Land of the Dead (2005)
I’d been so careful choosing films until last night, and I thought I’d take a chance on this because it’s directed by George Romero. It felt like a safe bet, but I was wrong. This film made me angry. I admire the original trilogy, even if I don’t love them, so I’m surprised at how mindless Land of the Dead is. Romero directs it as an action film, and there is no depth or charm.
In the city of Fiddler’s Green, the moneyed few relax in a tall skyscraper run by Kaufman, played by Dennis Hopper. On the streets below, ordinary people eke out an existence, surviving on supply trips to nearby towns, which are full of zombies who act out zombie versions of their previous lives. Zombie intelligence is evolving, and a zombie garage attendant begins to work some key things out — that fireworks are a deadly distraction, how to fire a gun, and that being dead they can walk across the floor of the river protecting the city.
It’s another take on the conflict between the rich elite and the working classes. The best thing about it is John Leguizamo as Cholo, who at least has a character arc. Asia Argento’s Slack is fun too. But the bar is low, my friends. The bar is low. I’m not sure why I’m so upset. Even bad movies can be fun. I guess I thought I would have some brains to gnaw on, but there were no brains to gnaw on here.