Days Of Darkness - Rise Of The Flesheaters (DVD)

Days of Darkness - a good reason to become a drinker!

General information

Actors
Tom Eplin
Sabrina Gennario
Travis Brorsen
Roshelle Pattison

Directed by Jake Kennedy

Format PAL
Region 2
One Disc
Classification 18
Running time 86 mins
Soundtrack formats 5.1 surround sound
Audio Content Dolby Digital
Price £13.99
...the end; we went for Days of Darkness.

After watching the all-important Match of the Day we sit down with good bottle of wine to watch the movie and as a fan of Romero's zombie series, I was looking forward to a good horror.


The characters

Steve and Mimi, boyfriend and girlfriend
Lynn (ex solider), who attempts to be assertive without success
Simon, the religious homophobic homosexual ... more

Days of Darkness - a good reason to become a drinker!

General information

Actors
Tom Eplin
Sabrina Gennario
Travis Brorsen
Roshelle Pattison

Directed by Jake Kennedy

Format PAL
Region 2
One Disc
Classification 18
Running time 86 mins
Soundtrack formats 5.1 surround sound
Audio Content Dolby Digital
Price £13.99

The movie cover synopsis states…..'A comet looms over the earth for days. Citizens are informed not to panic and that they are safe. Nothing could be further from the truth… When flesh - eating zombies attempt to occupies humankind it is left up to an eclectic group of survivors to fight their greatest battle and save mankind' so does the film live up to the synopsis well read my experience of this film and make up your own mind…or watch it yourself and see if you agree.

Wandering around the local supermarket, the hubby and I got to the DVD section. Given the poor movies on TV lately and plus the fact that 260 DVD's are not enough!!!! We decided to get another movie…. I was opting for Iron Man but the hubby balked at watching 'a kiddie's movie' and in the end; we went for Days of Darkness.

After watching the all-important Match of the Day we sit down with good bottle of wine to watch the movie and as a fan of Romero's zombie series, I was looking forward to a good horror.

The characters

Steve and Mimi, boyfriend and girlfriend
Lynn (ex solider), who attempts to be assertive without success
Simon, the religious homophobic homosexual zealot (yes, I know what a contradiction) who believes that the time of Revelations has come
Porn Star (sorry watched the film twice and could not get her name) who has 'worked' with 8,000 men,
Jane - Porn stars teenager daughter, who hardly speaks
Slasher - used car sales man who slashes the car prices, who repeats the same swear words and wants a drink or smoke! And generally shouts at everyone
DJ - I have no idea what he does except for chopping up zombies
Shotgun man - again no idea of what his character is called, but he want to get back to his ranch with some 'work hands' to help!
Herbert, Simon's zombie brother in the basement
About 15 zombies

A bit about the movie

From the first instance the graphic, showing the comet is a let down, I am not sure if they used CGI but what ever they used is a poor version. I'm optimistic it might get better.

The story leads way to two lovers, Steve and Mimi, on a camping trip, after staying out overnight; they get in their car and head away from the hills. They come across a zombie walking up the road Steve gets out of the car to check he is ok and is attacked. A passerby stops and kills the zombies and they follow they helper to a compound.

So during Steve and Mimi's stay at the compound we find that out that these random people have joined have gathered at the compound following attacks from zombies. This dysfunctional group seem to be able to attack each other physically and verbally better than the zombies, there is no group cohesiveness or person willing to take charge and lead. This subsequently leads arguments and fighting.

When Mimi is found to be pregnant (she is meant to be a virgin) Steve is not a happy chappy. Between visits to the basement where Steve gets hold of Simon's zombie brother's testicles and performing a genital autopsy on said zombie with a penknife we find the zombies are created through the human reproductive systems following inhalation of the comets dust that has fallen to earth.

In the meantime, we have Mimi moaning she has stomachache, Shotgun man shooting at the ceiling, shouting at everyone as he wants a drink and to get home. Simon trying to keep his sexual urges to himself, Jane giving pouting meaningful stares, Slasher and DJ, chopping up zombies, and Lynn trying to give orders.

Further infighting within the group and the occasional zombie attack withers the group down and Steve's realization that alcohol prevents infection.

I will not say who dies and who lives. However, they leave for Shotgun man's ranch.

A bit about the zombies.

All I can say how can about 15 zombies take over the world, especially when they look like they have had a heavy night on the beer and a fight down the pub. No dangling entrails, missing body parts here!

DVD Extras

As with most DVD's now a days this dvd also has extras..... this dvd extra comprised of one trailer!!!!

Overall

Given the characters in the compound, you would think that both actors and director could have created a more assertive group with more depth to character.

The acting of the two of the main characters Steve & Mimi is inexpressive, they are meant to be in love but I have seem more affection between two chipmunks!

The other actors gave wooden performances which gives a feeling that they are not enjoying the script and do not seem to be able to get a grip on their role and its requirements. I felt the lack of passion for their characters leads to a more comical than horror film.

I can see the attempt to bring in sci -fi in to the Zombie genre but this movie does not pull it off. Perhaps less of the characters infighting and more theories about how the zombies were created can be killed would help prevent the ending from being so weak.

I do not know the budget but if the actors demonstrated belief in their roles and there were some simple script changes to show consistency in story lines and this movie would be improved with a more defined ending.

Watching movies, I want to be entertained, my concepts and beliefs challenged, whilst making me question how did they do that…… well with this film none of this was lacking in all areas.

Even worse, I was telling my niece about it a couple of days later and I could not even remember the movie title Just a good job the wine was nice…. Oh and the hubby fell asleep half way through!! 

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