This self-aware latest entry into Romero’s unequaled undead oeuvre has high energy and typically disgusting gory gags from special effects makeup wizard Gregory Nicotero, plus a healthy sense of humor and an appealing low budget vibe. Fans of the director’s shambling masses of flesh-eaters should be greatly amused – I certainly was.
But just as Romero’s student-filmmaker protagonists are toiling away on a mummy film with an underlying social conscience, so Romero has infused Diary of the Dead with a lot of criticism for our media-saturated society. These concerns sometimes threaten to overwhelm the picture, particularly in the case of some obvious and unnecessary voice-over narration. Nevertheless, Romero does a memorable job of demonstrating how the influx of instant communication in recent decades is seemingly more liable to create panic than curb it.
by Victoria Large | Source: Weinstein Company DVD
08 Jun 2008 2:07 PM | Comments (1)
The amount of venom that’s been thrown at this movie has been surprising. I found it to be far better than Land of the Dead and light years ahead of the remake of Dawn of the Dead, both of which were almost universally praised. The two most common criticisms seem to be that it’s not realistic enough and that Romero’s social commentary is too obvious. These complaints would be easier to swallow if it wasn’t for the fact that the original Dawn of the Dead is constantly praised for its unrealistic comic book atmosphere and obvious social commentary. It’s a sad day when such an enjoyable and well-made movie like this is dismissed in favor of Planet Terror and 28 Weeks Later.
Craig D.
23 December 2008
7:39 PM