Cult Movie Challenge 2018 | 41/52 | Zombies
Howie and a friend sit in a tent outside Howie’s house. Suddenly, they hear someone moving around outside. Howie’s sister Emily, inside the house, also hears noises and thinks it’s her little brother messing with her. The boys go inside, not noticing the trail of muddy footprints leading to the door. A zombie enters and kills Emily. The cops enter and shoot the zombie through the skull. Cut to Howie standing outside in the rain as the police restrain the zombie’s body parts, still alive. He also sees them stuff Dr. Herbert West into the back of a police car. A syringe full of glowing green liquid falls out of Dr. West’s pocket.
Thirteen years pass. Dr. West is still in prison, catching mice and performing experiments on them. A guard gives West a new work assignment. Meanwhile, Dr. Howard Phillips starts work at the prison. A guard escorts Phillips to the Warden, who is giving an interview to a reporter named Laura Olney regarding his belief in the death penalty over rehabilitation. Dr. Phillips has requested that Dr. West assist him in his work, as the prison is understaffed. Also, Phillips knows of Dr. West. Thirteen years ago, little Howie Phillips saw Dr. West’s arrest.
When Phillips and West are alone together, Phillips produces the syringe that West dropped all those years ago. He wants to work with West and continue the work he did all those years ago. What could go wrong?
One complaint you’ll never hear about a Brian Yuzna/Screaming Mad George flick is that the effects suck. These practical gore effects harken back to the 80s but still look great. The CGI effects are noticeable, but are good enough for the movie.
Unfortunately, the movie’s budget couldn’t meet its ambitions. With most of the money clearly going to what effects they could put together, and Jeffrey Combs, the movie isn’t able to hire good actors, and the setting is mainly confined to a prison to hide the fact that they’re filming in Spain.
In many ways, this film is a retread of the original Re-Animator, but it manages to develop a couple of ideas into a pretty fun third act. You can see the echoes of a bigger finale, but they still make it work. I wish more movies from this era were willing to go this gonzo.
Stray Thoughts / Spoilers
- Could they really only afford a sexy nurse costume for Nurse Vanessa? Like, are you okay with the inmates seeing your bra?
- Nothing shows your attraction to a woman more than comparing her face to your sister’s.
- NPE is the Re-Animator universe’s midichlorians?
- Ah, that Re-Animator theme hits some nostalgic notes.
- The prison riot is so messy!
- RAT WARDEN!
- The rat with the dismembered penis is such an insane choice.