REEL ZOMBIES: FICTION BECOMES REALITY

There have been tons of found footage movies made in the wake of THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. Some have been good, some mediocre and a large number terrible. So when you read on a label or description of a film that you're going to be watching one a mind set kicks in that says the odds are against it being good. It's always a surprise and treat when it is.

REEL ZOMBIES takes the found footage format, combines it with a behind the scenes making of documentary and comes up with something original and entertaining. I will say that at first I found the movie a tad slow and uninspired, but the more I watched and considered the theme the better it got.

The story we have here is that the zombie apocalypse has actually occurred. People are doing their best to survive and for the most part it isn't as dreadful as portrayed in most films. Among those who are doing fine Mike and David, the producer and director of a series of zombie flicks made pre-apocalypse. While ZOMBIE NIGHT 1 and 2 didn't fare well at the box office, these low budget film makers plug away with the hopes that theaters will one day be open again and searching for product. Since many of the major studios have fallen, these guerilla film makers have the chance to produce product that they think will be in demand.

What better type of movie to make then than a zombie flick! Especially since the needed effects and make up on the zombies are no longer an issue. Rather than hire actors to play those parts they hire a zombie wrangler to handle the zombies and intend to shoot in as safe a condition as possible. They also gather together a number of the crew that they've used in the past, all still apparently safe after the reality of zombies came into existence.

Hiring actors is easy as well with the studios no longer around and actors looking for work. One of the funniest concepts here is that they continue to be oblivious in some ways to the dangers around them and still have that heavy duty boost of ego that makes them want to be in movies rather than simply survive in a world turned around. One actress is more than eager to pop her top to get the lead part, something you would think wouldn't be necessary during these times. But this is a low budget film and why would anyone looking to be in pictures change their attitude just because the world is ending?

With little to no apparent script or at least one written on the fly the group begins shooting. When their first casualty happens (as any moviegoer knows will happen) it is actually one of the funniest scenes in the movie. Your immediate thought is how could anyone be so stupid as to get themselves in that spot where they could be harmed. Then you start to think well of course he did it, he was more concerned with making this movie than his own safety. That or he thought others were looking out for him not realizing they were thinking of the shot as well.

The movie progresses with actors and crew members constantly placed in danger and totally oblivious to it all, instead focusing on making their movie. When one actor is bitten he insists on carrying on and filming until he turns thereby giving his all to his final performance. Of course the producer and director readily agree and keep on shooting.

At moments this feels like a Troma film in large part do to the nearly non-existent budget used to make this film. But it also relates to those films in that we have a group of people who love movies trying to do their best with no money. They also offer a group that wants to be involved at all costs even though the world around them has fallen.

As I said it take a while for this movie to get rolling and at times remains a bit slow, but when you place yourself in the shoes of those involved the humor slowly begins to develop. No, this is not Oscar material by any means, but it does have a bit of sweetness involved for anyone who ever hoped of making a movie. Perhaps not everyone would go to these extremes but to see this group carrying on in the face of adversity makes for a movie that is entertaining at times. Go in expecting the worst, expecting along the lines of the lowest budgeted movie ever made and you'll take away something that's worth watching at least once but definitely not over and over again.

Then again if I were one of those people who found movies much funnier when on a drinking binge perhaps this movie would prove to be more funny than I thought. If that's the case, or if you simply love low budget films made with more heart than dollars, this could be your cup of tea.

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