RISE OF THE ZOMBIES (2012)

RISE OF THE ZOMBIES (2012)

So basically in this movie zombies have already taken over the planet. A lot of zombie movies start here because 1) they are too lazy to think of an inventive way the disease spread and 2) they are trying to give you the best parts of the action by skipping right to the part where everyone is already jacked up leaving just a few bad decision making jerks to stave off infection. Sadly for this movie what we have is basically what I covered in section 2. To make things a bit more interesting our group of survivors is held up in Alcatraz which to be honest wasn’t all that bad an idea (only the zombies are like all Michael Phelps fans and find a way to get to the island the prison is on anyway).

Things done right. Great cast, decent premise for a zombie flick, and decent special effects. Things done wrong. Everything else. As much as I love Danny Trejo, Reading Rainbow Guy, Ethan Suplee (the dude responsible for the runaway train in UNSTOPPABLE) and French Stewart even they were not enough to rescue this movie from being no better than an after school special about the dangers of zombies in your area.

Some people may think I am being hard on this one, but to give you an idea of how badly I wanted to like it, I rented it from REDBOX and didn’t feel I got the full effect so later watched it on Netflix. That honestly may have only made it worse. 

Zombie movies should do a number of things but more important you have to make the audience feel like things will suck if the main character dies. Like your life will actually be emotionally affected. Then, then you need to make me think that everything is completely hopeless but leave an opening for part II. Perfect example. I cared about the main characters in RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD especially Tina (who thankfully is still alive but took 26 years off before making another movie after being hit by that nuclear bomb.) Also in that movie the whole city was destroyed but the movie left you with the very clear feeling things were not over. The Part II sucked. Wait. What movie am I reviewing now?

Oh yeah RISE OF THE ZOMBIES, I give this one a disappointing 3 out of 7 given it’s stellar casting and the shot it had at doing something great. Rating Definition: - WHAT? This movie wasn't what you expected. You can not decide if it was good or bad but you know there were a few redeemable qualities about it. If you can remember what they were you might be talked into seeing it again.