The DVD Dissection: Day of the Dead (Blu-Ray)
Posted by Chad Webb on 01.03.2009
How was this approved for release?
Ving Rhames: Captain Rhodes
Nick Cannon: Salazar
Mena Suvari: Sarah
Christa Campbell: Mrs. Leitner
Annalynne McCord: Nina
Linda Marlowe: Francina Bowman
Ian McNeice: D.J. Paul
Matt Rippy: Dr. Logan
Stark Sands: Bud Crane
Directed By: Steve Miner
Written By: Jeff Reddick
Standard DVD Release Date: April 8, 2008
Blu-Ray Release Date: December 2, 2008
Running Time: 87 minutes
Rated R for strong pervasive horror violence and gore, and language.
The Film
Day of the Dead is billed as a remake of George A. Romero's 1985 original zombie film. Anyone who has seen both knows this to be a falsehood. While the first Day of the Dead was not one of Romero's classics, I enjoy it thoroughly for the overacting, the intelligent themes, and the engaging storyline. Director Steve Miner and screenwriter Jeffrey Reddick have retained approximately none of those qualities for this new zombie horror show. Basically this recycles the title, and perhaps a few minor aspects. Anyway you slice it, Day of the Dead is one of the worst Direct-to-DVD releases of the year.
While this quasi-remake does possess some similarities to the original, they are small and not worth mentioning. However, they veer off track and put a "fresh spin on it", as Miner himself stated, in a crucial area that should never have been tampered with. The guidelines on what constitutes a legitimate zombie are not adhered to, and when you remake Romero, this is one element that needs to remain the same. Day of the Dead rumors started flying in 2007, and a trailer surfaced around that time. Because the film has no connection with Zack Snyder's very admirable remake of Dawn of the Dead in 2005, and since there is no denying how truly awful it is, a straight to video status was implemented.
The movie commences with a bunch of teenagers making out in a cabin somewhere in the woods. How many movies have started this exact same way? The kids live in a small town in Colorado. It turns out that some sort of outbreak is spreading, and the military has the main roads all blocked off. Corporal Sarah Bowman (Mena Suvari) is helping with the roadblocks, while her brother Trevor (Michael Welch) returns home from hooking up in the woods. She recruits a soldier nicknamed Bud (Stark Sands) to ride along as she checks in on her sick mother. The symptoms for this epidemic seem to be nosebleeds and coughing. Sarah, Bud, Trevor, and his girlfriend Nina (Annalynne McCord) end up taking their mother to the hospital, which is packed with similar patients. Soon all the infected reanimate and go out of control with a desire to eat human flesh. The group must find a way to escape.
Forget John Wayne as Genghis Kahn in The Conqueror, or Denise Richards as a nuclear physicist in The World is Not Enough because Mena Suvari deserves to be recognized with those miscasts as she portrays a butch Army officer in Day of the Dead. After American Pie 2, Suvari's career went...well nowhere. Who could have possibly thought that she would be suitable for this role? Suvari is 5 feet 4 inches tall, doesn't weigh all that much, and has never played a part even close to this. I realize attractive, short, blonde-haired females could easily be military officers, but when casting a role for a zombie film, generally you would cast something more appropriate. Her acting would be tolerable, but she sports the camouflage pants the whole time, so its annoying.
Ving Rhames was in the 2005 remake, Dawn of the Dead, but this is a different character, thus confusing people for no reason whatsoever. Nick Cannon is the trash talking black guy, who also happens to be a military officer, and he basically plays himself. He is included for comic relief. Michael Welch is Trevor, Stark Sands is Bud, and Annalynne McCord is Nina. All the performances in this pathetic excuse for a film are terrible. Sands is ok, but then he becomes a vegetarian zombie, and one forgets how passable his acting was. Yes, you read that correctly. They refer to him as a vegetarian zombie because after all, the infected retain some aspects from themselves. How retarded.
The special effects team should be ashamed of any effort they put forth here. These are some of the most abominable effects ever put to film, and I mean that truthfully. Some critics tend to exaggerate, but please believe me when I say the CGI is atrocious. Apparently these zombies acquire super powers when they turn because they can jump from high distances and not get hurt, can crawl on the ceiling, and can understand weapons, among other things. Every single time blood flies off a zombie it is clearly evident that it is fake. Every time fire is utilized, an infant could discern that it looks phony. I was amazed that this was even released. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when Romero received his screening.
And on a side note, calling these clowns zombies is up for debate as they are not actually undead. Who made these decisions, and who approved them? Was no one using their head?
Steve Miner, a known filmmaker around the horror circuit, is credited as the director, so most of the flaws, plot holes, and overall sloppiness must fall on his shoulders. He is the only person to direct more than one installment of the Friday the 13th franchise, he was at the helm for multiple episodes of The Wonder Years, and he gave all males a gift when he directed Katherine Heigl in her break-out role from My Father the Hero. Now this pile of garbage will stick out like a sore thumb on his resume. The pacing and timing are choppy and disjointed, the action is dull and poorly executed, and the entire picture is void of any tension or suspense. Jeffrey Reddick proves that all he can do is pen the Final Destination series because when he goes down another path, viewers are left with sludge like this.
Nathan Easterling is the editor. He previously assumed this position on Hollow Man II, another agonizing experience I has the pleasure of reviewing. I would not want anyone to be out of work, but this man needs to be barred from editing anything else in the future. Perhaps he could thrive in another area. If my only issue was the editing, it would be enough for anyone to loathe Day of the Dead. Up until now, George A. Romero has been fortunate with regard to who remakes his material. The task is never easy, but Zack Snyder and Tom Savini both dine commendable jobs. Day of the Dead can best be remembered as evidence that constructing a zombie flick is not as easy as it appears.
The Video
Just like the previous two Blu-Ray releases I have covered, this picture transfer is quite unimpressive knowing how the format can flourish with films like WALL-E or The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Some of the scenes are a bit clearer and brighter than they would have been normally, but when the film is this bad, the quality of the picture is the last thing on your mind. Thankfully, the sequences at night are not too dark. Actually, being able to see everything that was transpiring, even though it was horrid, was better than most horror films that simply film in the dark. This Blu-Ray edition does am the visuals enough so that the special effects look atrocious. This is presented in anamorphic widescreen with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1.
The Audio
The sound department is adequate. Day of the Dead provides lots of work for the speakers with gun fire galore, sword swings, and car crashes. All the sounds, combined with the dialogue on the feature are balanced and fairly even. All the characters were understandable and lucid, so you hear every terribly written word they utter. I heard no distortion or fuzziness. The sound was active and satisfactory with the Dolby True HD 5.1 in English. This also includes English and Spanish subtitles.
The Packaging
Day of the Dead, the Blu-Ray edition, is distributed in a slimline blue case with no Blu-Ray advisements on the inside. Usually these are inserted, but not in this case. The artwork for this film has ranged from bad to worse, but this is the most agreeable image I'm sure. The standard definition had a picture of a zombie apparently vomiting. Probably one of the same geniuses that said this was ok to release on DVD approved that image.
The Extras
Audio Commentary - This track features thoughts from director Steve Miner, writer Jeffrey Reddick, editor Nate Easterling, and actors Michael Welch, Stark Sands, and Christa Campbell. Since I hated the movie, one can imagine how I felt listening the cast and crew discuss their appalling piece of cinema.
On the Set (14:11) – In what could be described as the lamest extra of the year, viewers simply watch scenes being filmed, and if you have fantastic hearing, you might be able to hear what the crew is saying to the actors. This was pointless and stupid, and really offered nothing worthwhile.
Alternate Ending (5:56) – This has spoilers. Be warned! The fate of Salazar has changed in this, and it was scrapped because apparently someone new it would make no sense. Luckily, they had an ending just as ridiculous on the back burner.
Interviews - This is a set of 7 interviews, and they must be selected individually. You cannot “play all”, yet they are around 2-4 minutes in length so that is aggravating. If that wasn’t enough, I can promise, if you watch these, you will hate the film more…if that’s possible. The following people contribute: Mena Suvari, Nick Cannon, Annalynne McCord, Michael Welch, Stark Sands, Steve Miner, and Dean Jones.
Photo Gallery - This section includes 65 stills, which is a lot considering how lazily this DVD was put together.
Trailers - All three spectacular trailers are given to you the renter or buyer. The “International Trailer” (1:43), “Unrated Trailer” (2:32), and the “Theatrical Trailer” (1:47) are all pretty basic.
Previews - When you insert the disc, or if you select them from the extras section, the following trailers will play: The Breed, Transsiberian, War, Inc., and Immortal.
The Film: 1.0/10.0
The Video: 6.0/10.0
The Audio:7.5/10.0
The Packaging: 7.5/10.0
The Extras: 7.0/10.0
The 411: I really hope that if anyone decides to remake Romero again, and I’m certain a couple are in the works as I type this, that they watch Day of the Dead, and know what NOT to do. This film is just horrible. It is poorly made in every conceivable way, the acting is putrid, and the story is a total calamity. I truly did hate every minute of watching this, and urge anyone reading to avoid it at all costs. If you are curious, walk away, and fight the temptation. The Blu-Ray technical specifications are mediocre at best, and the extras are ok, but will only increase one’s hatred for the picture. If I had to pick a worst DTV release for this year, Day of the Dead would be a strong contender.
