Day 128: Pontypool

Pontypool

Bloody hell

Is a zombie movie still a zombie movie where there are no zombies in the movie? Sorry for the tongue twister, but it's an interesting question posed by the movie Pontypool. Director Bruce McDonald (Roadkill, Hardcore Logo) has stated that the people in Pontypool are not zombies. I would disagree. You don't need flesh chomping and brain eating to have a zombie movie. The true question would be “Is this a good horror movie?” The answer is a resounding “Hell yeah!”

Pontypool is a 2009 horror/psychological thriller starring Stephen McHattie (Watchmen, 2012) as grizzled radio DJ Grant Mazzy. Grant is a former shock jock and has been reduced to doing the morning radio in the tiny town of Pontypool, Ontario, Canada. He makes his way to the station early in the morning during a blizzard when a woman comes out of nowhere, women taps on his window, strangely repeating the same word over and over, before disappearing into the darkness. Grant's shock jock persona tries to break through during his show, but he is is reprimanded by his producer Sydney (Lisa Houle). They receive a call from their weatherman, Ken Loney, that a mob has surrounded the office of Dr. Menendez. He describes the carnage which causes numerous deaths and the inclusion of the army when he is abruptly cut off. They frantically try to confirm reports, but can't get anything conclusive. Ken calls back, this time from inside a grain silo when attacked by the teenage son of a local woman. The call is interrupted by a French transmission, which station assistant Laurel-Ann (Georgina Reilly) translates, telling people to remain indoors, refrain from using terms of endearment and the English language, and to not translate the message. Grant tries to leave the station, but is attacked by a horde of infected people, crushing up against the building. Laurel-Ann begins to demonstrate erratic behavior, fixating and repeating words and phrases over and over before completely freezing in place. At the same time, Dr. Menendez, who survived the initial onslaught, has crawled his way into the radio station and goes on air trying to explain exactly what is going on. He theorizes that a virus has found it's way into the English language, infecting certain words and then infecting humans. Laural-Ann, now infected, continuously slams into the radio booth, trying to get at Grant, Sydney and Dr. Menendez inside. The horde finally breaks into the radio station, and Dr. Menendez starts to succumb to the virus. How will Grant and Sydney survive?

"The golden tones of my voice will stop them!"

I don't say this often, but this movie is powerful. It's built on strong writing and even stronger performances. Stephen McHattie is fantastic in his role as a Don Imus-like DJ at the end of his rope, just trying to hang on to his former glory. He has been beaten down, but is still strong during this time of crisis, being the voice of the story and regaining what he used to be. So much of his performance is based on his facial expressions and tone in his voice, appropriate for a movie based more on words than actions. He's joined by a strong supporting cast in Lisa Houle and Georgina Reilly. Even Hrant Alianak who played Dr. Menendez was great, frantically slipping in and out of the virus's effects. Bruce McDonald does a good job directing with good wide and closeup shots which convey both the gravity of the situation and the emotion of the characters.

As I said earlier, Pontypool is most certainly a zombie movie. True, it doesn't have any real biting or even that much visual violence, but that's not really what's at the heart of most good zombie movies. The emotion and social commentary throughout the movie fits right in with such zombie classics as Night of the Living Dead and 28 Days Later. We are thrown right into the psychological maelstrom along with the characters, learning information bit by bit. The phone calls from Ken in the field, giving first hand accounts, was a really nice touch. There is some action, but I could have used some more. That's just the zombie fan in me wanting to see some arms ripped off and some head shots. There are some hints as to what and why things are happening, but we are never really given anything concrete. I would have liked a little more explanation, just to satisfy my own curiosity, but it doesn't hinder the story.

It's a radical look, but it works for you

Pontypool succeeds because of the fantastic acting, great writing, and really solid directing. Stephen McHattie puts on a particularly good performance that makes the movie work. The audience is taken on a terrifying emotional roller coaster without ever really seeing much violence or leaving the radio station. While not your usual zombie film, it has all the elements that make a zombie movie what it should be. If you're looking for lots of blood, guts, and violence, this movie isn't for you. If you're looking for a smart, creative take on the zombie genre, Pontypool is a must-see. Maybe it's because I'm a radio DJ, but I loved this movie.

9/10

Day 127: Tales From The Crypt: Demon Knight

Tales From The Crypt: Demon Knight

Have a good knight! EEEHEHEHEHEHEHE

As I've addressed in my review of “Ritual,” Tales From The Crypt used to scale the hell out of me, mostly because of the Crypt Keeper. There's just something terrifying about a corpse puppet making terrible puns in a high-pitched voice that just strikes fear into the hearts of children. Now that I'm older, much like Freddy Krueger, the Crypt Keeper is just over-the-top funny. Of course, the version of Ritual that I watched didn't have the Crypt Keeper or anything related to Tales From The Crypt other than the name in the title. Thankfully, Demon Knight was not only a far superior movie, but also included the Crypt Keeper at the beginning and end.

Demon Knight is a 1995 horror movie starring William Sadler (The Mist, Freaked) as Frank Brayker , Billy Zane (Titanic, The Phantom) as The Collector, and Jada Pinkett (The Nutty Professor, The Matrix Reloaded) as ex-criminal Jeryline. Frank and the Collector are in a cat-and-mouse chase that leads Frank to a tiny hotel converted from a church in the California desert. He observes the residents, owner Irene (CCH Pounder, Avatar, Warehouse 13), Jeryline, Uncle Willy (Dick Miller, Eerie Indiana, Gremlins), prostitute Cordelia, cook Roach (Thomas Hayden Church, Spider-man 3, Sideways), and postal worker Wally. Collector meets with the Sheriff and his inept deputy Bob and convince them that Frank is a thief, in possession of a relic that belongs to him. They arrest Frank, but learn that the Collector had also stolen a car, so they try to take him in, but Collector literally punches through the sheriff's face. He is driven out of the building by Frank's mystical artifact, a cross-shaped key with blood inside it. The Collector cuts himself, bleeding neon green blood onto the ground, which gives rise to hideous humanoid demons. The demons attack, but Brayker pours blood out of the key onto each doorway, creating a seal that the demons cannot pass. Unable to get in, Collector uses psychic powers to seduce the inhabitants into letting him in. Brayker explains that after God created the Heavens and the Earth, demons spawned in the darkness, forging 7 keys that, when combined, would grant them the power of the universe. God created light and scattered the demons and the keys across the cosmos. Since them, the demons have collected 6 keys and have returned to Earth to get the 7^th. To prevent it from falling into the demon's hands, God had a thief fill it with the blood of Jesus from the crucifixion. Throughout the years, various people have been the guardian of the key, but they are not immortal. Seriously hurt, Frank grants Jeryline his power and refills the key with his blood. Will Jeryline be able to defeat the Collector and save the world?

At least the company looks nice

First off, I have to say that this movie is flat-out fun to watch. It does so many things right that I almost feel bad for pointing out any flaws. The acting is what really carries the movie, with Billy Zane putting in an amazing performance. Seriously, he should have won an award for his over-the-top, charmingly evil Collector. He appears to be having a blast throughout the entire movie without sacrificing his ability to be an evil demon. Jada Pinkett and William Sadler are great as well along with a really good supporting cast. Ernest Dickerson is very good in the director's chair, which is not a surprise since he has also directed episodes of The Walking Dead and The Wire. The story itself is fairly different and original, though it does get a little clunky with the whole God/Jesus blood bit. It's not enough of a distraction to take away from the movie, it just feels kind of weird.

The portion of the movie that works so well is the action mixed with horror. The demons look creepy, sort of like a mixture of alien and humans caked in mud. The humans that become possessed look extra terrifying and the makeup people deserve a lot of credit as their creations are the stuff of nightmares. There is plenty of blood and creative kills that will make you wince and laugh. You know you're in for a fun ride when Billy Zane punches through the sheriff’s head and can get his hand free, futilely trying to shake it off like he just stuck his hand into an old pumpkin.

Oh, the sights we'll see and the people we'll kill

Demon Knight is a fun mixture of horror, action, and humor. The writing and acting are great with a solid director at the helm. There is a good amount of bloody violence and smart humor that keeps the audience excited and entertained. The movie also contains a really good hard rock/heavy metal soundtrack including Pantera, Filter, and Rollins Band. Thankfully, the Crypt Keeper is in the prologue and epilogue of the movie and there are references to Tales From The Crypt, as it should be when their name is in the title of the freaking movie. TFTC had a history of false starts and general confusion when it came to their movies as Demon Knight was supposed to be the second in a trilogy, but actually came out first. After the credits, we're told to look forward to the next TFTC movie called Dead Easy which never actually came out. Someone really must have screwed up, but it doesn't matter because we got a great movie. Definitely check this one out as soon as you can.

9/10

Day 126: Vampire Bats

Vampire Bats

Bats all, folks!

It's Creature Feature Saturday once again. I was debating whether or not to watch George Romero's “Monkey Shines” for today, but I just couldn't commit to it's long running time (around 113 minutes), especially when the New York Rangers are playing right now. If I accidentally type “Shoot the damn puck!” that's why. Maybe I'll try it next week. It's not like I'm rushing to watch the latest CGI SyFy Channel animalfest. I wasn't sure what else to watch, but I saw that Xena, Warrior Princess herself, Lucy Lawless, starred in an animal horror movie. She's always enjoyable, so I figured I'd give it a shot.

Vampire Bats is a 2005 horror/animal attack movie starring Lucy Lawless (Xena, Warrior Princess, Eurotrip) as college professor/scientist Maddy Rierdon. Maddy and her husband Dan are both professors at Tate University in Louisiana. Her students Jason, Eden, and Aaron go to an underground rave out in the bayou. They drink punch that is spiked with Ecstasy and Jason wanders off. Lost in the woods, he is attacked and killed by vampire bats. Sherriff Herbst questions Eden and Aaron in Jason's death, but Maddy is able to prove their innocence. She inspects Jason's body and points out vampire bat bite marks. The bites are strange and don't exactly match up to those of a typical vampire bat. More bat attacks occur, including at another rave and at a fancy yacht party attended by Maddy. After some investigation, it is revealed that a local chemical company called Carbide Waste Resources has been dumping chemicals in the local water, mutating the vampire bats. Mayor Poelker (Timothy Bottoms, The Paper Chase, The Girl Next Door) is working with Carbide and is trying to keep Maddy and her students from exposing them. Will Maddy be able to stop the bats and save the town?

Xena is deadly with a broom

This movie is better than your average animal-based horror movie, but not by much. The bats are thankfully not over-CGI'd or look like cheap Halloween decorations on strings. It's somewhere in the middle, but believable enough to not hinder the movie. The plot is pretty standard with an evil corporation poisoning the environment, mutating animals and turning them into murder machines. Unfortunately, not a lot of time or effort is given to said evil corporation. That aspect of the story only comes within the last 30 minutes or so. Most of the time is spent with a slow build for a movie that doesn't need one. It's just mutant bats, let them go nuts and eat some flesh. There's too much “in-between” time in the movie. That's not to say there's no action or blood, just not enough for my taste, and when they have close-up shots of the bats attacking, it looks incredibly fake.

Lucy Lawless is very good in her role and pretty to boot. Timothy Bottoms is a nice mixture of George W. Bush and Rick Santorum, so I feel OK when I want to smash his face in. The various college kids are fine and I never felt like they didn't belong in college, which is a problem for some horror movies. There are some plot holes in Vampire Bats that stuck out to me, particularly the local police department so easily giving information to Maddy after Jason's death. Jeez, has this place ever heard of protocol or standard procedures? They even let her inspect his body. A lawyer would have an aneurism over this type of negligence.

"This isn't an old bat...it's a new one! RUN!!!!"

Vampire Bats has it's moments, but overall, it's nothing special. Lucy Lawless puts in a good performance along with the rest of the cast, but it's not enough to overcome a plain story. The action is passable, but I would have preferred more. For creature features, you could do plenty worse than this movie, but you could also do better.

4/10

Day 125: Jack Frost

Jack Frost

Oh hai!

I remember seeing the cover for the movie Jack Frost in a video store and thought it was really funny. When you walked past it, the cover went from a smiling, friendly snowman into a hideous fanged snow creature. Even at a younger age, I knew this was completely ridiculous. Well, I needed something ridiculous to watch, and low and behold, it came up on Netflix. A killer mutant snowman? Sure, let's give it a shot.

Jack Frost (not to be confused with the equally ridiculous Michael Keaton movie of the same name) is a 1996 horror-comedy starring Scott Macdonald (Fire In The Sky, Water For Elephants) as the deranged serial killer, Jack Frost. After cutting a murderous swath through the country, Jack gets careless and is caught by Sam Tiler (Christopher Allport, The X Files, ER), the sheriff of the small town of Snowmonton. Sentenced to death, the truck carrying Jack to his execution gets into an accident with a truck carrying an experimental acid. Jack escapes, but is doused with the acid, melting his body into the snowy ground. His molecules bond with the snow, turning him into a living, breathing snowman. Jack begins to terrorize the small town, brutally murdering people in various forms of icey and snowy ways. Hearing of the town's murders, Agent Manners and Agent Stone come to Snowmonton to investigate. It is revealed that Agent Stone is a representative of a genetic research company that created the acid and that the killer snowman is really Jack Frost. He explains that Jack's transformation proves the human soul really exists as a chemical and can help man survive a nuclear holocaust. Will Sheriff Tiler be able to overcome his fear of Jack Frost and defeat him or will Jack put him on ice? 

Free hugs!

Clearly, this movie is wacky. How do you criticize a movie that knows it's fairly stupid? The story was probably conceived after a night of heavy drinking and watching Christmas cartoons. The story rangers from funny to weird to absurd. It's fine to have a simple story in order to get to the jokes and killing, but there are just some glaring errors that made me slap my forehead. Like why would Shannon Elizabeth's character and her boyfriend sneak into the Sheriff's house to have sex? That makes less than no sense. Why would the Sheriff son put anti-freeze in oatmeal? That's not a typo by the way, that actually happened. If Jack can turn into water, why does the Sheriff try to stuff the spaces in a door with paper to keep him out? I know it's silly to point out the flaws in a movie with a killer snowman, but I can't help it.

The humor in the movie has a decent amount of laughs and plenty of eyerolls. The idea of a a snowman raping a girl with his carrot nose was not funny and was really terrible. There is a good amount of action with some fun kills and blood. The snowman and special effects are incredibly cheap looking. The acting is passable, but not exactly award-winning. There are some creative camera shots, but they get over used and end up making me dizzy by the end. 

Oh, that's cold

Jack Frost usually falls into the “it's so bad it's good” category of B-movies. That is why it is regarded by some as a cult classic. There is some humor, but plenty of terrible one-liners and swing-and-miss attempts. It has some decent violence, but is hindered by a hilariously terrible snowman costume and awful effects. Is the movie good? No. Is it fun to watch. Sort of. Jack Frost probably best watched with friends and a few cocktails.

4/10

Day 124: Hellraiser

Hellraiser

I don't think I can re-gift that

Alright, I admit it: I've never seen Hellraiser before. It's not like I was completely avoiding it, it had just never popped into my mind to watch it. If it's ever on TV, it would be too cut up and edited, thus defeating the purpose of watching it. Plus it would be stretched out over an absurd amount of time to cram in lots of commercials for Tide and Pepsi. Next time you see Godfather on TV, look at how long the running time is. Most of my knowledge of Hellraiser is just based on movie quotes used in metal and hardcore songs and Pinface. My father and I used to joke that every time we drove by a shack with a weird glow in the window, Pinface lived there. Maybe he fell on hard times or just needed some alone time. Anyway, it was finally time to see Hellraiser.

Hellraiser is a 1987 horror movie based off of director Clive Barker's (Candyman, Lord of Illusions) novella, “The Hellbound Heart”. The movie starts with hedonistic Frank Cotton (Sean Chapman, Underworld, A Mighty Heart) who has purchased a mystical puzzle box from a dealer in Morocco. Frank solves the box back in the attic of his London home, unlocking a dimension where Frank is brutally tortured and ripped to pieces by strange humanoids. After his disappearance, Frank's brother Larry (Andrew Robinson, Mask, Cobra) moves into the home with his wife Julia (Clare Higgins, The Golden Compass, Being Human). It is revealed that Julia had a passionate and hedonistic affair with Frank, which she has managed to keep secret. During the move, Frank cuts his hand on a nail and his blood drips onto the floor of the attic. His blood manages to bring Frank back from the other dimension, but only as a mass of bones and nerves. Julia finds him and Frank tells her he needs more blood to become whole again. Julia begins to pick up men at bars only to bring them to the attic and murder them, bringing Frank closer to becoming whole again. Frank explains to Julia that he had exhausted all sensory pleasures and sought out the puzzle box, hoping to unlock new pleasures. Instead it opened a portal to a realm inhabited by beings known as Cenobites who subjected him to extreme sadomasochistic torture. Larry's daughter Kirsty (Ashley Laurence, Red, Hellbound) spies on Julia and discovers the not-quite-whole Frank in the attic. She escapes with the puzzle box and accidentally enters the Cenobite's realm. She cuts a deal with them to bring them to Frank. Will she be able to stop Frank from becoming whole and what will the Cenobites do to her?

From the looks of it, make her join a shitty Goth band

Just based on my very limited knowledge of the franchise, this wasn't exactly what I was expecting. Calling it weird is an understatement. Not that that's a bad thing, I was just way out of the loop. About half the movie is focused on Julia and Frank, whereas the second half gives more attention to Kirsty and the Cenobites. The Cenobites are never actually named, but in credits they're referred to as Lead Cenobite (Pinhead), Female Cenobite, Chatterer, and Butterball. In sequels, more attention is given to the Cenobites, specifically Pinhead. I was hoping to get a little more of them in this movie, like background information, but it wasn't to be. They look quite terrifying, though. The makeup is great and their pseudo S&M costumes fit perfectly.

One small thing that bothered me was the relationship between Julia and Frank. It just felt out of place and convenient. Maybe she just really needed a solid rogering, but I just couldn't get over how their affair just sort of “happened”. It's a minor detail, but it stuck with me. When I think about it, there really isn't a lot of story to the movie, but it is still entertaining. The performances all around are very solid. There are plenty of scares and a good amount of action throughout. Some scenes are particularly graphic, so the movie is not for the squeamish or the faint of heart. Barker does a great job with a very limited budget and a story that would be too bizarre to be made nowadays. 

"Hey, this suit was bloody when I found it."

Hellraiser is a different kind of horror movie. The monsters are plenty scary and there is lots of blood, but the overall S&M content and torture sets it apart from your average horror movie. The fear and terror created in the movie doesn't come from music swells or implied violence; it's right in your face, smacking you with a bloody stump. The performances and direction are very good and the makeup and effects help bring the movie to another level. It's a fun watch, but not for ones that do not like gore. I didn't absolutely love it, but it had some good scary moments and was worth my time. At least I can finally mark it on my horror movie checklist.

7/10

Day 123: Resident Evil: Afterlife

Resident Evil: Afterlife

But isn't regular life in 3D?

Resident Evil is officially a movie franchise. After scores of video games, shirts, toys, and even an animated movie, Resident Evil has moved past the originally planned trilogy and gone on to number four. Off the top of my head, I can't recall a fourth movie of a franchise being particularly good. Not Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Halloween, or Friday The 13^th. Would this movie fair any better? I mean, it has zombies in it and zombies make everything better. Right?

Resident Evil: Afterlife once again stars Milla Jovovich (Fifth Element, Zoolander) as Alice, the superhero killing machine infected with the Umbrella Corporation's T-virus. Alice and her clones created from the previous movie Extinction infiltrate the underground base of Umbrella in Tokyo. Alice reaches Umbrella leader Albert Wesker on his helicopter, where Wesker injects her with a cure to the T-Virus, stripping her of her powers. The helicopter crashes, seemingly killing Wesker while Alice survives. Six months later, she heads to the supposed haven of Arcadia in Alaska. When she arrives, she is attacked by a mind-controlled Claire Redfield (Ali Larter, Legally Blonde, Final Destination). Alice removes the device controlling Claire and they both travel to Los Angeles where they see a group of survivors on the roof of a prison surrounded by zombies. They join the group of survivors and learn that Claire's brother, Chris (Wentworth Miller, Prison Break, Underworld) is actually being held captive in the basement. They learn that Arcadia is not a fixed location, but a cargo tanker floating around the West Coast. The zombies have evolved and are able to tunnel into the prison. There is also a giant super strong zombie carrying a huge ax pounding at the prison's gates. The group makes a break for the port in an effort to make it out to the Arcadia. One of the survivors steals Alice's plane, so they have to go by foot. Most of the survivors are killed while Alice and Claire fight off the ax-wielding monster. They make it out to Arcadia to find it completely abandoned, despite the computer saying there are over a thousand people on board. Is everything as it seems and did Wesker really die in that helicopter crash?

 These are my boom sticks

In terms of being a horror movie, Resident Evil: Afterlife may be the least horrory movie. That's not to say there aren't some good zombie scenes, some scares, and the general apocalyptic desperation that occurs in plenty of horror movies. I just feel like the focused more on sleek action scenes and check-this-out 3D shots. While watching this on a regular screen, every time there was a scene that was clearly shot for 3D purposes, I would shout “3D!” It's a visually stunning movie shot in High Definition with great production and editing with loads of superhero action. That's all great, it's just not heavy on the horror, which is where the video games and original movie started.

One problem I had with the movie was with the zombies themselves. They're faster and their faces open up like some sort of monstrous starfish. There's also the random giant monster with his giant ax. None of this is explained. Why are these zombies different and where did this big fuck come from? And where did he find the huge ax? Home Depot? It's like watching Silent Hill and never playing the video game. I wouldn't have known who Pyramid Head was if I hadn't looked him up. Milla Jovovich is great once again as Alice and Ali Larter does well reprising her role of Claire. Boris Kodjoe (Love & Basketball, Surrogates), who plays survivor Luther West, also does a fine job, especially knowing that he did his own stunts. Paul W.S. Anderson reprises his role as director, using his sharp eye for beautiful slow-motion action shots, but not much for atmospheric horror.

What an ax hole

Resident Evil: Afterlife is a fun action movie, but a disappointing horror movie. The acting is good and the action is fun. It is beautiful to look at and the soundtrack adds something extra to the scenes. If you have not played the video games, like myself, you'll miss references and may be a bit lost when it comes to the zombies changing. The movie is certainly entertaining, but its unfortunate to see it move away from horror so much. I'd recommend seeing the previous movies before watching this one as you will be lost and confused. Though not as good as previous installments, it's still worth watching if you're looking for a fun movie. After all, there's a new one coming out later this year.

6.5/10

Day 122: Against The Dark

Against The Dark

You have the right to remain dead

Steven Seagal. The greatest martial artist, action star, lawman, and thespian of our or any time. OK, that's a stretch, but I am endlessly entertained by him, for good or bad. Believe it or not, Seagal still makes a lot of movies, almost all direct-to-DVD and direct-to-Spike TV. While the little details may change, all of the movies involve Steven Seagal and ass-kicking. You can keep your Chuck Norrises and your Jean-Claude Van Dammmes. This man is a killing machine wrapped in a leather trench coat that he never takes off. Lucky for us, he decided to delve into the world of horror with Against The Dark. (Side note: You ever notice how a lot of his movies are explanations of what his character is? Like "Steven Seagal is...Under Siege". "Steven Seagal is...Half Past Dead". Weird, right?)

Against The Dark is a 2009 horror/action movie starring the one, the only, Steven Seagal (Under Siege, Above The Law) as the vigilante creature hunter Tao. An epidemic has swept across the planet, turning most of the population into blood thirsty cannibalistic zombies. Saying blood-thirsty and calling them cannibals isn't a mistake because these “zombies” drink blood and eat flesh. They are also afraid of the light, so I guess they're more like vampire zombies. Survivors Charlotte (Jenna Harrison, My Brother Tom, 12 Days of Terror) and Morgan (Danny Midwinter, From Hell, Dead Cert) has been hiding in an abandoned hospital when they run into another group of survivors, including a young girl named Charlie. They have run out of food and the hospital's generators are going to fail soon. They decide to head over to the other side of the hospital to find food and get to the security doors. The have to fight their way through the vampire-zombie hordes while Tao, Tagart (Tanoai Reed, Doom, Iron Man 2) and the rest of the hunters make their way to the group. Meanwhile, Lt. Waters (Keith David, Pitch Black, Barbershop) has been given the order to “cleanse” the area that the survivors are in. The group is slowly killed off and one of them is kidnapped by a doctor still in the hospital. The doctor reveals that the creatures have evolved and are not mindless monsters. He plans to feed him to his mutated daughter, but Tao saves the day. Will Tao be able to get the group out of the hospital before the army blows them up?

You don't have to be in shape to shoot a gun

Without going any further, I have to address the creatures in this movie. It's never really established what they are other than mutants. They look like corpses, they eat flesh, and they were turned via an epidemic. Sounds like a zombie, right? That's not the case because we also see them drinking blood, they're afraid of the sunlight, oh and they talk. Yeah, they fucking talk. Not a lot, just a few scenes. If that's the case, why were they not talking the rest of the movie? I guess it's fine because they're technically mutants so really anything goes, but for viewing purposes, it's incredibly stupid. Why not just make it a zombie movie? You're not improving the story by throwing in little bits of other monsters.

Despite being a “Steven Seagal” movie, he's not in it that much. Or perhaps he's not in it enough for my liking. If I'm watching a Seagal movie, I want him in it for at least 95% of the time for his “great” one-liners and lazy action moves. More focus is given to the group making their way through the hospital. The entire scene with the doctor kidnapping someone came out of nowhere and made less than no sense. It's completely random and doesn't really progress much of the movie. The creatures evolve and can talk, so what? It feels like a lot of the scenes throughout the movie were just half-baked ideas that just got thrown into the blender and puked out onto the film. Thankfully there is a good amount of action with some nice violence and blood. At least they got that right.

He's practically poured into that over-sized trench coat

Against The Dark is Steven Seagal's first horror movie. He is actually fine in it, though I was wanting to see him more. The story has lots of holes (wouldn't the mutants starve pretty quickly since the only a small percent of humans still exist?) and is a mish-mash of horror genres and cliches. There is plenty of violence and blood to keep you entertained, but not enough to distract you from the terribleness. I'd definitely like to see more Steven Seagal in horror movies (or romance or comedy), but this one was just too bad even for Seagal to save.

3/10