Review of Stake Land (2010) by Eli S — 11 Aug 2011

If you dig zombie-like vampires in a post-apocalyptic (PA) setting... this is a great, low budget, indie flick! The action and gore, while present and accounted for, are all secondary to the story and how the characters fight their way to safety across a blood soaked landscape.

Zombie Vampires aren't the only things blocking their path, as religious zealots have found a way to use the vamps against the last of humanity. The voice over narration (by one of the main characters) combined with the haunting music creates and amazing atmosphere. Most of the actors are unknowns, the director is certainly an unknown, there are very few special effects... but it all comes together and WORKS.

There are a ton of celluloid versions (TV and film) with this very same theme, but oddly... it never gets old. And each new version at least attempts to bring something new to the genre. Stake Land proves that you don't need to spend $200 million to make a great movie.

Bonus features on the disc include a number of "prequels" that show what each character was doing prior to seeing them in the film for the first time.