Review of Survival of the Dead (2010) by Bryan W — 31 May 2010

While Romero's last effort made it look like he was losing a step, this one, at times, makes it look like he forgot how to walk. Peppered with lousy performances, clipped dialogue, questionable editing, and ludicrous death scenes, this film is a showcase of mistakes that shouldn't be made by a pro. One almost has to wonder if the master is trying too hard to adapt his style into a more current one and has no idea how do to it. The shame of it is that the setup is a perfect idea for a zombie film; two ruling patriarchs on a secluded island each have a different idea on how to handle the undead, causing a stagnating blood feud to boil over.

When it works, it's pure bliss; a scene where Kenneth Welsh walks into someone's home where he expects to find the undead is a triumph of dialogue, tension, and directorial execution. Many such scenes pepper the film, but where Romero's previous characters have been flawed and likable, most of these c-rate actors don't know how to do anything but try to look cool.

If nothing else, the elements at work here still prove that Romero has the goods, he just needs to distill them. Hiring someone to help him write screenplays would be a good start. Until then, let's hope he realizes who he is and starts working from there again.