I did a would-be review of this film a few weeks ago. From there you can already guess my conclusion for this article. But this is not a review this has absolutely nothing to do with my personal opinion on the merits of this film. This is a case study of “Survival of the Dead”. This is about what this movie has done to the genre. First a small summary of the plot and characters.
4 deserting National Guardsmen encounter a boy who claims safety and happiness are located on Plum Island after viewing a video saying that. The guardsmen soon find that the island is home to two feuding clans who differ on opinion of what should be done about the undead.
The characters and a summary of them are next.
Sarge "Nicotine" Crockett: There is no reason to call him Nicotine, he is referred to as Sarge throughout the entire film. He is the "main" focus of the movie and a dull character. He goes through what is supposed to be character growth, but never changes through the entire film. He acts like a selfish jerk when in reality he is supposed to be a soft hearted respectable character.
Kenny: Because the only character worth a full name is Sarge. Kenny is a kind hearted moron. He dies too fast to show any character growth.
Francisco: who throughout the film is only known as "Cisco" is a walking hard-on put in this movie only for comedic relief and to give the next character a chance at character growth.
Tomboy: The female protagonist. She is only there to keep this film form being nothing but men. We are introduced to her masturbating. Yes, she is masturbating the first time we see her. She only really shows emotion when Cisco is killed, her only motivation till then is to walk around and proclaim I'm a lesbian.
Boy: Yes just boy. He is to signify the thought of innocents even though he is just as unlikable as the rest of the characters. He is suppose to embody the hope of the next generation, and he is a failure at that, showing up only when the plot needs him and even then you will forget he exists the second he leaves the screen.
There are more but they go through no growth and mean absolutely nothing to the plot, except to kill the rest of the characters. No names are needed just the O'Flynns and Muldoons. “George A. Romero” was trying to make a western for this hopefully last chapter of the Dead series. He instead remade the story of the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s, with zombies. We are supposed to choose sides of the feud but both sides accomplish nothing. The O'Flynns want to kill the zombies and the Muldoons say they want to keep them and "fix" them. We don't get to Plum Island until a fourth of the way through the movie. From here we see the Muldoons have lost sight of their goals. Instead killing all the zombies who don't immediately show signs of their former lives and killing all those who come to the island. Including Kenny. While making their way to Plum Island Cisco is bitten and grows worse and worse until being shot.
The movie adds nothing good to the genre, in fact it attempts to break the "rules previously established by the former films. By making the zombies eat animals. The previous films had established that the zombies were only interested in people. There is one moment in the original film that goes against this where a zombie eats a grasshopper but all other films showed clearly that the zombies only wanted humans. Day of the Dead clearly shows zombies walking right past alligators. So this film attempts to go against the "rules" its predecessors set up.
Admittedly the original creator is behind it but I have to look at " The Metroid series" just like "The Dead Series" I feel the creator has lost touch with his own creation. All the previous films were trying to establish something. They had a message that the zombies were metaphorical meaning to other things like consumerism. Mr. Romero works it seems best when a point is attempting to be made, it seems now that he might be just cashing in on the series that rocketed him to fame.
In general I hate to say I wish I had never seen this movie so I could just assume its good, but sadly I bought it and I feel betrayed. If by some chance this reaches your eyes I ask you will all sincerity please don't make any more Dead films Mr. Romero.
This might have seemed like a review but I do not mean it to. This film adds nothing to the genre other than cementing that George A. Romero hasn't made a good film since " Land of the Dead" and that was lacking the punch of the previous films as well.
Also might I add that characters that aren't stupid halfway through the movie shouldn't immediately change and become the stupidest character. Jane O'Flynn is the worst character in any Romero Film.
Showing posts with label Survival of the Dead. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Survival of the Dead. Show all posts
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Survival of the Dead Review/Rant (Thing)
*Note: I really wish I could be clearer but damn it if I am just so disappointed that it’s hard for me to even come up with the words to describe this movie. So much crap.*
I have heard many opinions that "Diary of the Dead" is in fact the worst in the "Dead Series" I am of the opposing opinion. By no means is it the greatest, which in my own opinion goes to "Dawn of the Dead".
Mr. Romero claimed that "Survival of the Dead" was a western and I have to disagree with him. It is not a western it is a retelling of "The Hatfield’s and McCoy’s" renamed to be O’Flynns and Muldoons. Cowboy hats do not a western make.
4 National Guard members go AWOL in an attempt to try not to just survive the outbreak but live. They "Escape" to Plum Island with the hopes of a peaceful life only to find themselves right in the middle of 2 feuding families. The two families have different opinions on how to deal with the living dead. The Guard is forced to choose sides to try and survive for another day.
I have to say after a little bit of watching this movie I am seeing a serious lack of motives. The motives of both clans are made very well known at the beginning. Yet half way through we see that the Muldoons have lost sight of their original goal. Shooting all those who don't immediately show signs of their past life, as the Romero films have shown that the zombies do in fact keep a little bit of their formers selves as shown by "Big Daddy" in "Land of the Dead".
The characters are all shown to be horribly unlikable. All 4 of the guard members have barley any personality Sarge being the only one to show any bit of character growth and even that was weak and obvious. None of the Muldoons of the O’Flynns learn anything or change for the better or worse, except by dying. We see that a character from the beginning of the movie has turned to a zombie and absolutely nothing is mentioned as to why or how. No she's dead...oh and she is O’Flynns daughter. Well off to kill the Muldoons.
A twist that comes later is the fact that there is another sister, not just any sister a twin sister to Jane O’Flynns. Janet O’Flynn. Nothing is told about her, we never see her alive and she is riding a horse the entire time to make it look like she is Jane, who was seen riding the exact same horse earlier. The worst part of this is it comes absolutely out of nowhere, means basically nothing and only really is there to have the ending set up.
Not only are the characters boring and stupid, but absolutely all the former movies are called into question by having the zombies randomly attack animals for food. When the previous films made it clear that the zombies have absolutely no taste for anything other than human.
Quite possible the worst part is when Jane O’Flynn looks at her zombie sister who is staring at her and for absolutely no reason, Jane insists that she remembers her. This leads to the obvious, Jane getting bit. Terrible characters, terribly boring story that makes no sense and the attempted destruction of the former movies.
I have to say this might be the worst of the Dead series. It tries to break the entire mythos set up by all other previous movies. The Only saving grace I can give this movie is the absolute ending. All things leading up to it were pointless but the very end speech and visual is all I can say was good for this one. I love the thought of continuing the Dead series but I have to ask please Mr. Romero, no more. The original trilogy is a masterpiece. Everyone past that is just a step downward until we are already in the grave. I don't want to say it but I think you may have lost touch with the creation, and now it is running amok.
I'm very sad to say that Survival of the Dead is not worth watching. In fact as a zombie fan, don't watch it lest you die a little inside. I feel that this film is a big middle finger to the fans. And I’m sorry I have to say that.
She doesn't know you, she wants to eat you! Stupid fucks.
This movie is spoiled! Spoilers.
After months of procrastination I have finally come into possession of "Survival of the Dead" And I must say it is the most non-Romero film I have ever seen.
![]() |
| Fuck up of the Dead |
I have heard many opinions that "Diary of the Dead" is in fact the worst in the "Dead Series" I am of the opposing opinion. By no means is it the greatest, which in my own opinion goes to "Dawn of the Dead".
Mr. Romero claimed that "Survival of the Dead" was a western and I have to disagree with him. It is not a western it is a retelling of "The Hatfield’s and McCoy’s" renamed to be O’Flynns and Muldoons. Cowboy hats do not a western make.
![]() |
| Gimme Ya'lls brains! |
4 National Guard members go AWOL in an attempt to try not to just survive the outbreak but live. They "Escape" to Plum Island with the hopes of a peaceful life only to find themselves right in the middle of 2 feuding families. The two families have different opinions on how to deal with the living dead. The Guard is forced to choose sides to try and survive for another day.
I have to say after a little bit of watching this movie I am seeing a serious lack of motives. The motives of both clans are made very well known at the beginning. Yet half way through we see that the Muldoons have lost sight of their original goal. Shooting all those who don't immediately show signs of their past life, as the Romero films have shown that the zombies do in fact keep a little bit of their formers selves as shown by "Big Daddy" in "Land of the Dead".
![]() |
| Misses his diving suit. |
The characters are all shown to be horribly unlikable. All 4 of the guard members have barley any personality Sarge being the only one to show any bit of character growth and even that was weak and obvious. None of the Muldoons of the O’Flynns learn anything or change for the better or worse, except by dying. We see that a character from the beginning of the movie has turned to a zombie and absolutely nothing is mentioned as to why or how. No she's dead...oh and she is O’Flynns daughter. Well off to kill the Muldoons.
A twist that comes later is the fact that there is another sister, not just any sister a twin sister to Jane O’Flynns. Janet O’Flynn. Nothing is told about her, we never see her alive and she is riding a horse the entire time to make it look like she is Jane, who was seen riding the exact same horse earlier. The worst part of this is it comes absolutely out of nowhere, means basically nothing and only really is there to have the ending set up.
![]() |
| Fuck Deus Ex Sister! |
Not only are the characters boring and stupid, but absolutely all the former movies are called into question by having the zombies randomly attack animals for food. When the previous films made it clear that the zombies have absolutely no taste for anything other than human.
![]() |
| Zombies don't like Chips. |
Quite possible the worst part is when Jane O’Flynn looks at her zombie sister who is staring at her and for absolutely no reason, Jane insists that she remembers her. This leads to the obvious, Jane getting bit. Terrible characters, terribly boring story that makes no sense and the attempted destruction of the former movies.
I have to say this might be the worst of the Dead series. It tries to break the entire mythos set up by all other previous movies. The Only saving grace I can give this movie is the absolute ending. All things leading up to it were pointless but the very end speech and visual is all I can say was good for this one. I love the thought of continuing the Dead series but I have to ask please Mr. Romero, no more. The original trilogy is a masterpiece. Everyone past that is just a step downward until we are already in the grave. I don't want to say it but I think you may have lost touch with the creation, and now it is running amok.
She doesn't know you, she wants to eat you! Stupid fucks.
![]() |
| I feel like this, rammed up the ass of the fans. |
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