19 May 2008

Zombie Movies

I Am Legend -- Fine entertainment as a low-expectations remake of 28 Days Later. Doesn't have much to do with the excellent book.  Big letdown in IAL once things get explodey near the end. Compare the zombies-attack-the-compound scenes at the ends of each movie.  Here's the rule that 28 Days Later knows but for some maddening reason most film-makers don't:  humans are scarier than CGI.

Resident Evil: Extinction -- OK as a crap movie. Not as good as the RE games themselves. Wanders off the rails at the end due to mandatory tentacle monster boss fight. The RE movies seem to be getting slightly better with each iteration. According to my calculations, RE 17 will be a pretty good movie.

update, 22-may:  just watched I Am Legend on DVD, including the alternate ending, which was the original ending. The ending in the theatrical release was hastily shot after the morons at the studio had their say. The original ending is much, much better, and at least nudges it a tiny bit closer to the spirit of the book.

1 comment:

JustJoeP said...

RE17 - LMAO!

Based upon your review, I will need to view the DVD. I share your perspective on the theater release of IAL. "There was no need to kill the dog" - T.Beitz

I watched "No Country For Old Men" on DVD to see if there was any alternate ending. There was none... Good movie, intense, graphic. But that'll be another thread.