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RSS Feed - ReviewsZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction
By EdwardHavens
July 8th, 2009
Frequent readers of this site know I spent some time this decade working at the venerable indie film institution Troma, where my duties sometimes included being the director of acquisitions. I would watch the many unsolicited submissions from young filmmakers looking to make a name for themselves.
(“ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction” was screened as part of the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival. As of this writing, the film is still seeking theatrical distribution.)
I mention this because, during my time at Troma, I was subjected to hundreds of zombie movies. These movies had many things in common. All were poorly derivative of the works of George A. Romero, without the political or social commentary. They all had bad acting. Terrible directing. Atrocious writing. Flat and unimaginative cinematography... or, more to the point, videography. Cheap and unconvincing makeup effects. After a couple years, I couldn’t take it anymore. With the exception of Romero’s “Diary of the Dead,” which at least attempted to take the genre in an interesting direction, I had completely sworn off zombie movies after leaving The House The Toxic Avenger Built.
So what was it about Kevin Hamedani’s “ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction” that made me yet another no-name, low-budget zombie movie a chance? Frankly, it was the logline in the guide for the Los Angeles Film Festival:
Life in a conservative small town is complicated enough for a young Iranian-American woman and a not-completely-out gay couple, but now they also have to deal with zombie hordes in this splatter-filled comedy.
All right! The promise of some potentially interesting political and social commentary to go along with the blood and guts.
Did Hamedani succeed? Pretty much yes, although, like many first-time directors, he makes mistakes with pacing, spending too much early time getting to know the characters and life in this small town before getting to the stuff people who go to these types of movies want. While the sold-out film festival audience was with the film from the opening credits, jovially laughing with the comedic moments set up by Hamedani and co-writer Ramon Isao early in the film, and eagerly cheering every appearance of a zombie deep in the background. But it was also clear, with regular screams of “BRAINS!” and “Bring on the Zombies!” around the fifteen to twenty minute mark, the natives were getting restless. Hamedani might think it’s an effective strategy to withhold the first zombie attack for as long as possible, to maximize the thrill of that first kill, and without argument it is an exhilarating moment when it finally does arrive. However, there are several moments early on, especially during the extended opening credits, where some minor judicious tightening could be made.
As would be expected from a movie which takes place in a conservative small town deep in the American South, most of the characters are gross clichéd caricatures. We’ve got the glad-handling mayor who will do or say anything to remain the most powerful person in town. The brimstone-spewing preacher who is intolerant of those who may not be as pure as he. The flighty, open-minded liberal teacher who doesn’t fit in with the mostly ignorant people of her hometown. The not-so-queer gay guy who has come back to town to come out to his mother, with the help of his mostly flamboyant partner. The boorish redneck wearing a wife-beater t-shirt. The Iranian immigrant who prays to Mecca and thinks all Americans are lazy, no-good hicks. His Americanized daughter who remains collected no matter how many untrusting locals think she is an Iraqi out to terrorize us... Well, you get the idea. So when their small town (wisely made part of an island area not unlike Amity Island in “Jaws” by the filmmakers, to prevent easy escape) comes under a virus attack launched by an Osama Bin Laden-like figure, there are few sanctuaries for the uninfected against those hungry for flesh, and when the survivors do finally get together, some characters actively wonder if its better to take their chances outside.
Once the zombie attacks do begin, Hamedani keeps the action proceeding at a brisk pace, finding a few unique and unexpected ways to keep the narrative flowing organically. Strangely, for a zombie movie filled with ripping flesh, exploding heads, much dismemberment and one monster eating their own eyeball, the only time “ZMD” truly goes over the top is during a needlessly excessive interrogation scene with lead female character Frida (the lovely Janette Armand) and her redneck neighbor Joe (Russell Hodgkinson), who, in his panicked state, thinks she has something to do with the outbreak. The scene does have a mild payoff, but one that does not justify the extreme means getting there.
”ZMD” is one of the better low-budget horror movies of the past decade, and has the potential to become a minor hit on the midnight film circuit with the help of a mid-level indie distributor before finding a wider audience on home video. Hamedani also has the potential of becoming a filmmaker of note, with a little more confidence and a bigger budget.
My rating: A-