![The Dead 2]()
Starring Joseph Millson, Meenu Mishra, Anand Krishna Hoyal
Directed by Howard J. Ford and Jonathan Ford
Distributed by Anchor Bay
In my “Z Nation” preview I postulated that it is difficult to innovate the zombie portion of a zombie movie since the physical constraints really inhibit the creativity. Zombies have to be physically human, yet function as a force of nature, and as such don’t really exist as characters. As a result, most zombie films have decided to leave their mark not by interesting use of zombies, but rather by using the character drama to propose interesting and difficult moral dilemmas. While films like Day of the Dead show that we can buck this trend, zombie movies are for the most part survival narratives with more headshots.
While the Ford brothers’ The Dead 2 certainly doesn’t break the mold, it bends it enough that it piqued my interest. Instead of some distant and external threat, dealt with only when food, water, or plot are scarce, the undead in The Dead 2 are unforgettably ever present. Almost every shot and scene contains the undead in some way, and even when not a present threat, they serve as a constant reminder of the threat of being eaten alive. Typical car rides are backdropped with zombies in the countryside, and every pit stop becomes a ticking clock counting down to the inevitable zombie swarm.
Even in scenes where the primary threats are non-undead (e.g., thirst or starvation), the zombies are still in the background, shambling away, unrelenting. It is this level of oppressive omnipresence that gives the zombies real weight. In their own right they almost become a character, as unforgiving and determined as any slasher film predator.
As you may have deduced from the film’s earlier title, The Dead 2: India, it takes place in India. I really cannot think of a better setting for a zombie movie and am frankly surprised more titles don’t take advantage of its packed slums and staggering income inequality. The movie does an excellent job of combining India’s dense population and vast countryside into a truly unique obstacle. The establishing shots of main character Nicholas (Joseph Millson) repairing a giant windmill while rappelling from the side is truly breathtaking and visually sets the stage for the massive journey that lies between him and saving the woman carrying his child. Little touches throughout give the film a distinctly foreign personality. Crammed buses stuffed with luggage and garb varying from traditional to modern are just two examples of the many little details that make the film seem real.
It is here, however, that my praise stops, as the rest of the film is just okay. The only glaringly bad part is the foreign actors, but seeing as how this is the first film any of them have been in, I can overlook their quality for the level of authenticity they bring to the production. The Dead 2 also has a bad habit of explaining key plot points out of fear that you might have forgotten them. The ending is a pretty glaring example, but there is also a conspicuous scene where Nicholas remembers his companion Javed (Anand Krishna Goyal) telling him about his favorite fruit to forage. It was bizarrely out of place as it wasn’t but maybe 30 minutes prior that they had found and eaten the fruit. This wasn’t just random fruit either; it was from some prickly ass crazy spike tree with strange hairy mini-coconuts. Don’t worry, Ford brothers; I’ll remember the murderfruit tree. You don’t have to remind me.
Another issue is that the movie isn’t quite sure how to put the character in real danger. It is worth clarifying at this point that the zombies are slow zombies, and their strength is about equal to a WWE superstar’s first pin: Their grab looks intense, but you will surely get out of it before the three count. The methods Nicholas uses to get out of hairy situations range from strapping on an industrial fan and parasailing away to just shooting his way out.
At first the zombies, unending and unrelenting as they are, seem tense and frightening. However, despite complaining that his ammo is running low, the main character never runs out of bullets and seems to only grow more confident about his supply as the movie goes on. At one point he drops a revolver, which the camera focuses on, and I assumed the hero was now unarmed. Lo and behold, he pulls out a new gun from his pocket and begins firing away. Well, what the hell was the point of him dropping the first one, guys? Did you want to switch guns and come up with a realistic explanation of why he doesn’t arm his eight-year-old companion? I think I could have come up with one or two reasons not to give an eight-year-old a gun, Ford brothers.
As far as the plot is concerned, it’s fine. Far too much of the movie is spent traveling from point A to point B, but it gives you some time to soak in the scenery and learn a little bit more about the characters. There’s some mysticism, but it’s irrelevant. It’s a zombie movie, and people fight zombies and feel bad about doing bad things. Questions are raised as to what humanity has done to deserve this, and answers are proposed regarding karmic imbalance and sins of man. Standard religious zombie questions with some Indian flair. The film does weigh in interestingly on the Indian family structure, but it’s all so isolated from the main plot that it comes off as derivative.
In the director interview found on the disc’s bonus features, a mister William Chainsaw interviews the Ford brothers about a variety of topics. When the questions are good, they pertain to the movie. This is not always the case, though, as sometimes Mr. Chainsaw’s questions are based on the last word that came out of a Ford brother’s mouth.
To demonstrate, early in the interview Will Chainsaw asks the brothers why they chose India. After a complex answer about the setting being perfect for its beauty, geography, and population, they end by stating that they were also drawn to the rich and spiritual culture. To this, Willy Chainsaw asks if the Ford brothers themselves are spiritual. They seem taken aback by this question, as while it is technically relevant by word association, it has nothing to do with either the movie or what they were just talking about. Overall you can get some good stuff out of the interview, but it is very long and padded with some unnecessary montages that make it not really worth checking out.
Also included are several deleted scenes for those of you who are curious about what didn’t make the cut.
If I were to stack up all the things I liked about The Dead 2 against all the things I didn’t like, the pile of dislikes would be higher. However, what I did like about The Dead 2, namely the use of setting and zombies, I liked so much that it easily outweighs the bad. It is a great watch for any zombie fan, but I really doubt it will drop any jaws. I’d recommend it to any true blue zombie/horror fan without hesitation, but it doesn’t break that barrier into mainstream enjoyment the way Dawn of the Dead or 28 Days Later did.
Special Features
- Filmmaker Interview
- Deleted Scenes
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