Last Rites of the Dead (2006)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

Marc Fratto

Writer:

Marc Fratto (writer)

Release Date:

6 May 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Plot Keywords:

Art Horror | Fake Shooting | Ogle | Old Woman | Horror Spoof

Cast

Gina Ramsden	...	Angela
Joshua Nelson	...	Josh
Christa McNamee	...	The Commandant
Gaetano Iacono	...	The Gooch
Constantine Taylor	...	Malcolm
J. Scott Green	...	Richie
Mary Jo Verruto	...	Solstice
Kevin T. Collins	...	Louis
James E. Smith	...	Jimmy
Amy Margaret	...	Robin
Shannon Moore	...	Chris
Jocasta Bryan	...	Frankie
Kelly Ray	...	Melinda
Marc Hofrichter	...	Scott
Fast Ali	...	Commandant's Soldier

Also Known As:

Last Rites of the Dead (USA) (copyright title)
Zombies Anonymous (USA) (new title)

Runtime:

USA:118 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Insane-O-Rama Productions

Movie Connections:

References Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Creative and original low budget Zombie B-movie

I watch a lot of bad horror movies. This is not a cinematic masterpiece. But it is better than a lot of low budget indie horror flicks. I mean, it is what it is and you know that going in - a low budget zombie movie. But it took what it had and did it well.

The acting by the female lead - Gina Ramsden - was actually good. I think that is the first time I have EVER said that about any low budget horror movie I've ever watched. She's cute too, so that helps.

There was an actual plot and characters - granted it was about zombies, but it took the zombie idea and did something new and interesting. Basically the zombie outbreak has happened - when people die, no matter the cause, they turn into zombies. These zombies now are trying to integrate themselves into society at large, and many people don't like that. They can talk and think, but they are dead and their bodies show this. These are not the zombies of the Romero cannon, which will probably anger the fan-boys - but who cares, where talking about zombies here, and until the Zombie apocalypse actually does occur in the real world, it will only help to speculate on the nature of all possible types of zombies. That is what the fan of Romero Zombies must keep in mind when watching this film (or 28 Days/Weeks later for that matter you morons).

Now the ending did drag out, a lot, and got a little confusing. But the various groups (Humans who hate zombies, zombies who just want to "live" and be left alone, zombies who discover their hunger for human flesh) provide some interesting dynamics as the plot develops and our intrepid heroine, Angela, feels conflicted about the various groups especially because her ex-boyfriend is part of the living who wants to kill the zombies.

Note to other low-budget horror film makers: Tight shots of your actors and sets when you have a low budget (and lighting) really is a good idea. So is having an actual plot arc.