Survival of the Dead is George Romero, and He Can Do No Wrong
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Unfortunately for Survival of the Dead Romero’s special effects crew can do wrong, and the effects in this film could have used Tom Savini at the helm.
Written by The Zombie Master, Lee Roberts
May 31, 2010
Release: April 30, 2010 (U.S. VoD)
Written & Directed by: George A. Romero
Starring:
Alan Van Sprang as Sarge Crocket
Kenneth Welsh as Patrick O’Flynn
Kathleen Munroe as Janet/Jane O’Flynn
Richard Fitzpatrick as Seamus Muldoon
I am a firm believer that George A. Romero can do no wrong and that the only thing better than a zombie movie is a Romero zombie movie. Although Survival had its problems (which will be discussed later), it was still a Romero zombie movie and worth the viewing.
Survival of the Dead starts unlike any other Romero zombie film. He introduces us to someone we already know. Sergeant Crocket (Alan Van Sprang) was first seen in Diary of the Dead when he and his group hold up the documentary filmmakers and took their supplies. Him and his crew continue their form of supply acquisitions here as well.
Then we are introduced to an Irish version of the Hatfield’s and the McCoy’s. Here it is the O’Flynn’s, led by Patrick (Kenneth Welsh) who�believe that the best way to solve the zombie problem
is to make sure they stay dead, and the Muldoon’s, led by Seamus (Richard Fitzpatrick) who believe that they must keep their undead kin around until either a cure is found or they can teach them to feed off of animals instead of humans. The great thing is that the O’Flynn’s and the Muldoon’s live on Plum Island. Yeah, an island. Can you think of an easier place to maintain against zombies? Well, Patrick O’Flynn had the same idea but Seamus Muldoon thought otherwise and kicked Patrick and a hand-full of followers off of the island.
Going back to Sarge and his crew they see a “Captain Courageous” video
online saying that there is a place called Plum Island where the zombie population is “under control”. This is where Sarge and his crew meet up with Patrick O’Flynn and his clan. If you think there is going to be oodles of zombie fun now, wait till they all get to Plum Island.
This is where I will be accused of being a Romero “fanboy”. I said earlier that I believed that Romero can do no wrong and I will stick with that. However, I never said his Special FX department couldn’t. One of the main things that Survival of the Dead could have used was Tom Savini at the�F/X helm. It is my opinion that the CG effects sucked. They looked matted, cartoony and fake. When the effects were non-CG they worked and Savini could have done the CG effects and made them work non-CG.
Survival of the Dead also gives us some new information concerning one of the most frequent questions that I am asked. Here we see the first possible example of someone on the verge of becoming a zombie due to ingestion. I say possible because he is not allowed to complete the metamorphosis.
I may be one of the few to say this but Survival of the Dead worked for me I just felt that it had so much more potential and could have been great. But, as long as Mr. Romero keeps making movies, I will keep watching them. Questions or comments about Survival of the Dead? Discuss it on The Ossuary Forums!
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