Film Review: NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD: DARKEST DAWN (2014)

There is never any shortage of filmmakers mining the title of “Night of the Living Dead” due to the fact that it is in the public domain but it’s rare when someone attempts an animated film such as Night of the Living Dead: Darkest Dawn (2014).  Now this isn’t the first attempt at an animated film based on this property as 2009’s Night of the Living Dead: Reanimated has that honor but this film does take the story you are familiar with and turns it on its head to craft something uniquely different for fans of the original film.

If you’ve seen the original ’68 and/or ’90 version of the George Romero film then you know the basic story.  Barbara (voiced by Danielle Harris) and her brother Johnny (Bill Moseley who played the same character in the ’90 version) go to a graveyard to visit their dead father’s grave when they are attacked by a zombie.  After Johnny dies, Barbara flees down the road finding herself at the farm house where she meets Ben (voiced by Tony Todd, also returning from the ’90 version) and the rest of the cast of characters.  It starts of nice and well just like the original film but then detours as the action soon leaves the house and takes to the city streets.

The detours in the plot that this film takes are interesting and refreshing from a film that’s been redone, remade, and re-imagined by more people than any other film in history and none of the proceeds going back to the original filmmakers.  Some of the more creative rip-offs includes NOTLD: Resurrection (2012), NOTLD 3D (2006) and its sequel 3D: Re-Animation (2012) and there is even a new one to be released soon called NOTLD: Genesis, in addition to all the ones previously mentioned.

Although this would seem to be an interesting film, the animation style is what pulls it down as it is basic and lacks refinement and cohesiveness.  This is surprising considering that the Reanimated film had a plethora of different styles from different creators and yet it all messed together.  Directed  by Zebediah De Soto and Krisztian Majdik the film is inspired but may not appeal to anyone other than hardcore NOTLD fans interested with a curiosity for something new.

Film Review: JACK THE REAPER (2011)

A group of teens forced into a trip about history get more than they bargained for when they find themselves trapped in an old amusement park and hunted down by a ruthless killer in Jack the Reaper (2011).  A nightmarish alternative to The Breakfast Club finds a diverse group of teens being forced to learn about the history of a nearby railroad and Railroad Jack who haunts it.  When their bus breaks down on the way back to school they search out help at an amusement park that looks open but upon reaching their destination they realize that there is no one there.

They decide to take matters in their own hands while waiting for help by enjoying all that the amusement park has to offer but soon realize that the park is not as abandoned as they once thought and that Railroad Jack is real and out to kill them one by one.

Written and directed by Kimberly Seilhamer this film is actually more entertaining than it probably should be.  It’s your typical teen slasher film but there is so much fun to be had in the film that it entertains despite any of the clichés you’ve already seen a hundred times before.  The gore quotient is high and the energy in the film keeps the film going from beginning to end.  Plus there is also a cameo appearance from Tony Todd and Sally Kirkland so that plays in the film’s favor as well.