Day of the Dead 2: Contagium (2005)

   

Directed by: Ana Clavell & James Glenn Dudelson

Written & Edited by:
Ana Clavell

Starring:

Laurie Baranyay .... Emma
Stan Klimecko .... Boris
John Freedom Henry .... Jackie
Justin Ipock .... Isaac
Julian Thomas .... Sam
Stephan Wolfert .... Donwynn
Samantha Clarke .... Ava Flores
Joe C. Marino .... Marshall
Jackeline Olivier .... Vicky
Andreas van Ray .... Dr. Heller
April Wade .... Patty
Kevin Wetmore Jr. .... Jerry
Simon Burzynski .... Rubinsky
Mike Dalager .... Derber

Release Date: Direct-to-DVD: August 11, 2005 (Germany)

 

Rating:

Back in 1968 down in Pensylvania at the Ravenstone Military Installation, something has gone horribly wrong. A replicating virus has been discovered that causes the dead to rise and feed upon the flesh of the living. As the carnage escalates, a top secret attack is ordered. The army thought they had the outbreak contained. They were wrong.

Now it's thirty seven years later as everything has been changed to a psychiatric hospital.
One of the employees named Jackie (John Freedom Henry) finds a canister and wonders what's inside of it but no one dares to find out. Later on, Jackie goes to the mens room to open it up and the virus is unleashed and the contagion is spreading from one person to another.
One of the patients named Ava Flores (Samantha Clarke) is badly effected by the virus and bites a nasty employee named Marshall (Joe C. Marino) on the arm and is suffering badly from it.
Later on Marshall is badly deformed and goes on a killing spree by eating and killing many of the people there.

The others that were affected by this virus discovers that they can't be killed and are already dead but tries to rescue some of the other surivors at the ward. However, they themselves are hungry for human flesh so things are very tricky for them.

 

In the beginning of the film takes place decades ago in which is extremely rushed with the army personnell's coming in and shooting zombies. Yet there's nice takes on this as well as some good shots with the zombies by a gate trying to get in. Then one of the soldiers has a container that carries what seems to be toxic that turns people into the living dead. When these zombies enter the hospital they gang up on someone eating him alive which looked pleasing for a film of this type.
Seemed to be fully action packed as I thought this might be a fun mediocre horror flick but I was in for a disappointment afterwards while watching the story unfold.
We have a very lacking discussion with the patients from the psychiatric ward talking to one another outside before entering the hospital which looked like it was just written that day and they were unprepared. What grabbed my attention is what certain patients were telling one another as it seemed bizarre.
While they're in the ward a couple of them watch a real lame horror flick as what they watch looked obviously phony. However one of the workers at the ward gets in some of their faces and being a bully as this looked a bit powerfully done on a bully towards someone else.
Then one of patients goes into the men's room to open the container as this looked mildly suspenseful wondering as to what will happen next. Nothing too spectacular here.
Yet things start to happen when some of them are coughing while trying to sleep as well as what is happening to their skin the next day as this seemed necessary to put into the story. However it lacked due to a no budget.
When these patients that already got infected suddenly turn into zombie's it looked mildly intense when they attack and eat their prey. Some of it looked decent and some of it looked a little off. During these incidents they go to a window to some of the survivors that they are going to be after them next in which this situation looked so corny and amateurishly done.
Both Isaac and Ava Flores tries to have an emotional discussion together but it looks a little too planned out.
Both supporting characters Vicky and Patty do well with their fighting and really know how to get into it with their catfighting.
There's scene's with Marxhall once turned into a mutilated zombie by attacking others and storming down the hallway looked extremely corny in a Toxic Avenger type fashion as it was meant to look scary but it's not. The makers tried to make this moment seriously done but they miss by a longshot.
A nice shot on Patty slowly rising up from the ground now a zombie as it looked natural.
The outdoor scene's with the zombie's attacking the neighborhood looked very amateurish.
Bottom line is that this is a ridiculous zombie flick that absolutely has no relationship to the George A. Romero flicks so I wonder why they tried to name this one a sequel.
Very badly done made on a Z grade budget with corny performances too. It almost makes you think of a serious Troma Team type of a flick without alot of the gross out situations. They try so hard to make this one original but they miss by a longshot and the story is very confusing when it tries to say what happens each day.

The acting is quite bad for the most part with the cast but we have some acceptional one's such as Laurie Baranyay (Emma) was a natural in her role in which she shows a convingly uplifting attitude and feeling happy as well as changing that with her emitonal behavior which was naturally done too. She shows alot of good adrenaline when the terror strikes.
Stan Klimecko (Boris) however, was way too over the top as a mental patient in which he performs comedic but in an unfunny way. He seemed to be rather annoying but had the okay looks to portray this role but that's about it. He needed some serious acting lessons.
John Freedom Henry (Jackie) offers a convincing seriousness as well as coming across as gruff with his emotionless attitude but at the same time he was stiff in his role. He wasn't terrible but needed a bit of a push to perform better than he had been throughout his role. Yes he had the perfect looks and appeal for this role.
Justin Ipock (Isaac) tried hard in his part as someone whom is somewhat paranoid or a concerned attitude. Almost has it nailed as a mental patient but is a bit too over the top within his performance. Not a terrible performer though.
Julian Thomas (Sam) didn't cut it though as he tries to be those cocky and sarcastic types at the ward. Also when he turns into a zombie and is aggressive he is totally amateurish while behaving this way. Nope not a true character actor as he needs alot of improvements.
Stephan Wolfert (Donwynn) seemed to have the right appeal as a fellow who somewhat has it together. He stands out slightly strong in his role but at times he needed a bit of a push to be more energetic than how he performed in certain scene's.

S
amantha Clarke (Ava Flores) also seems to do well as a patient at the institution by acting tense and disturbed and does well by putting her energy by biting someone. She for sure had the right bitchy and annoying attitude especially during the beginning of her role along with acting crazy.
Joe C. Marino (Marshall) as a sleazy and nasty employee at the institution but however he loses it big time once turned into a mutilated zombie. He really knew how to act intimidatingly sleazy towards his fellow actress as well as slapping her. He seriously made you want to kick his ass and is the best out of the cast.
Jackeline Olivier
(Vicky) knew her stuff as a nurse at the ward in which she shows a nice calm behavior. Plus shows off a ton of good spunk and outgoing behavior. Plus she was clear in her speaking as this shows off strongly.
Andreas van Ray
(Dr. Heller) as the head doctor was quite intimidating too.
He shows a great seriousness with his aggressions along with his wicked attitude showing great timing within all of this. Had good wide eyed expressions too.
Kevin Wetmore Jr. (Jerry) does well by telling a story of what happened in the hospital decades ago. He really gets into detail in which he really acts believeably serious within all of this. Shows alot of great characteristics.

Oooh yeah lots of gore.
Bloodied bodies
Body pieces torn off and eaten
Mangled zombies
Plenty of blood too.

There's good dark sounds on the synthesizer with breezy type music along with some grinding and hissing, clanging, screeching and other stuff composed by Chris Anderson which is the only good thing about this movie. The music was bfilm sounding but was quite concentrated for each scene that took place.