Review of The Return of the Living Dead (1985) by Tom R — 04 Oct 2011
I think a lot of people mistake The Return of the Living Dead for a horror film... it's very much a comedy that just happens to have zombies. It's unabashedly 80's in its metal soundtrack, gory violence, and very cheesy dialogue.
The makeup and gore effects are impressive, specifically the Tarman... the first time you see him is pretty shocking. It's amazing that Dan O'Bannon, the writer of Alien, can write a horror story that's almost the polar opposite.
It adds much to zombie lore and if I'm not mistaken, it's the first movie that has them craving human brains. It also adds an peculiar element: the zombies are unkillable. Despite the movie being awesome and funny enough to overlook this, it also poses a problem: there's no conflict to be had.
.. even Superman, with all of his godly powers, had a weakness. But The Return of the Living Dead is a milestone zombie movie and is essential viewing for fans of the genre.
This review of The Return of the Living Dead (1985) was written by Tom R on 04 Oct 2011.
The Return of the Living Dead has generally received positive reviews.
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