Day of the Dead (2008)

When a small Colorado town is overrun by the flesh hungry dead a small group of survivors try to escape in a last ditch effort to stay alive.

Director:

Steve Miner

Writers:

Jeffrey Reddick (screenplay), George A. Romero (motion picture "Day of the Dead")

Stars:

Mena Suvari, Nick Cannon, Michael Welch

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mena Suvari	...	Sarah Bowman
Nick Cannon	...	Salazar
Michael Welch	...	Trevor Bowman
AnnaLynne McCord	...	Nina (as AnnaLyne McCord)
Stark Sands	...	Bud Crain
Matt Rippy	...	Doctor Logan
Pat Kilbane	...	Scientist
Taylor Saracho	...	Local Girl (as Taylor Hoover)
Christa Campbell	...	Mrs. Leitner
Ian McNeice	...	Paul - DJ
Ving Rhames	...	Captain Rhodes
Robert Rais	...	Mr. Leitner
Michael McCoy	...	Mr. Noble
Laura Giosh	...	Mrs. Noble
Vanessa Johansson	...	Receptionist

Storyline

In Leadville, Colorado, Captain Rhodes and his army seals off the town to contain an influenza-type epidemic. The locals are not allowed to leave the town and the Pine Valley Medical Center is crowded with sick people. Corporal Sarah Bowman was born and raised in Leadville and goes to her home with Private Bud Crain to visit her mother. Sarah finds that her mother is ill and takes her to the local hospital. However, the sick people suddenly transform in flesh eating, fast moving zombies which attack the non-infected humans. Sarah, Bud and Private Salazar get a jeep and head to the town exit to escape from the dead. But Sarah hears the voice of her brother, Trevor, on the radio and is compelled to go to the radio station where Trevor is hidden with his girlfriend Nina. The group of survivors drives to the isolated Nike missile site seeking shelter, where they discover an underground army base.

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Plot Keywords:

horror movie remake | zombie | psychotronic film | colorado | epidemic | 

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Taglines:

This spring, the dead will rise!

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Genres:

Action | Horror | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong pervasive horror violence and gore, and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 April 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Day of the Dead: The Need to Feed

Filming Locations:

Bulgaria

Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$301,771

Company Credits

Production Co:

Millennium Films, Taurus Entertainment Company, Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films (EFO Films)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Mono Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Despite the title most of the movie takes place at night.

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Goofs

CPL Cross ends a radio transmission with CPT Rhodes with "Over and out." "Over and out" is a contradiction. "Over" means "I am finished speaking, please reply." "Out" means "I am finished speaking, do not reply."

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Quotes

Salazar: [to Sarah as she runs over zombies] That's what I'm talking about! Run their ass over! Now you're driving.

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Alternate Versions

-** SPOILER ALERT! *** The alternate ending on the DVD has Salazar's character disappearing off screen after opening fire in the Nike missile silo. He screams, fires again, then the horde of zombies appears. The film continues exactly as it did in the theatrical release, until, as they escape in the SUV, they pass a building in the exterior of the missile base. Salazar emerges, screaming that he wasn't bitten, and muttering that everyone expects the black guy to die. He gets into the SUV, and they drive off. At that point, the screaming zombie pops into frame.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Another Top 10 Worst Horror Movie Remakes (2015)

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Soundtracks

Out Here All Night
Written by David Dustin Hengst, Noelle Marie LeBlanc, Michael Boucher Vasquez, Michael D. Woods
Performed by Damone
Published by BMG Songs Inc. o/b/o Candyass Whoopass Music(ASCAP)
Courtesy of Island/Def Jam Records
Under License From Universal Music Group

User Reviews

Complicated… it's not.

Remake of George Romero's original "Day of the Dead (1985)"… no way! How could you. Well I'll admit, I didn't mind Steve Miner's superfluously clichéd straight-to-DVD b-grade take, but it's far from a traditional scene by scene/scenario remake with the film only sharing the same title (even though most of the zombie action centres around night time), featuring zombies (who bestow very impressive psychical abilities like sprinting, leaping and thinking) and having a character named Captain Rhodes (played by the commanding Ving Rhames in nothing more than a support role). Really that's it, but also shares some common similarities to Romero's 1973 'The Crazies' (which a remake is on the horizon), as it features the US army posting-guard in a virus-infected small town turning the locals into blood crazy zombies. I don't seem to share much of the hate towards it (maybe hearing a lot bad things before hand to work in my favour as I didn't have expectations for it), although I agree it does have some dumb plot devices (mainly centring that of certain zombie soldier, but is it any worse than the 'Bub' creation in the original film?), but despite that and its formulaic patterns. I remained easily engrossed.

The talented Meni Suvari is agreeably sincere in the central role, but does feel a little miss-cast. Her turn is better than what the stereotypically thin material (and there's no social commentary here) and lazy script ("It's complicated") offers up. The performances are mediocre at best, but some do standout more than others like Nick Cannon as a macho gun-tooting soldier with a smart attitude, Stark Sands as the clumsy private and Ian McNeice as the town's radio DJ. As for Ving Rhames, he's wasted in what ends up as a nothing part for such an infamous character.

Director Steve Miner's orthodox, if tight handling is broken up by kinetic editing; flash camera tilts that keep on the move and jerky action placement (where surprisingly random stages manage to hold a certain amount of chaotic tension). At least the story gets right into it and at only 80 minutes it doesn't seem to sag much… well towards the end its persistent style wears thin and the ending was feebly done. Now the blood-soaked gore… naming its self under day wasn't good. While having moments of bloody carnage and some decent make-up FX, it's rather watered-down with over-the-top CGI taking over the show. The CGI wasn't bad, but it's no substitute for latex.

Sure it doesn't come close to the 'Dead' franchise (and as it stands it better off as a stand-alone), but for cheap, quick brainless entertainment it's adequately done.