• GENRE: Zombie “Comedy”/Horror
• ACTORS: Morgan Williams, Ashleigh Southam, Robert Faith, Emily Paddon-Brown, Mark Hadlow
• RATING: UK-15[1. Apparently equivalent to about PG-13, or a mild R, but the movie is official “NR” in the USA]
• PARENTAL NOTE: Not intended for children. Bad language. Violence. Zombie killings galore.
• INTENDED AUDIENCE: This movie is intended for fans of the genre, and may not be appreciated by others.[1. As noted elsewhere in this review, this particular film may not be enjoyed by fans of the genre either.]
• GENERAL PLOT: (No spoilers) Three certifiable knuckleheads and a scientist chick they pick up in a zombie infested church are racing against the clock (and a bad zombie bite) to save the world.
• REVIEW: Calling this film a “B” Movie would be giving it the benefit of the doubt by a letter grade or two. Generally zombie movies try to be scary, with a bit of humor; or funny, with a bit of zombie mayhem. This movie isn’t really that scary. Neither is it very funny. The zombie style isn’t consistent either. Some of them look like regular humans, but for a bit of eye makeup. Another zombie looks like he’s wearing a rotten pig head mask. Some zombies are fast, some are slow. Some are good with objects; others are grunting piles of flesh. But after a bit of reflection, I realize maybe my problem is that I don’t appreciate good old fashioned New Zealand zombie comedy/horror when I see it. In fact, I can see a bit of the same style of humor as in another New Zealand zombie movie–Black Sheep (2006) UR. In summary, I’ll admit I’ve seen a lot, lot worse zombie movies. Last of the Living is watchable–for fans of the genre–in all categories: acting, plot[2. Such as it is. As always, a “plot” is optional in the traditional zombie genre], production values, etc.
• RECOMMENDATION:[2. If you wonder why zombie themes and horror films have space on a Christian website like K_Line Christian Online, please see my blog post on point] This is a zombie “comedy”/horror movie. Many people will be highly offended by every movie in this genre because of the graphic violence, gore, language and other questionable elements. However, if you are a fan of this genre–I give Last of the Living a lukewarm recommendation.
• RATING (out of 5 stars): ★★★★★

FOOTNOTES:

I think you know, if you read the title to this blOg article, that there must be some pretty serious disclaimers here. There are. But indeed, as of May 12, 2010, if you type “Christian Movie Review Night of the Living Dead” (no quotation marks) into Google© search, the top ranked unpaid response is “MOVIE REVIEW: Night of the Living Dead (1968) – K_Line Christian …” I believe the ranking will change over time, depending on the age of the online article, and lots of other factors that only the gnomes in the Google factory know, so look quickly, before my ranking slips.

• GENRE: Zombie Horror
• ACTORS: Duane Jones, Judith O’Dea, Karl Hardman, Marilyn Eastman, Keith Wayne, Judith Ridley, Adam Knox
• DIRECTOR: George A. Romero
• RATING: Unrated
• PARENTAL NOTE: Not intended for children. Extreme violence. Zombie mayhem and gore.
• INTENDED AUDIENCE: This movie is intended for fans of the genre, and may not be appreciated by others.
• GENERAL PLOT: (No spoilers) A group of dissimilar people end up in a remote farmhouse fighting the zombie horde. Can they survive the zombie onslaught–and themselves?
• REVIEW: Some people[1. Tom Truex] will tell you that Night of the Living Dead is the most important movie in the most impotant sub-genre (zombie) of the most important movie genre (horror). This film would be laughable if released today. But in 1968, it was completely groundbreaking. It has really defined the genre for the hundreds (perhaps thousands) of zombie movies which followed. This film defined the zombie as we know it–a slow, lumbering[2. Recent films, such as the 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead show us fast moving zombies–an abomination to the “zombie purist.” Frankly, I welcome the fast moving zombie, which in my view is more lethal, and hence more scary] killing machine. Move too slow, get bit, and you too can join the zombie way of life (or death, or undead). Anyway, back to this movie: if you can get past it being in black and white, and the overacting, it remains a pretty scary movie. I’ve seen Night of the Living Dead so many times that I don’t jump any more. But for the first time viewer, the suspense, the horror, and the over the top gore are sure to thrill.
• RECOMMENDATION:[2. If you wonder why zombie themes and horror films have space on a Christian website like K_Line Christian Online, please see my blog post on point] This is a zombie horror movie–though admittedly somewhat tame by comparison to current zombie movies. Many people will be highly offended by every movie in this genre because of the graphic violence, gore, language and other questionable elements. However, if you are a fan of this genre–you have to respect this groundbreaking work of art for the great movie that it is.
• RATING (out of 5 stars): ★★★★★★