tomtom13
"Gore, gore, gore, gore."
The community of all things totally awesome.
Join | Log In
Trying to eat through this gore monster is one hell of a challenge.
-
Oct 3, 2011
- by Madpenguin
- posted in Movie Hype
Rating:
A cursed animal called the Sumatran Rat Monkey is taken from Skull Island and displayed in the zoo. Lionel (Timothy Balme) goes on a date with his new girl friend Paquita (Diana Penalver) to the same zoo. Lionel is followed by his domineering mother (Elizabeth Moody), and during her snooping she's bitten by the overly aggressive creature. Later, she begins to slowly transform into a zombie. Lionel tries to keep her and all of her victims secret, by locking them up in the house. -summary
+4
Directed by Peter Jackson, Dead Alive is a zomedy(zombie/comedy) gore fest, that makes absolutely no attempt to be taken serious. The direction is outstanding, because the film knows exactly what it wants to be from the very start. Horror films like these are not my favorite by any stretch, but since it aims and succeeds to be nothing more than completely mindless entertainment. I can appreciate the film for what it set out for.
Expect the unexpected. Behind the over the top and extreme gore; the lack of predictability has to be the second strength in Dead Alive. Seriously, things just happen at random with little to no reasoning. It actually crossed my mind that this film was directed by Peter Griffin instead of Peter Jackson. I would like to list some of these events but these are huge spoilers, and I truly believe someone who has never heard of this film should come into it completely fresh. The film is overly-stuffed with shocks and surprises that come out of the clear blue.
Now the major talk of Dead Alive is the gore. The over the top gore that is constantly mentioned is no heavy exaggeration. Seriously, believe the hype when coming into this. There are no punches pulled whatsoever, and you get the whole 9 yards here. My jaw dropped to the ground after witnessing the sheer lunacy in this zombie gorefest. I sat through Squirm while eating noodles. I sat through Day of the Dead while eating a medium rare burger and spare ribs. But there is no way in hell I can eat through this. The film can be downright nasty at times with its gore. And yes, it does go too far, which is actually a great thing. In fact, I wouldn't care to see most horror comedies if it wasn't for this.
The success of the gore scenes are due to the special effects and very sick imagination. You will see lots of limb severing, along with bodies and faces mutilated. Then just when you thought you have seen it all; the events that take place during the final minutes completely out does everything you seen before then. I mean some scenes are just plain sick, you might not want to see a dentist for a while.
Although I enjoy the film immensely and it had very solid acting as well. There are several things about the film I don't like at all. Most individuals will point out the over the top gore as being somewhat of a blemish. However, my gripes are totally different. I didn't care for the main characters, and they were among the low points for me. I was never attached to any of them. Instead, I found the supporting cast to be the best and far more entertaining, especially during the final battle with the undead. Another problem I have with this film is that a couple of scenes are way too long. The scene in the park especially was too over done, and for me, lost its appeal and just wasn't funny anymore. If I have to hit the fast forward button at any time during a movie, then something is wrong.
You will hear that this film isn't for everyone. Obviously, it's not meant for the weak of heart due to the excessive gore. But most importantly, it's not meant for the very serious horror fan, and I'm talking about those who takes all of their horror very serious. This is something I know from first hand experience. I didn't like it on my first watch, and I blame this solely on me being closed minded. Dead Alive is not a pure horror film. It does a very poor job building suspense, dread, and tension, but it was never meant to excel in those areas to begin with. This is simply your classic dark comedy, that is mainly aimed for the gore hounds and fans of that type of horror. However, I can understand anyone who comes away hating this.
Those who are serious about their horror, and feel well crafted works such as The Shining, Salems Lot, Jaws, The Omen, and The Exorcist are a lost art, and that is the only type of horror you can be satisfied with; I recommend not touching this with a ten foot boomstick, because you will more than likely hate it. Those who have no problem with turning off their brains, and can zone out to some zombie mayhem. I think they will be doing themselves a favor giving this a watch. Dead Alive can never be one of my favorites, nor can I ever consider it to be great. But I can zone out to things like this once in a while. The film has a 97 minute run time.
Pros:
-Over the top gore, doesn't suffer from identity crisis, final act is sick
Cons:
-Not for everyone, comedy overstayed its welcome for me at times.
What did you think of this review?
Helpful
15
Thought-Provoking
15
Fun to Read
15
Well-Organized
15
Post a Comment
FM_ALEX
October 10, 2011
I LOVE this flick man, one of my all time favorites.
show text editor
woopak_the_thrill
October 06, 2011
heh-heheh. I watch this movie while I am eating blood sausage LOL!
Madpenguin
October 06, 2011
I don't know. I'll have to see that to believe it.
show text editor
QUEENBFLIX
October 03, 2011
I'm so glad that you're open to this one now, Frank. You KNOW I love it to death. It took me a couple of attempts to get through it the first time back in the old days because I'm not so much for gross-out stuff. The odd thing was that it wasn't anything major that caused me to bail. For some reason I just could never get past the part where Mum's ear fell in the cream soup. I've toughened up a lot thanks to this flick...And you're right; the final act IS sick! =)
Madpenguin
October 03, 2011
That cream soup shit was nasty! I wasn't just searching for a title. I seriouslyy can't eat while watching this flick. The reason why I don't mind this particular horror comedy is because it's not a so bad it's good. It's good because it set out for something specific and achieved in that aim. Now take Killer Klowns from Outer Space, I detest that movie because it went out of its way to be camp, from the name down to the silly shit that goes on it.
QUEENBFLIX
October 03, 2011
Uh oh. I love KILLER KLOWNS--although I agree that it goes off track at times. It's hard to beat the scene at the bus stop where the klown is making hand shadows on the wall (like Washington crossing the Delaware!) and then he makes a T-Rex that eats everybody! Great moment in horror comedy. I never saw that one coming.
Madpenguin
October 03, 2011
I seen a lot of cartoons, so I saw the giant mouth thing from a mile away. Didn't know it was going to be a T-Rex, but I was in the ballpark.
QUEENBFLIX
October 04, 2011
But Washington Crossing the Delaware?
show text editor
1
More Dead Alive reviews
**** out of **** I love blood. I love guts. I love gore. I love anything (artificial) that flows in large amounts, even if we aren't speaking of bodily fluids. But if we are, then movie blood is what I always crave. The more the merrier is my motto when it comes to such a thing. I'm not easily offended or shocked by movie violence; and in the case of features like "The Evil Dead" and its sequel, the grotesque becomes the darkly comic and absurd. Peter Jackson apparently loves … more
Comments (1)
Compliments (12)
DEAD ALIVE (a.k.a. “Braindead”) is directed by Peter Jackson; yes, the same dude who won Oscars for his terrific adaptations of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Jackson’s 1992 horror comedy has the elements that can attract the horror fan; loads of gore and buckets of blood. It also pitches in a nightmarish vision of childbirth all the while injecting the film with a dark, wicked sense of humor. Hey, the film also makes a great date movie since it does have a very heartwarming … more
Comments (15)
Compliments (75)
Look up the word "disgusting" in the unwritten Book Of The Cinema and you'll find that the definition is "Peter Jackson's 'Braindead'". I don't know how else to introduce the picture other than to say that it is believed to be the goriest film ever made, and that it is considered by many to be the best zombie (and even horror in general) film ever made. The film revolves around Lionel (Timothy Balme), a kind-hearted and loyal young man forced to take care of his wicked old … more
Comment
Compliment
In a film like DEAD ALIVE, the plot is basically pointless. The only reason it exists is to add some humor to the bloody gore-fest that erupts and since it's discussed so often, it isn't necessary to repeat again. Basically, there will be two reasons you would want to see DEAD ALIVE. The most obvious reason is if you're a fan of movies with a lot of blood, guts, and gore. DEAD ALIVE is the goriest film of all time (the lawnmower scene alone takes at least five minutes). For example, people are literally … more
Comment
Compliment
About the reviewer
Madpenguin
Serious gamer and hardcore comic reader.
Currently in my Nintendo Wii U:
Currently … more
Consider the Source
Use Trust Points to see how much you can rely on this review.
You
Madpenguin
Your ratings:
Recent reviews by Madpenguin
About this movie
The grossest movieevermade, this quintessential splatter film details the tender story of a henpecked boy, his overbearing mum, and a nasty little Sumerian rat-monkey that turns people into voracious zombies. In lesser hands, thisne plus ultraviscera-fest would be so disturbing as to be nigh-unwatchable, but the incredible energy and imagination of director Peter Jackson makes it a first-class guilty pleasure, with plentiful helpings of gallows humor (the scripture-quoting, kung-fu-dispensing priest is a highlight) and a taboo subtext that Sigmund Freud would have loved. Essential viewing for gorehounds and anyone else with a high tolerance for flying entrails. The director would later tone down the gore (but not the manic enthusiasm) for the sublimeHeavenly CreaturesandThe Frighteners.--Andrew Wright
view wiki
Movies, Comedy Movies, Science Fiction Movies, Horror, Foreign Films, Cult Movies, Horror Movie, Zombies, Horror Comedy, Peter Jackson, Excessive Gore
First to Review
- About Lunch
- Press
- FAQs
- Contact Us
- Terms of Service
- Privacy Policy
- Sitemap
- Report Abuse
© 2013 Lunch.com, LLC All Rights Reserved
Lunch.com - Relevant reviews by real people.