Ridge War Z (2013) User Reviews

Seriously?...

[paul_haakonsen · 2/10 · 20 December 2015]

I have seen many a lousy zombie movies in my life, and despite the adequate production value of "Ridge War Z", then I have to say that it is still in the top ten of awful zombie movies that I have suffered through.

The story follows a writer chronicling the memoirs of surviving soldiers in the worst battle during a zombie war.

Right. Wait? What? Zombie war? Wouldn't that require a statement of conflict on both parts? And since zombies aren't capable of thought process, well, you do the math... And if this was the worst battle in the so-called zombie war, then it had to be the lamest and most uneventful wars of all time. It was hardly even a skirmish.

The storyline in this move was as boring and ridiculous as the rest of the movie, so don't get your hopes up.

The acting in "Ridge War Z", nah, don't get your hopes up here either. I will say that, taking the movie's genre, budget and production into consideration, then the acting was as to be expected. Just don't expect a Shakespearian experience here.

And as for the zombies? Well, I am tempted to say what zombies? Zombies are, and it can't be emphasized enough, essential to making a zombie movie. The zombies in "Ridge War Z" were lousy. And that is putting is nicely.

"Ridge War Z" should be avoided at all cost, even if you are a zombie aficionado like me. You will just set yourself up for 89 minutes of boredom and disappointment.

The two stars I am rating "Ridge War Z" is solely for the camera-work and the adequate production level.

Well, they tried.

[clarka3-145-478444 · 4/10 · 20 January 2019]

Look, I live for anything zombie. I've sat through plenty of stinkers and found a nugget that made the experience worth it, but this film just doesn't have it. It flashes brief glimmers of hope in multiple areas, but never lands a complete punch.

Low budget isn't an issue either. I felt that this filmmaker made the most of what he had and this is where 2 of the stars come in, because I'm impressed with the use of a single location and the effects (though minimal) that were used.

1 star comes from what I felt was decent skirmish choreography when the film actually picked up.

Last star awarded comes from the fact that this could really be a look at any soldiers from any war suffering from PTSD. I found this to be a very accurate depiction based on a few of my friends that deal with it.

I think the camera work needed improvement. I'm a fan of tight close up shots for tension, but you can't do that andthen constantly have the subject of that shot adjust position and be out of frame.

While the "bro" moment in the final act was touching, either you have time to continue running or you don't...

Lastly, I really have a difficult time suspending disbelief when a movie decides to have characters take actions that make no sense. I have no idea what the point of the defensive strategy is. The movie makes a point to say "this strategy is the only one that's worked", but how? I don't get how fragmenting your force against an enemy that instinctively hunts your location and comes straight for you is smart. Again, the film appears to address the smart mouth in me by saying this by saying "if we'd have stayed there we'd be dead", but didn't elaborate. I'm not buying it.

Look, you could do worse, but don't expect much from this look at forgotten soldiers through the lens of a zombie war.

A decent Simple Story

[openbsd2 · 5/10 · 14 November 2013]

I had hard hard time believing the budget was only $1000, The Costumes and gear must have cost three times that at least, The camera work is fine and the picture isn't grainy or low resolution either, the acting in my opinion is pretty good too! The Budget is only evident when you notice the gunfire muzzle blast is added with a computer, and that the machine gun bullet belt is of a used one ..as you can clearly see the rounds are spent and reconstructed (the primers have been struck with a firing pin) but to be honest we can ALL forgive these little things because otherwise we are all just ridiculously anal. as "intrepidami" reviewed QUOTE: "Zombies coming right for them, right out in the open, no cover, they pause and have a really overdone dramatic 'bro moment' while...what? The zombies stopped to take a smoke break?" That Made me Laugh! because he/she was completely right about that!

All in all a decent Movie.

THEY'RE NOT MOVING

[nogodnomasters · 1/10 · 6 October 2018]

A journalist interviews 3 survivors of Gory Ridge, a zombie war scene. 6 men were sent to reinforce a group of soldiers. They were the only ones to survive. They appear to suffer from PTSD and this is therapy for them. The men talk more generally about war and people who fight them then their specific zombie war as they fought against the "zulu's"

The soldiers had to walk 20 miles to get to the ridge and I felt like I walked every step with them. The soldiers had automatic weapons with an infinite amount of CG bullets fighting against unarmed zombies. Sure they aren't foot dragging, but how difficult could it be? I am not sure what it says about these "heroes" as a man with an automatic weapon is overtaken by a zombie in a t-shirt armed with a set of teeth. But anyway, that's what they do. They visit the grave of their friend and recall how he was killed as they deal with survivor guilt.

The journalist appears to be typing on an old electric word processor. The production uses zombies as a generic enemy while they attempt to pay tribute to everyone who has fought, died, or survived a war. Unfortunately using zombies and a hand held camera cheapens the tribute.

It was like watching a zombie documentary about a fictional battle that wasn't done well.

Best Dialogue of film:

Soldier 1: They're dead. Stop shooting!!! Soldier 2: How do you know? Soldier 1: They're not moving.

Parental Guide: F-bomb. Not much blood, zombies, soldiers, or acting.

An Enjoyable and Cleansing Experience

[dom_weasel · 8/10 · 17 November 2013]

Max Brooks World War Z is a collection of stories regarding the titular 'World War Z'. Dozens of viewpoints and different stories combining to make an interesting read. Viewing Ridge War Z, it feels very much as if watching one of those very stories. There's no singular protagonist, no jet-setting, no over-the- top action sequences, nothing in fact that made the 190 million Brad Pitt film excruciating to watch.

Anyone looking for a zombie killing gore fest is in for a major disappointment. The film is a drama, focusing on its characters, a very good decision regarding the low budget which might have seen us subjected to terrible grey makeup and bright red blood. (I'm certainly not taking a dig at the original Dawn of the Dead film! Don't think that for a minute) The zombies themselves don't appear on screen until an hour in, though they do attack (unseen) fifteen minutes earlier than that. This film is not about zombie killing; it's about the people doing the killing. Regarding acting, excellent although sometimes uneven, particularly when the scene requires anger but overall a good performance.

The dialogue which might be considered lacking in quality actually makes for a greater sense of reality; they sound like soldiers because they sound like ordinary guys rather than the polished, 'what we would like to think they're like' model prone to patriotic or anti-war monologues that Hollywood has subjected us to for years,

Once again, the focus on the characters and the scenes of the narrator typing their story is what makes it excellent viewing. Some may find the narration annoying but the narrator is the outsider, like the audience, looking in on the soldiers from the outside and trying to understand their experience and do it justice with the written word. Moments where he looks at what he has typed and wonders whether it's good enough naturally makes you think about the many civilian attempts to recount wars and their frequent failure to get it right.

If low-budget SFX (I didn't mind, how a muzzle flash looks doesn't affect the telling of the story) non-million-dollar-pay-cheque acting and a lack of gore annoys you, then you will not like this film. If you're looking for a story that would fit neatly into Max Brooks World War Z,you've found it. If you just want an interesting take on the Zombie Genre, here it is.

8.5 out of 10

Surprisingly decent with this budget

[intrepidami · 6/10 · 9 November 2013]

So what do you do with just a reported $1000 budget? Keep it simple. That's what these guys tried to do, and surprise, they pretty much pulled it off.

Decent acting, not "I'd like to thank the Academy" but not bad. Obviously they don't have a large makeup budget, so there's hardly any gore. But the battle scenes are pulled off rather well. Better than much larger budget movies. There's no campy acting. There's nobody trying to upstage everybody else.

The only really unrealistic thing here? Zombies coming right for them, right out in the open, no cover, they pause and have a really overdone dramatic 'bro moment' while...what? The zombies stopped to take a smoke break? I realize your actors are probably doing these movies trying to be seen by a major studio or something, but that was the most unrealistic part of a movie with..ZOMBIES in it!

What you don't see is worse than what you do see...

[AndyVanScoyoc · 9/10 · 20 August 2017]

Sad, believable and excruciating to watch. An excellent film.

These soldiers could be any soldiers, any war.

The people whining about nit picking particulars need to get over themselves and obviously aren't film makers.

Attention to detail is what matters in a "documentary" such as this...not blood, guts and Hollywood style pizazz.

Also...being as zombies can't think, if this were to ever happen,it WOULD be a war...a war to save humanity. Killing machines that never NEED sleep or food, against frail humans.

I was tense throughout this entire movie...just waiting for the unexpected.

It never came, but what did happen was worse...an all out assault and the letdown of another lost life.

If you're not a thinker and you just want mindless gore, then this film isn't for you.

But if you like a story with substance, I highly recommend this film.

Bravo...

Pretty good movie

[nbtc971 · 6/10 · 18 October 2014]

Listen, for a movie made for an estimated $1,000, this did a good job of building the suspense and actually making you care about the characters. The music was used to good effect and the acting was pretty good. The lack of make-up for the zombies and the gun muzzle effects were the only things that distracted, but for the budget they were on, just didn't bother me that much. I think everyone involved with the movie should feel pretty good about what they accomplished.

I'm giving this movie a 6. If this was a big budget or medium budget film it would not be a 6, but for a low budget movie it certainly deserves the score.