It was only inevitable. Someday, somebody somewhere would remake the third film in the legendary zombie saga helmed by George A. Romero. First, there was Tom Savini's directorial debut with a remake of "Night of the Living Dead," which was a load of nostalgic fun for genre fans. Then, Zack Snyder spun the genre on its head with his "Dawn of the Dead" remake that helped usher in a new generation of zombie flicks (as well as a long-awaited return to the genre from Romero himself in "Land of the Dead") and now here we are, for better or for worse, with an update of "Day of the Dead".
Unfortunately, it's for the worse. Director Steve Miner, who himself has a respectable track record with films like "Halloween H20" and "House," seemed like an okay choice for the job, yet the end result is a film that is sloppy and unprofessional on nearly each and every front. In this version of the film, the military -- which includes Mena Suvari in a career-killing role sporting unflattering fatigues -- is brought in to quarantine a small town after an outbreak spread by a common cold is turning its citizens into the living dead. Along for the ride are Ving Rhames -- not reprising his role from the "Dawn of the Dead" -- and Nick Cannon, as a wise-cracking, albeit, irritating force to be reckoned with.
The film was originally intended for theatrical release but was shelved for a few years before seeing the light of day, and it's easy to see why after witnessing the mess that it truly is. The CGI is downright awful, and is rivaled only by the pathetic excuse for acting from Cannon and some of the lesser known actors who portray the teenagers. There are some twists on the original that, while hardly effective, are at least admirable. Bub, the lovable zombie from Romero's original, is transformed into Bud, a love-struck vegetarian zombie. Unfortunately, this whole bit is so silly you can almost hear the sound of palms hitting faces behind the scenes. To his credit, Miner puts on a fast-paced show that keeps the pain to a minimum. At the very least, zombie fans will find some cheap thrills in this "Day of the Dead" redux, but serious horror fans and George A. Romero enthusiasts need not apply.
Unfortunately, it's for the worse. Director Steve Miner, who himself has a respectable track record with films like "Halloween H20" and "House," seemed like an okay choice for the job, yet the end result is a film that is sloppy and unprofessional on nearly each and every front. In this version of the film, the military -- which includes Mena Suvari in a career-killing role sporting unflattering fatigues -- is brought in to quarantine a small town after an outbreak spread by a common cold is turning its citizens into the living dead. Along for the ride are Ving Rhames -- not reprising his role from the "Dawn of the Dead" -- and Nick Cannon, as a wise-cracking, albeit, irritating force to be reckoned with.
The film was originally intended for theatrical release but was shelved for a few years before seeing the light of day, and it's easy to see why after witnessing the mess that it truly is. The CGI is downright awful, and is rivaled only by the pathetic excuse for acting from Cannon and some of the lesser known actors who portray the teenagers. There are some twists on the original that, while hardly effective, are at least admirable. Bub, the lovable zombie from Romero's original, is transformed into Bud, a love-struck vegetarian zombie. Unfortunately, this whole bit is so silly you can almost hear the sound of palms hitting faces behind the scenes. To his credit, Miner puts on a fast-paced show that keeps the pain to a minimum. At the very least, zombie fans will find some cheap thrills in this "Day of the Dead" redux, but serious horror fans and George A. Romero enthusiasts need not apply.