ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction
Zombies of Mass Destruction
Starring: Janette Armand, Doug Fahl, Cooper Hopkins, Russell Hodgkinson, Cornelia Moore, James Mesher, Bill Johns, Ali Hamedani, Linda Jensen and Victoria Drake
Director: Kevin Hamedani
Rating: R
DVD Release Date: March 23, 2010
Runtime: 88 minutes
Produced by: ZMD Productions LLC; Lionsgate
ASIN: B00344EAQY
Where to Buy: Amazon and other fine DVD/Horror retailers
Synopsis:
A conservative island community is under attack! Port Gamble, Washington is being overrun with brain eaters, and the people seem powerless to stave them off. A ragtag band of rebels led by Frida, an Iranian college student suspected of being an Iraqi terrorist, and Tom, a gay businessman who has returned to town with his partner to come out to his mother, tries to turn the tide and push the invading hoards of undead back.
Hello Ghouls and Boils,
I have missed you my fiends. I am still overwhelmed with boxes from the move, they just arrived last week. So, it will be a little while before a new review from yours truly is posted. (I just know the book and movie boxes are somewhere around here.) My apologies to Tartarus Press and a few others who have been waiting so long… I have no forgotten about you.
In the interim, I am proud to present a few new reviews from our Minions! Also, expect some news soon - regarding our growing group of ghoulish reviewers!
Today, we present you with a campy flick titled Zombies of Mass Destruction… a little film with good intentions that went horribly wrong. But I will let our minion Lee Clark Zumpe tell you all about it.
Abstrusely,
Sarah L. Covert
Let’s start by remembering that George Romero did something extraordinary in 1968: He delivered a low budget black-and-white horror flick that successfully scared the snot out of a couple of generations – and at the same time, offered subtle, but scathing, social commentary.
The makers of Zombies of Mass Destruction most likely had good intentions. They wanted to make a film that was scary, amusing, and relevant. That’s no simple task.
The setting is a little island community called Port Gamble which seems to boast a predominantly conservative populace. The central players include Frida, an American-born college-age student with Iranian heritage; Tom, a gay businessman who – accompanied by his significant other – returns to town to come out to his mother; and Reverend Haggis, the Bible-thumping leader of the flock who routinely attacks heathens in his sermons.
In the opening sequences, the viewer gets a good grasp of the town’s overt xenophobia. Some of the comic scenes work; some are just uncomfortable. About the time that the humor is wearing thin, the zombies arrive.
These are classic Romero style zombies, all shambling and dim-witted. The zombie connoisseur won’t find anything new here, although some of the close-ups of the feeding frenzy are quite artistic.
It’s a clever setup, really: The film portrays the God-fearing folk of Port Gamble as being beset with three types of “monsters.” To them, the zombies are no more dangerous than the hometown girl of Iranian descent who raises eyebrows and rouses suspicions of terrorism; nor are they more odious than the homosexual couple who end up taking refuge in the church.
Unfortunately, the film lacks subtlety. The punch-lines are predictable and the satire is preachy. As for the horror content – nothing to see here, folks.
Final Thoughts:
Part of the After Dark Horrorfest 8 Films to Die For set from Lionsgate, Zombies of Mass Destruction tries to be one of the bloated-tongue-in-putrefying-cheek variety zombie films. Substandard acting by all but a few of the cast members stifles even the best scenes. There are some funny moments and there are some creative shots. Overall, it’s a disappointment. I give this film 2 out of 5.
Lee Clark Zumpe (Minion/Reviewer)
