisely, almost always limiting my viewings to films with "Dead" in the title. It isn't easy.

OK, OK ... if I recall correctly, I've seen "Night of the Living Dead," "Dawn of the Dead" (old and new), "Shaun of the Dead" and "Dead Alive." (The last by Peter Jackson way before he got all Frodo on us, and featuring a priest yelling, "I kick a$$ for the Lord!" and another character uttering, "Your mother at my dog!") All have been good in their own ways, with varying degrees of gore and humor -- a crucial mix when considering the frightening yet hilarious prospect of people walking around after their own funerals.

I've never, however, been hit over the head with zombies as a social cause quite as much as with "Land of the Dead." For all its unevenness and misfires, the movie deserves credit just for giving this a shot. Leave to Mr. Zombie himself to lead the way. No, not that singer-turned-wannabe-director Rob. I'm talking about the dark master, George A. Romero -- the man who truly launched the genre with "Night of the Living Dead."

While the remake of "Dawn of Dead," which came out a year earlier, was more action-packed, "Land of the Dead" focuses on the evolution of zombies from mindless monsters to an organized group. As they assault a guarded city -- slowly ... they're dead, after all -- the zombies serve as an example of the lowest possible socioeconomic class, and living proof (pun intended) that the meek shall inherit the earth. Even if the meek have a taste for human flesh.

It's a little trippy, I admit, but if you're worried that this movie is some big lecture, never fear. We get all sorts of zombies killing and being killed. For every shot to a zombie head, a living human is attacked and nibbled to death ... before coming back to life and joining the other team. It gets pretty gory, as you might expect from Romero, but some of the blood and guts also is funny. You know, if you like that sort of thing.

Billed as Romero's "Ultimate Zombie Masterpiece," "Land of the Dead" isn't that good. I'm not sure I'd call it "good," period. But it was entertaining. The performances? Eh, whatever. Our hero is Simon Baker from TV's "The Guardian," and he's no fun. Our villains -- aside from the flesh-eaters -- include Dennis Hopper as an oft-offended rich man and John Leguizamo as his lackey. Beyond that, it's mostly no names serviceable in their roles as sidekicks, babes and prey.

Like I said, nothing Oscar- or even Golden Globe-worthy here, but not bad for late-night HBO viewing. I mean, really, is there any way a zombie movie can't be silly? We're not talking about serial killers or child molesters here. This stuff isn't going to happen, and that fact makes it hard for me to be "terrified." Now, Dennis Hopper being portrayed as a pillar of the community ... that's scary.

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