The Horror Show
Day of The Dead: Bloodline
by Hector Hernandez Vicens
The first zombie film of 2018 that I watched happened to be Day of The Dead: Bloodline. I was sort of stoked for this one since the trailer hinted that this film was a bit closer to the source material than the 2008 Nick Cannon atrocity. Well, not only was I not stoked once I watched it, but I actually wish I could have gone back in time and stopped myself from ever hearing about it.
The plot is simple enough. A zombie outbreak happens so quickly that humans have no fighting chance. Throw an obsessed man who attempts rape into the mix and you’ve got your opening sequence. Flash-forward five years and we discover humanity is down to one bunker with a med student trying to find a cure. A little girl gets sick and med student thinks it’s a wonderful idea to put people at risk and go find supplies at her old hospital. Even though it’s been five years, the zombies haven’t decayed in the slightest. Med student’s attempted rapist is still there wandering the halls and he has somehow retained pieces of his former self. Yes, he’s undead and still obsessed with her. Undead rapist follows her back to the bunker, sneaks in, and comes face to face with med student. She thinks he can be the chance at a cure and so they chain him up and testing begins.
All of this is followed by a bunch of machismo bullshit combined with people making terrible decisions and a messy story that wraps up with a quaint little bow and a beam of sunshine.
With low budget films, you can never expect the acting to be life changing. However, this cast was a mish-mash of half decent actors and what seemed like somebody shrugged and asked extras to fill the roles of the other half. The effects were actually a positive point in this film. Johnathon Schaech was great in his role as rapey zombie and his makeup was on point. Aside from that, I can’t find anything I liked about it.
Nothing, of course, will ever come close to the 1985 classic Day of The Dead, so I wish directors would stop adding that into the title. This film could have simply been called Bloodline because with DOTD added in front of it, I think you’re just setting yourself up for failure. With that being said, though, this film wouldn’t have stood out in a positive light anyway.
I hate to say it, but if someone asked me to recommend this film or the 2008 Nick Cannon film, I’d have to go with Nick on this one. Gasp!
Do yourself a favor and just watch the original Romero film.
Stevie Kopas, HMS
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