Review: Ravage Nation

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2023
Images from the Internet

Ravage Nation (aka Ravage III: Ravage Nation)
Directed by Michael Moutsatsos
Dondi Inferno Productions
87 minutes, 2022

Before I even start, please note that the fact that this is the second chapter in the series should not matter, and I will explain below within the review.

 When idjits refuse to get mass vaxxed, as with the COVID virus, the disease has the chance to mutate. So far, we have been fortunate that until now, the mutations have been slightly lesser in severity. But what if they got worse, instead? That is the premise, in part, of this film.

Jake Scozzaro, Ed Gage

By 2036, most of the population has been wiped out by CV5., Let everyone thank the likes of Trump, DeSantis, Bobert, Greene, etc., for this. According to the text scrawl that opens the film, mothers gave birth to human mutations in the forms of beast-like creatures, which hunted humans. If they bite or even scratch you and you live, you turn into a flesh-eating zombie yourself in a mere 12 seconds. All this info and exposition is presented before the credits (it also appears in the trailer, below).

The mutants tend to be people with either extreme white make-up on, or animal heads (masks), and they go around either capturing and killing humans on their own, or murder them in gangs, often with axes or sledgehammers, for some reason: a pragmatic choice may be that because the mutants wear thick gloves, I am guessing to help with the make-up expenses, rather than having to show the misshapen hands. If this is true, I respect that.

Rather than a narrative storyline, we see vignettes of people being killed, many bound up beforehand. The film is mostly monochrome, usually black and white, and the slaughters in red. These fragments are not exceedingly long, so if you tire easily, a new one is coming up very shortly.

Because Act 1 of this film is episodic, it really does not matter that there were two previous releases. There are very few returning characters, except perhaps one of the main ones from the previous releases, Dean (Jake Scozzaro), who has multiple personality disorder (they are legion, including one from my home town of Brooklyn, NY) – think of Split (2017), without The Beast – perhaps derived from PTSD resulting from the effects of the first two films (which I have not seen), after what happened to his family, shown in the prologue. He dominates nearly the entire Act 2. Amusingly, he kills a chained zombie who wears a tee-shirt that says “Vaccinated.” Perhaps a Right-Wing commentary, as they claim you will catch COVID even if you had your shot(s)? That is true because too many, as I said, have not had their shots to neutralize it communally. Also, one character discusses how COVID was invented by the Chinese as a chemical weapon, a solid Republican talking point. Again, I politically digress, but at least you know where I stand…

There is some humor here and there, seemingly to revolve around a ventriloquist’s doll called Marv, who not only Dean has conversations with, but so does a guy named Stan (director Michael Moutsatsos), who not only talks to Marv (and hears answers), but also to imaginary people. When Dean and Stan get together at a picnic table with Marv to play cards, it feels like sitting in on an ad-lib, off-the-wall conversation.

Another returning character is survivalist Silver (Ed Gage) who is into martial arts; however, his appearance in Act 3 is more of an extended cameo, though he does get to show off his “moves” with fists and a sword.

Another aspect I found of interest is both the external and internal actions of the two food groups, as it were. The mutants kill humans randomly but like to eat babies. This leads me to a question: if a mutant, also known as a hybrid, eats a human, is that cannibalism, as they are both the same and varied species? Anyway, the mutants mostly seem to work together (not counting the lone wolf zombies who are mindless eaters, as they should be) to slaughter the humans they consider inferior. However, the humans kill mutants, zombies, and other humans, the latter for the competition of food, I guess. In this scenario, the mutants seem more cohesive, socially.

While there are some squeamishable scenarios, the gore looks decent, but, though the level of violence is quite strong, shown steadily throughout the entire film. For me, I did not mind the monochrome, but the way the red filter is used gives a “tell” that a kill is about to occur, kind of ate away at the surprise value, even if it was obvious what was coming.

The ending is a bit up in the air, but considering the storyline, such as it is, it makes sense to leave it open ended, because a title card at the end informs of a Ravage Domination sequel. There is not an easy resolve for the world situation as it depicts; no fixes. Sort of like the end of The Planet of the Apes (1968) with Charlton Heston yelling on the beach, or I guess a better choice may be Night of the Living Dead (1968).

Though the film occasionally feels amateurish and cobbled together (yet it has won numerous festival awards), it certainly is entertaining. I may have to go back and watch the first release, and see the origins of the events that are recounted here.

IMBD listing HERE

Review: Bermuda Island

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2023
Images from the Internet

Bermuda Island
Directed by Adam Werth
Mahal Empire; FilmCore; Hosscat Production; Alien Donut Films;
Wicked Monkey Pictures; Stag Mountain Films
86 minutes, 2023
www.MahalEmpire.com

As subgenres go, I do not remember many that deal with the Bermuda Triangle, which is a shame. This one is sort of a cross between that and “Lost.” Perhaps the addition of a creature or more can be folded into that.

Starting off with a violent FBI drug raid on an upper-level drug dealer, Diego (Noel Gugliemi) in South Florida (I am guessing Miami), The film proper, after the violent prologue, picks up at the Miami International Airport, where we meet select passengers and crew heading for Puerto Rico, with said drug dealer in tow. They include a flight attendant played by Tom Sizemore, whose undone jacket and loose tie would actually never pass muster. But it is good to see him in what is essentially an extended cameo; Mahal Empire films are definitely helping to keeping him employed of late (e.g., 2022’s Night of the Tommyknockers). It is also amusing that two brothers on the flight are sir-named Sizemore. Noteworthy at this point is Carolyn (Mahal regular Sarah French, in such films as 2022’s Death Count), on her way to a vacation with her GFs. 

John Wells, Sarah French, Victor V. Gelsomino

There are other enjoyable stereotypes, such as a “Karen,” Peggy (Sheri Davis, also in Tommyknockers), and the comic relief of Midnight the Goth (Greg Tally, also in Tommyknockers; see a trend?), who was my favorite character.

It will come as no surprise that the plane goes down, though it is through a fun supernatural means (did I mention the Bermuda Triangle?), reminiscent of Airport 75 (1974). The survivors (future body count, and Mahal Empire films tend to have many) are stranded on Gillig… I mean the titular island in the North Atlantic Sea, rather than the island of Bermuda itself. Just an FYI, this was filmed in Vieques, Puerto Rico.

Greg Tally

Needless to say, those that lived through the plane crash are not the only ones on the island, as this is a creature feature, after all. Sure, there is one alpha male human, Bruce (John Wells) from a previous boat crash to take charge of survival tactics, helped by a member of the plane’s group, Damon (Victor V. Gelsomino, also in Tommyknockers); wouldn’t the plane’s Captain usually be technically in charge? Whatever, he is secondary character. However, it is the nighttime humanoid simian/reptile-like night feeders in loin cloths that are the ones to be feared the most. Their attacks are brutal, bloody, and give a good reason to show lots of gore.

There is also a somewhat subtle level of “Lord of the Flies” happening, with the plane remainders broken up into two groups, the main “heroes,” and one led by power-hungry – and armed – FBI agent Victor Sweden (Wesley Cannon). There is also a muscular macho masculinist bully who is narcissistic and rapacious (e.g., thinks he is god’s gift to women). He is what Bugs Bunny might refer to as a “bar-bell boy.” There are people you certainly hope to meet the monsters, as they are ones themselves internally, but others you hate to see go, and that is harder. What is nice is the killings seem random and just about anyone is up for supper for the monstoids (yeah, I made up the word, so what?). The attacks are also well spread throughout the film, but there are enough people left for the final confrontation at the end to ramp up the action.

Michael Madsen

The writing (screenplay by Robert Thompson from an idea by Michael and Sonny Mahal) has lots of twists and turns and a few good double-crosses. This is a film also about ego (e.g., the Karen and the Macho Man), and, of course, survival in an untenable position.

The creature effects, which remind me of a less-alien looking “Predator,” right down to the dreadlocks, look consistent and are well done. The blood and gore, which is in abundance, especially intestinal, are beautifully presented, without being too “clinical” (i.e., torture porn realistic), which makes this even more fun. While I am grateful for the nudity, it is also gratuitous and involves a romance that seems too quick and unrealistic. But I do understand why it is there, and have no complaints about it, as it is part of the action rather than just being there (e.g., a romance rather than a bath in a lagoon), even though it is there solely for the demographic who most likely will be viewing this release.

Mahal Empire films will occasionally give us human monsters, such as in Death Count, but more often than not it is some form of humanoid beastie, such as in Tommyknockers or Bridge of the Doomed (2022); There also are always strong and intelligent women as well as men, and really nasty of both, as well. I am quickly becoming a fan of their brand.

My big question is: where is Robert LaSardo?

IMDB listing HERE

Review: Bridge of the Doomed

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet

Bridge of the Doomed
Directed by Michael Su
Mahal Empire; FilmCore; Spicy Ramen Productions; Blaen-Y-Maes Bootleg Films; Wicked Monkey Pictures; Gravitas Ventures
82 minutes, 2022
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100046239651325

With four films out this year, director Michael Su is proving to be quite prolific. And the level of carnage he displayed in his recent Death Count  (2022) shows that he is not afraid to step up to the blood and gore. So. it makes sense that he would jump on the popularity of the zombie genre, especially after Army of the Dead (2021), and put his toe in the evisceration.

A group of soldiers are given orders to hold a bridge (A Bridge Too Close?) to make sure no one or any thing crosses it, especially since they are trying to curtail the zombie apocalypse. The film does not waste any time giving us what we are waiting for, full on splatter. There is a lovely mix of practical SFX and digital (including the erasure of star Robert LaSardo’s infamous neck tattoos).

Kate Watson

Most the soldier at the bridge range from a couple of interesting characters to some expendables. The lead in the film is one of them, Sgt. Hernandez (Kate Watson). Su likes to pick strong women characters and he does well here with Hernandez’s tough as nails yet likeable sergeant.

The zombies are not slow nor fast: they stumble along, but they are quick at the grab, and consistently overwhelm their prey with numbers as they seem to always travel in groups. This middle tone of fast vs. slow is a nice touch and gives the chance to be viewer-friendly to both sides of the debate.

The film is essentially broken into two parts which are intermingled. First, there is the HQ, which is run by General Vazquez (LaSardo), with some cameo work by Michael Paré as Colonel Charon (great choice of name: Charon was the ferryman of mythology who brought your soul across the River Styx). Nice to see Paré work, as always, even in cameo form, though there was a time he walked Streets of Fire. Just because it is the headquarters, however, does not mean it is immune from the occasional zombie horde attack.

Robert LaSardo

The second is at the titular bridge, which looks like at one time it was a railroad crossing. Either way, it is over a very treacherous and fierce river, but not as much as the munchers on the other side. Also on the wrong side of the river are a bunch of survivalists living in a commune without much brains among them. Political commentary about the right wing? Among this group is Susan (Sarah French; she was the lead in Dead Count,). A third of the way in, I am going to assume that at some point, the two groups of antagonists (soldiers and survivors), will work together.

And as if a multitude of teethers were not bad enough, there is some kind of growling troll under the very bridge that the army is to defend. Just keeps getting better when it strikes. The SFX good nice and gooey, and as I said earlier, there is a lot of it.

There is no reason given that I could tell (or missed) about why the zombie romp started, but honestly, does it really matter? Radioactive satellites from space? Chemicals? We pick up the story well into the effects, and that is what matters.

There is a very slight overtone of religiosity here, as talk among the survivors discuss the “End of Times” and “judgment.” However, it is not preachy or annoying, even for this atheist. It is more questioning what is going on in a wider scheme, than pointing a finger.

Michael Paré

The main cast handles the roles extremely well, and some of the tertiary ones not so much, but they are the equivalent of “Star Trek’s” “red shirts” and are really only there to, in the words of the original Willard (1971), “tear ‘em apart!”

One of the aspects I like about director Su is that he does not follow the formula of Act 1 to introduce the characters, Act 2 to present the situation, and Act 3 to contain the main brunt of the violence. No, he picks it up right from the beginning and keeps it cropping up throughout the film, actually making it more suspenseful than less because it could come at any time. There is a bit of exposition here and there, but it certainly does not get in the way of the “yum-yum-eat-‘em-ups.” Filmed in Nevada with a nicely diverse cast. I am quickly becoming a Su fan.

IMDB listing HERE  

Review: ZOO

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2019

Images from the Internet

ZOO

Directed by Antonio Tublin

The Orchard / PingPong Film / Logical Pictures

95 minutes, 2019

Paul Simon once famously sang, “Love emerges and it disappears / I do it for your love.” That’s a tidbit to hold onto in this zombie apocalypse dramady taking place in London, though it’s origination is from Scandinavia (Demark and Sweden), though filmed in English.

Well, zombie is debatable. As with 28 Days Later… (2002), the world is infected with a virus which turns people into wild flesh eaters (“fast zombies”), but the debate can be later discussed on whether these are technical zombies because we’re not really sure if they are still alive. I’m not gonna touch that question or discussion at this time.

We are introduced to very attractive couple John (Ed Speleers, best known for Eragon in 2006 and “Downtown Abby”) and Karen (Zoë Tapper, who has appeared in several British programs such as “Mr. Selfridge” and “Demons,” where she played Mina Harker).

When the infection shebang hits the fan, they are in a strained relationship due to not being able to reproduce their beauty to children (my snide take on it, not the films), so they are stuck in their high-rise apartment waiting for rescue while the world explodes around them. They hunker down with food they’ve stolen from other apartments, and apparently a vast amount of wine and various hard drugs.

These tight quarters, of course, force them to refocus their relationship and rebuild their bodies to fight whatever may come through the door, and relearn about each other. The dialogue is witty and there is a strong, dark sense of humor about it all.

But while the world turns dark, strangeness also is rising in John and Karen’s haven during the second act a third of the way into the film when a couple from the building that they don’t know (but whose apartment they pillaged) show up at their door asking for help. Reluctantly, they let that other variance of evil in, in the form of Emily (Antonia Campbell-Hughes) and Leo (Jan Bijovet). This second couple see what our heroes have, and plan to do whatever it takes to make it their own, in their version of murder and pillage…but who’s the stronger and willing to risk the most?

But this is only one set piece that includes roving gangs, intimate dialogue, and yes, those pesky zombies that are only present in the storyline on occasion, though they are the spine to the entire story.

This is not 28 Days Later…, which is wide roving through London. This is more personal and claustrophobic as nearly all scenes are shot in their apartment, and as other characters may come and go, John and Karen and their travails and swirling relationship are the focus of the story.

There is definitely some violence and blood, but no more than you would see in a gritty crime drama, but because its so sparse, it also makes it even more effective in a little-is-more way. Sometimes the violence comes as absolutely shocking, other times you’re cheering it on, as this couple delve ever further into a symbiotic unit that focuses on what must be done, while the mayhem also robs them of their social humanity piece by piece.

That’s what makes this a smart film, in that the presence of zombies are always felt, but rarely seen, and the story focuses on the cultural breakdown while waiting for that rescue. Survival is a strong master, and one does what one must; it’s the human imperative. And yet through it all there’s the intimacy and tenderness.

The one thing that drove me crazy about the story, though? And Jeez, I know just how petty it is, is as follows: our intrepid couple in the high rise are stuck there for a long yet undefined time, and yet the electricity never goes out. In a real crisis where society has completely broken down? I’d give it a couple of days, max, even with the generators and batteries.

Well, despite that last paragraph rant, this is a strong film that wisely refuses to take any one direction of thriller or romance, but manages to have extended periods of both, and they make it work. Of course, the quality of the actors and a strong direction by Tublin also help.

If you want a bloodfest, this is not the zombie film you are looking for; if you want a deeper story with some human emotion, well, it’s worth checking out.

Review: Zombie Undead

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Blog, 2012

Images from the Internet

                            

Zombie Undead

Written and directed by Rhys Davies

Hive Films

83 minutes, 2010     

Hivefilms.co.uk

Zombieundead.com

MVDvisual.com

May I start by saying that when I saw the title of this film, I thought that it is redundant.

 I would have the same comment about something called Undead Vampires. But then I started to think about it a bit…

Generally speaking, there are three major turning points in the modern zombie film: the first is the Night of the Living Dead (1968), where zombies went from Haitian victims to flesh-eating undead. Then there was 28 Days (2000), where the maddened were not really dead, but rather rabid-like, yet it is still considered in the zombie genre (perhaps we need a plague subgenre?). This also started the ongoing and occasionally heated “fast vs. slow zombie” debate. The last was the addition of a comedy / absurd element with Shaun of the Dead (2004).Sure there was some overlap (e.g., Return of the Living Dead [1985] had some comedy elements) and even some borrowing (e.g., it could be argued that 28 Days was more The Crazies [1973] than NotLD, both directed by George A. Romero), but basically they revolutionized how we looked at the creatures.

Of the three, it could be noted that the latter two were British, who have been leading in innovation in the zombie field (though I would arguably say that some American low-budgeters deserve some more focused attention, such as Aaah! Zombies!! [aka Wasting Away, 2007; my evaluation HERE] and the recent Zombie A-Hole [2012, HERE] ). Zombie Undead is also from the British Isles.

This film, directed by Rhys Davies and written by Kris Tearse, both first-timers, borrows liberally from predecessors, including others not mentioned above, such as Dawn of the Dead (1979; e.g., mostly it takes place in a single building, and there are many debowelings).

What sets it all off – and I won’t give away much, I promise – is a biological terrorist’s bomb in a hub train station. From there, of course, things deteriorate as people who were killed by the blast rise up, and slowly and inevitably, of course, chomp.

We meet the heroine, Sarah (Ruth King), who has brought her father into a hospital after he is injured and bloodied. She passes out at the stress at some point, and wakes up alone in a corridor of the hospital (shades of The Day of the Triffids [1962]). She is quickly rescued by the hulking Jay (played by writer Tearse), with machete in hand, and they are joined by the sympathetic-yet-cowardly cab driver who took Sarah and pop to hospital, Steve (Barry Thomas). From there, they work their way to the top of the building to search for relatives – and to have an excuse to hang around the single structure set – where they meet others who have survived (for now), passed on, and who have returned to join the search for – er – food.

Considering that none of the core actors in the film have any previous experience listed on the IMDB, they do a truly splendid job. Yes, there is the occasional wooden reading (I’m assuming that it is supposed to be them being in shock more than anything else), but each one holds their own both in solo pieces and in a group. I’m hoping if Davies continues, he will have the opportunity to use the cast again, as indie filmmakers tend to use a cadre of talent repeatedly. There is usually a large range of emotion that is needed when these kinds of films go serious, as does this one, so with a novice film crew, it’s ever more impressive, even on a repeated viewing (hey, I hadda show it to my zombie-lovin’ hombres).

As with most British core cities, the one used here, Leicester (a 100-mile drive north-northwest from London), looks like a series of rundown row-houses and brick buildings with some parks (mostly golf courses, according to the maps I’ve seen). Actually, a perfect setting if one wants to do the geographical / cultural analysis of what the zombies mean (you know, how critics talk about Dawn of the Dead being about consumerism, etc.), but I like to take these stories for what they are, rather than find the commies-in-the-pea-pods, if you get my drift.

While I commented before about how there are borrowed elements here and there, it should be strongly noted that there are some really fine touches, as well, such as a tragic case of mistaken identity, which is all I will divulge  here, because the film is worth checking out. Yes, there are the occasional holes, but it could easily have been far, far worse. Just know that while this is a compelling film, it is a relentlessly grim story with no respite from beginning to end. It may not always be action-packed (thought it often is), but it will still keep your attention righthere.

Lastly, there is the gore element. The effects are mostly prosthetic, from what I can tell (kudos!), such as said intestines and other assorted body parts, and the blood is among the best in viscosity I’ve seen in a while: not too thick, not too thin, not too light or dark. Really good, considering the sheer abundance of it. And, do I really need to go into the question of a body count considering the subject matter and the aforementioned tone? Didn’t think so.

There are no extras on this DVD, be it commentary, bloopers, deleted scenes or even a coming attraction for this film, never mind others on the brand. Zip. Zero. Zilch. But I won’t disappoint you. Here is the trailer: