Land of the Dead (2005)

 

George Romero certainly kept going with the zombie cycle. There would still come a 'Diary of the Dead', but this is probably the biggest budgeted of the entire series and it shows: it is slick, the effects are top notch and it just looks more polished than ever. Which might also be why this one feels a little less than the previous ones. Or it might be that the story takes an unexpected turn and despite all the carnage is even uplifting in a way.

Could be a nice counterpoint to the bleakness of 'Day of the Dead', though.

Just like last time, the undead have pretty much taken over the world and small pockets of humanity try to survive by hiding behind walls and fences and occasionally raiding villages for supplies. We are transported to Fiddler's Green, a city on an island where the regular folks live in slums and the rich live in a luxurious highrise, pretending that the outside world and all its zombies does not exist. But when a disgruntled employee steals the massive tank/truck hybrid known as Dead Reckoning, another man is brought in to bring it back. But this is our protagonist Riley and he wants to get the hell away and go to Canada where fewer people (and thus fewer zombies) skulk about. 

But unbeknownst to the humans, there is something brewing amidst the ghouls, as one of them (nicknamed Big Daddy) is becoming more and more self aware and he leads other zombies towards Fiddler's Green, which he clearly realises is the source of their problems. Like getting shot, mostly. So who is the most human in the end? The ruthless rich or the downtrodden corpses?

Yes, there is social commentary here. That should come as no surprise if you have been paying attention to Romero's work.

'Land of the Dead' is a fun ride and the gore is good, but it just doesn't hit as hard anymore. Maybe it's because we've become accustomed to the modern effects (there is some CG involved now), maybe it's because the story has moments of levity, especially with the sympathetic zombies. The zombies are actually more endearing than the humans. Maybe that was the point. In any case, the acting is decent and you've got some good performers with John Leguizamo at the helm, who's pretty much good in everything he does (except 'The Pest', that one is horrendous). 

Yes, maybe even in the 'Super Mario Bros Movie'. 

Dennis Hopper always makes for a great villain, but it is special to note that he is playing severely against type here, being extremely restrained and more a conniving CEO than the unhinged nutball he often does. But the thing about this one is: it doesn't stick with you all that much. 'Dawn of the Dead' had a gripping story and engaging characters, 'Day...' had that incredible feeling of loss and despair and this one just feels a little to clean, a little too slick. It's not a bad film by any stretch. It just doesn't have that gutpunch of an impact anymore. 

So in the end, this is definitely one to watch if you like Romero and want the full experience of his zombie saga, but it isn't the best entry in spite of its slick production values. And if the attacks don't feel impactful, you know something is missing.