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Diary of the Dead (2007)

   
Written & Directed by: George A. Romero

Starring:

Joshua Close ... Jason Creed
Scott Wentworth ...  Andrew Mazxwell
Michelle Morgan ... Debra Moynihan
Joe Dinicol ... Eliot Stone
Shawn Roberts ... Tony Ravello
Amy Ciupak Lalonde ... Tracy Thurman
Philip Riccio ... Ridley Wilmott
Megan Park ...  Francine Shane
Chris Violette ... Gordo Thorsen
Tatiana Maslany ... Mary Dexter


Release Date:
Toronto Film Festival: September 8, 2007; Fantastic Film Festival: Spetember 20, 2007; Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival: Octboer 6, 2007; Vienna Intenational Film Festival: October 28, 2007; London FrightFest Film Festival: November 2, 2007; Málaga International Week of Fantastic Cinema: November 11, 2007 (Spain); Sundance Film Festival: January 8, 2008; International Film Festival Rotterdam: January 26, 2008; Limited Theatrical: February 15, 2008 (Canada & USA); Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Films: March 28, 2008; Fantasy Filmfest Nights: March 29, 2008 (Germany)

*Images courtesy at:
www.beyondhollywood.com

   

Rating:

 

A student filmmaker named Jason Creed (Joshua Close) makes a horror movie with his classmates out in the woods but then they discover that the dead has suddenly revived and so he turns his camera to the real life horrors that surrounds them making a diary on their journey and escaping from the madness.
He rescues his girlfriend Debra Moynihan (Michelle Morgan) from the girl's dorm as well as travelling with some other survivors in a mobile vehicle driving away from the blood thirsty zombie's but some of them are bitten by zombie's and turning into some themselves.
They also run into trouble with their van as well as being taken in to some thugs and being robbed by an army of men while they try to arrive at their friends mansion by the name of Ridley Wilmott (Phillip Riccio) which is in the middle of nowhere for a hideout spot but things aren't the same for him either they find out which can lead them to more trouble.
However, Jason still refuses to put his camera down to solve these issues as he must keep this all on file and to continue with his movie making by what's happening so others will know what is going on.

 

This was my favourite sequel out of all the Romero Living Dead flicks as it is a mocumentary which should have been done for a zombie flick to make it very creative and that's what it is!!!!
It's like Cloverfield blended in with Blair Witch Project both combined together.  How so??? Well in Cloverfield it was someone using his camera for a party shoot and then they decide to make a mocumentary after a beast is attacking their area as here someone is making a film and terror with zombie's are taking over so instead they direct it to that. In Blair Witch we have people quarrelling and arguing as well as being freaked out which happens in this one too.
Also, a sequel to this one will be happening as I can't wait to see it. The door totally opened for one too during the end of this film.

The acting is well done by mainly a Canadian cast who strut their stuff in a nice way.
Joshua Close is good with his part as the stubborn and ignorant student filmmaker Jason as he brings that part across sweetly.
Michelle Morgan really knew how to perform aggressively as well as emotionally proving to be a true character to her part in this film.
Joe Dinicol played a fairly descent type of nerd in the film.
Shawn Roberts really knew how to present himself with his bluntness to his part in the film who is one of the best male actors in this one.
Philip Ricio also showed a great bubbly type of attitude to his role in the film as he will be remembered well to anyone who watched this film.

Zombie's bite people's necks
Pieces of hands and other body parts are exposed
Guts spill out of a zombie's stomach
Zombie's heads are blown off or shot
A zombie's head is chopped in half
Acid melts on a zombie's head
Lots of blood and other gruesome happenings

George A. Romero tried to direct a mocumentary for the first time although it is interesting it doesn't look overly natural but he still passes with it.
He shows a funny scene with supporting actor
Philip Riccio dressed as a Mummy walking around in the woods as well as later on they hear some sounds in the woods which gives it that Blair Witch type of feel to it.
There is a good camera shot around a girls dorm with
Joshua Close speaking behind the camera calling for his girlfriend and a funny moment with bit part actor playing a Looter who surprisingly isn't credited in the film but was darn right funny about what his involvement was in the women's dorm and stealing stuff which offers some chuckles.
A good look with a camera being put down and Close hugging Michelle Morgan as she knew how to cry and act scared by what is going on.
There's a good shot on
Michelle Morgan having an attitude about the taping of them in a mobile when they are trying to escape the zombie's.
There's a good shot in the mobile at their front window on a featured extra actor Matt Birman as a Zombie Trooper slowly walking towards the van with a police car in flames and supporting actress
Tatiana Maslany reacts well thinking it's an alive trooper but then later on react well discovering that the trooper is a zombie panicking.
Maslany does well crying while driving thinking that she killed some people and Morgan also does well trying to comnfort her assuring her that those people were dead already.
Maslany looked good sitting at a lawn in deep thoughts looking upset.
There's a good shot on some featured extras as paramedic zombies coming out of a room and a good pose on Chris Violette holding a gun and shooting.
We also have a good close up shot on Maslany with her eyes closed in a wheelchair and then she suddenly wakes up looking like a terror which makes you jump.
There is a also a good moment in a hospital hallway with Violette walking and suddenly a featured extra as another paramedic zombie starts to attack him.
A nice distance shot on
Amy Ciupak Lalonde standing up with Violette rising up and her shooting him.
There's a good presence by supporting actor Boyd Banks as a deaf farmer trying to help the rest fix their vehicle inside his shack as zombies try to come in which looks suspenseful as you wonder if they will all survive.
Morgan does well by looking for her parents at their house and trying to explain why they aren't there and crying about it all and Shawn Roberts was good trying to calm her down. 
A good shot on bit part actress Trish Adams as a zombie Mrs. 
Moynihan rising up from behind a couch and slowly walking towards Morgan when she can't believe what happened to her mother.
Another good presence was by bit part actor Alan Van Sprang  as a Colonel when he enters their mobile as he gives you an impression that he's not there to greet them and something much worst. He does well by aiming his rifle towards the camera and demanding to shut it off.
Everyone is good when they enter the mansion they planned to meet their friend at with good shots on the surveillance camera on them wandering around and Riccio does well by catching up on them by surprise greeting them like none of the terror has ever happened.
Riccio does well when he nervously talks trying to hide his guilt when Morgan tries to force it out of him where everyone else is and about what is all happening as he really did well by acting tense. He also does well by wobbling when he walks trying to show both Lalonde and Close  to where everyone is  as they react well not liking this idea.
A good camera shot looking up on Riccio as a zombie showing great facial zombie expressions as well as a good running shot on him chasing after Lalonde as she screams asking for some help about this along with nice shots in a forestry area.
Lalonde does great by not taking it anymore and taking off in the mobile acting like a bitch.
Morgan is good kneeling down and caressing Close as he does well with his choked out words.
There are other great shots on the surveillance cameras showing around the place with what is going on as well as other zombie's approaching the house.
Close does well by sitting in front of the camera making a speech of why he is shooting this.

There's some fast thumpin sound effects along with the hissing composed by Norman Orenstein

Jason: [to Ridley, who's playing a mummy] How many times have I told you? Dead things don't move fast. You're a corpse, for Christ's sakes. If you run that fast, your ankles are gonna snap off.

Jason: [to Ridley] See? I told you dead things move slow!


Looter
: What the fuck are you doing here?
Jason: What the fuck are you doing here?
Looter: [holding TV] I'm just stealing shit. But you... what's a guy with a video camera doing in the women's dorm, huh?

Mary Dexter: [approaching Zombie Trooper] It's a cop. A state trooper.
Gordo Thorsen: How do you know that?
Mary Dexter: Oh, his hat. His hat... his stupid looking hat.

Jason: [after running over three zombies] Mary, how do you feel about what just happened?
Mary Dexter: [sobbing] How do you think I feel?
Debra: [to Mary] They were already dead, okay? You didn't do anything wrong.
Tony Ravello: Listen to me, unless you're Jesus fucking Christ, you don't stand up and walk around after you're dead!

Tony Ravello: [yelling into abandoned hospital] Hello! We're not dead!

Jason: Fuck. Battery's almost dead.
Tracy Thurman: Yeah, that's not all.

Debra: [recording Jason] Tell us your name.
Jason: Uh...
Debra: Say it.
Jason: Deb, come on.
Debra: Say it.
Jason: Give me a break. Jay... Jason. Jason Creed.
Debra: You see how it feels to have a camera shoved in your face? To have to answer stupid questions when people are dying all around you? You see how it feels?


Andrew Maxwell: [handing gun to Tony] Take this. It's too easy to use.

Jason: [as a zombie approaches] Shoot him in the head!

Colonel: [to Jason] Turn it the fuck off.
[points gun barrel directly at the camera lense]
Colonel: Now.


Jason: Hi, my name is Jay... Jason Creed, and I have been given the opportunity, given the gift to be able to document the events that have suddenly landed in my lap. And I just want to let you guys know, the audience know, that I'm gonna do my best to capture the truth with me and my friends. There's gonna be no fakeness. I'm gonna go after everything. Really raw, really real. And I'm going to do the best job I can. And I'm just really excited to be given this opportunity. And I am not going to fuck it up.


[last lines]
Debra: Jason once said he thought he could help, maybe even save some lives. This is the last thing he downloaded before he died: a couple of hometown Joes who went out to shoot at targets. But that day, they used people. Dead people. You know, just for fun? There was one target that was different from the rest. A woman... tied by her hair to the branch of a tree. The boys had this one set up just for kicks. They got out their favorite 12 gauge and...
[zombie's head is blown in half]
Debra: Are we worth saving? You tell me.