Book Review: ‘Drop Dead Gorgeous’ – Wayne Simmons

 

If you suffered through my long and winding review of Simmons’ other apoc-shocker, Flu, then you’ll surely know that I’ve got nothing but admiration for his work. Although I loved Flu, I think it took out some delayed and uncalled for vengeance on me, halting my reading of Drop Dead Gorgeous with a case of the sniffles. But I wasn’t kept away for long! This book has been on my (unrealistic) reading list for a while now after picking up my copy at P-Con earlier this year. Like with his last offering, it was well worth the wait.

 

 

The plot of Drop Dead Gorgeous is all in the title. One fine and average Sunday morning, all but a small few of the population of Belfast, and possibly further afield, suddenly drop dead. The ‘gorgeous’ part makes more sense a little later. The book opens in a very easy going way, just some people going about their lives. A few pages later comes the crashing down of the world around those who were left standing. We see the world slowly drain of power, life and control. The fact that it’s set in Belfast helps to make it that much more real, despite the fact it’s shelved under ‘Sci-fi’. All those apocalypse and zombie movies and novels set in Anywhere USA seem so far away and very much American. Just one big city, with reference to the rest of the country, brings it a little closer. It can be open for interpretation to any readers’ city, even though the language is distinctly Northern Irish – which is fantastic, might I add. As well as the main characters’ individual stories, I enjoyed the snippets of other survivors. Simmons shows us a few shots of scenarios we may not have thought of; dependant people suddenly alone after the world comes to a stop.

DDG is a little different from your average zombie novel, in that it’s not all about the zombies. I’ve read a review – one in particular that tickled me for many a reason – that called this a major flaw. For me, I would much prefer to spend page after page getting to know and care for characters before the big bang. What’s the point, otherwise? I don’t want a book of limbs being torn off for the sake of gory goodness. That may just be me being a delicate little snowflake or something though… If you think of it more as an apocalyptic story and can patiently wait for your zombies – and they’re unlike most you’ve seen – then you’ll be pleased with this.

There is slicing and dicing a plenty that work the final chapters up into a frenzy but it’s the characters that are the heart of the story – and as a girl raised under the greatness and cruelty of one Joss Whedon, characters are important to me. Simmons knows his characters well and more importantly, they’re real. Throwing a bunch of stereotypes into a post-apocalyptic setting does not a good story make. Pooling together some developed and flawed – some heavily flawed – people and seeing how they react to a world torn asunder does. That’s one of my favourite things about reading Simmons’ books.

Among those left behind are a foul mouthed tattooist, aging radio DJ, two teens, a troubled young man, a former IRA member, an RIR soldier, an elderly acrophobic and the overzealous Preacher Man. There’s also a few others we meet along the way. Although scattered throughout Belfast, there’s a purpose to each group and things tie together to help move the story along. As I said, they are certainly not shining examples of the human race. They all respond in different ways to the crumbling of society and don’t make the best decisions. If they were all Mary Sues and Garry Stus then how exciting would that be to read? People aren’t perfect and everyone is expendable, no matter how attached you may grow.

I found that the human characters were not the only to feature in the story. In a world suddenly devoid of life, Mother Nature takes a step into centre stage. The world around them appears to be a character all on its own. The Rain makes as much a noise as the hedonistic trio in the Europa do, and The Silence is as unnerving as the survivors are unnerved. This gives the book a rich atmosphere. There’s a definite difference between reading this on a busy bus, and later in a silent room.

There’s some awful stuff that happens – which I’m going to be terribly vague about so I don’t ruin it – but it is all ultimately necessary. I’ve read people complaining that it’s something that apoc writers throw in for shock value, and though it is horrific it has its place within the story and needed for character development. There are also some laughs from characters and Simmons’ wonderfully crafted narrative alike. And lest we not forget the refreshingly muted romance from our young lovers, who at one point reminded me of the budding and brutal romance in The Hole (I swear I wasn’t just daydreaming about Desmond Harrington).

On a brighter note, one thing I can always seem to count on Simmons for is a delightful reference or two. In Flu it was Red Sonja and here I do believe I spotted a little Who. The description of one character just screamed David Tennant to me. Please say I am not wrong.

I can’t recommend Drop Dead Gorgeous enough. We see our own fast paced world come skidding to a halt and allowing you to become invested, only to gallop off full speed with all that you thought you knew. The characters grow as close to your heart as they’ll allow and the corpses that litter the streets rival the sheer amount of skeletons that come tumbling from closets. It’s dark, unrestrained, vicious, broken-hearted, dangerously beautiful, and it’s got a foul mouth.

 

You can buy Drop Dead Gorgeous, and his other apoc-shocker Flu, from amazon and Book Depository. You can also follow Wayne or like his fanpage on facebook, or go to the one stop horror shop, his site. And if you really want, check out my interview with Wayne from P-Con over on Geek Girl on the Street here and here (part 1&2).

Oh, the Horror! – Recent & Upcoming Horror Movies

Maybe it was the early morning viewing of Frozen, or the news of Saw creators Leigh Whannell and James Wan visiting Dublin next week, but this afternoon I’m in the mood for some thrills and chills. So, with that in mind, I googled and waded my way through trailers and misleading fan-made videos to put together a list of some new and upcoming horror films. They’re certainly not all gems, very few, in fact, but the rest are good for a chuckle – I definitely had a good laugh watching some. Then there’s also some of that old gory goodness horror folks are mighty keen on. There are plenty others that I’m excited about, like Silent Hill 2, but there’s no trailers available yet. They’re not all my cup of tea, and maybe not yours, but you might spot something good amongst the mess below.

* Warning that nastiness may abound in trailers, as well as spoilers for any that are sequels *

[REC]2
I haven’t yet seen this, or the US remake Quarantine, but it definitely looks worth the watch. I like the use of handheld cameras to tell stories like this. When it’s done well, and with good reason, it can turn out quite well. Or it will just make you a bit dizzy and queasy. Well, in fairness, this may do that with a little help from the zombie creatures though.

The Social History of ‘Night of the Living Dead’

So, in Ireland part of the Leaving Cert exam for History is a special essay topic. I decided to go against the usual subjects, as I tend to do, and chose Night of the Living Dead! My teacher took some convincing (from another teacher) but it eventually came into being. It’s about two years old and my writing’s developed since then, but anyhow, I thought I’d post it here.. seems like a fitting host for it. Spoilers are abound if you haven’t seen it. (You may have to click to read the rest at the end of the post)

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”The politics of it were striking at the time, they have a black lead…the clear anti-Communist hysteria that’s running through that film…And there was so much going on in the movie that it wasn’t your typical horror film”.  – John Landis, director of ‘An American Werewolf In London’

The 1920s saw the age of horror triumph in Hollywood with simple monster movies, like ‘The Bat’ and ‘The Monster’. During that period people enjoyed the short escape from the anxiety of World War I. Soon Hollywood took the horror further with the aim being to truly scare the audiences. It was in 1931 that the now classics ‘Dracula’ and ‘Frankenstein’ were released. Following on from their success, boundaries were pushed again. Bela Lugosi’s ‘White Zombie’ would set things in motion for a string of zombie movies to follow. It used the voodoo sorcery myth to explain the walking dead. This mythology was soon to change with the introduction of George A. Romero to the genre.

Horror movies had always been something abstract, something that didn’t occur in everyday life. The last thing Cold War America wanted was for the horror to be introduced into the mundane. People were terrified of the threat of a Communist take over and the “zombie was the perfect monster to encapsulate such anxieties”. Films at the time reflected these fears, like ‘Invasion Of The Body Snatchers’. Hitchcock‘s ‘Psycho’ internalised terror and showed that the real threat was not “in the skies” but in everyday life. That the monster “is not simply among us, but possibly is us”. This idea influenced Romero and just a few years later “Night Of The Living Dead” was made, pushing all the previous boundaries far beyond where they thought imaginable.

‘Night Of The Living Dead’ (NOTLD) was made on a low budget by the production company, Image Ten Inc. The film tells the story of a group of seven people who take refuge in a farm house while fending off the hoards of the walking dead that gather outside. Romero wanted to show the end of the world, but felt that “rather than opening with the fait accolpli, it might be more interesting to observe the world during its collapse”. This reflected fears at the time of America’s Capitalism crumbling at the hands of Soviet Communism.

They didn’t just set out to make a normal horror movie. They wanted to ensure it would attract attention and stand apart from the other movies at the time. Co-writer John Russo stated, “We wanted to make sure it got noticed…forcing the picture into more daring areas than other films had gone”. It’s worldwide acclaim and worship proves that they indeed achieved their goals. It influenced many budding film-makers that went on to create some of the most notorious horror movies we know today.  Among these was Tobe Hooper, director of ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’,  “It had a profound affect on my life…as a result of seeing that film…I decided to do a horror film”.

Many people in the movie industry began to realize that horror movies could be so much more, even containing an underlying political statement as this film had. NOTLD explored the anxieties of the people as the threat of Communism seemed to be forever looming overhead. The next few years saw an abundance of ‘Dracula’ and ‘Frankenstein’ sequels trying to recapture Old Hollywood horror. However, the horror movie industry was forever changed. Boundaries were continuing to be pushed. ‘The Exorcist’ (1973), ‘Jaws’ (1975) and ’The Omen’ (1976) were released in the years following NOTLD.

When the film was released it was met with much condemnation. Christian fundamentalist groups accused the film-makers of being “Satanically inspired” due to the gory scenes of feeding and the circumstances under which Marilyn Eastman’s character is killed. This film was unlike anything that preceded it. The audience, especially children who had been left in the cinema for the double feature, had “no resources they could draw upon to protect themselves from the dread and fear they felt”. Reading Roger Ebert’s review gives great insight into how utterly shocking and terrifying it was; “The movie…had become unexpectedly terrifying”. One of the most striking scenes is when Helen’s daughter becomes one of “those things” and brutally murders her mother with a trowel. As John Landis, director of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’, said, “You didn’t see that stuff in movies at that time”.

Book Review: ‘FLU’ – Wayne Simmons

You know that old saying: Give a man a fish he’ll eat for a day, give a borderline mysophobe a copy of Wayne Simmons’ FLU and she won’t be able to take a comfortable bus journey for a week. You’ve heard that one, right? Well, it proved true for this unsuspecting reader!

I had bought my copy from the man himself at Octocon last year but put off reading it out of a mixture of being in the middle of the first book in the Millennium Trilogy and the minor panic that accompanies reading about a mutated flu virus during winter. Well, February rolled around and I was stuck with my reading, only in the middle of the second Millennium novel at that point and getting nowhere! Deadlines were halting my reading and I needed a change. Luckily, or unluckily, I rediscovered the joy of reading on the bus some months ago. It used to make me feel ill reading in a car or bus, which majorly sucked on long journeys, but now I can while away the time while I travel.

This all seemed rather pleasant, flicking through a good book and blocking out the children and conversations around me. And it was until I decided to slip this particular book into my bag. The monotonous drone of a conversation in the background is much easier to ignore than the occasional sniffle, cough or sneeze. It just so happens that those three little guys are star players in this story.

Okay, enough back story ramblings, time to get to the books itself. I loved it.

From the get go we’re on a different playing field – Belfast. The opening line grabs you roughly and drags you through that crowd with those first two characters. The way it’s written, rather cleverly I must say, leaves it open for interpretation. Have you been plopped down into a crowd of the undead before you’ve even read a paragraph? You’re surrounded, your breathing’s heavy and everyone appears to be pissed with you.

What a lovely welcome, eh? Well, don’t expect it to let up from there.

As you’re introduced to the other survivors you gather up more of the story, of what happened to our cheery green isle. This collection of remaining souls is as varied as they come, too; two cops, a punk, a young woman, a  guy in a ski-mask, a churchgoer, an ex-IRA gunrunner and of course the army. A veritable Breakfast Club… Or so the undead think, anyway.

The characters are as real as they come. Heavily flawed, prone to erratic behaviour and some swearing enough to make a sailor blush, but at times charming. Human, essentially. It’s basically how any one of us might act if our world was suddenly void of life and overrun with the sniffling and shuffling of the recently deceased.

There’s points when you hate them or what they’re about to do and wish that your shouting into the book would actually do some good. But there’s also moments where you find yourself smiling over their actions. I found this a lot with Lark, the tattooed punk with enviable footwear. He’s also got a foul mouth and manners that leave a lot to be desired but at the same time you don’t want him to get hurt. I also liked Geri for selfish reasons. Is it so bad to hope a leggy redhead would survive a zombie outbreak? And many brownie points to Simmons for using Red Sonja in a simile, a literary rarity.

I’ve ignored it enough, time to talk mucus. The undead are just plain nasty and they get nastier. As if a lethal dose of the flu wasn’t a bad enough way to go, these guys return to unlife, hacking up vital organs and other unpleasantries as they drag themselves around town. Needless to say I gave myself plenty of time between eating and reading, just in case. Unlike most zombies, their post-life shenanigans aren’t anything to do with genetic experimentation, a satellite that’s crashed to earth or some ancient voodoo. It’s the flu. See, a little too realistic, right? This book was released just in time to play off the fears of the flu pandemic – take your pick of which animal is the source. It’s even dedicated to “the birds, the pigs, the mad cows”. Vampires have lost much of their gravity where horror is concerned, but terror grounded in such truth as this cannot be so easily pushed aside. You’re left wondering how things would play out if this actually happened. Of course, it didn’t help that a show was on television recently telling us how to act if there is a global flu outbreak… I could have done without that!

The setting definitely added to the overall anxiety and scare-factor of the story. Most zombie apocalypses seem to be focused on the heartland of America and not Northern Ireland. I’m not overly familiar with the geography and landmarks of Belfast, but Simmons so ably paints a map for you as you read that you know just where you are. The housing estates and apartment blocks are a welcome break from the usual safe houses occupied by survivors as well as creating a rather dreary atmosphere. For any readers in Ireland or England, this really brings the terror home.

It’s not only the change of scenery that adds something new to the story; it’s the history and politics that go with that scenery. The opening scene could have just as easily been on the news during the height of The Troubles. The tension between the cops and some of the other characters is well founded, as is the concern regarding the IRA and the authority of the Army.

I love to be scared or made uncomfortable by a book or film – and instantly regret it, especially later on when I’m alone in the dark – but this book hits you in a whole different way. A ghost story can be batted away with disbelief. A monstrous tale laughed off with recollections of bad make up in old movies. But something so deeply set in reality, that’s a discomfort you have to fight to shake off. I really liked that the story didn’t revolve around a group of survivors setting out for some uninfected haven, which is so often the case. It was just them. Don’t take that to mean it was a snooze-fest – it was anything but. It was real, as much as I’d like to say it wasn’t. Since we’re dropped down into these different groupings of people, we’re as much in the know as they are. There’s no real explanation given for the source of the virus or how the  final days of humanity played out. The reader has to trust in the characters and hope for the best. But the news of a coming sequel, Fever, leaves room to delve deeper into this post-apocalyptic world.

The ending was a real treat. For me it was a torturous treat though, having finished all but the final chapter before reaching college. Two hours later, I got to finish it. It was well worth the wait, and I’m talking about since October.

It may be short, but it’s a non-stop thrill ride stalling only to lull you into a false sense of uninfected security. Well written and action-packed, cruel and sentimental, FLU is a must have for all lovers of horror, zombies or those in search of something a little scary and sweet.

You can buy FLU, and his other apoc-shocker Drop Dead Gorgeous, from amazon and Book Depository. You can also follow Wayne or like his fanpage on facebook.

Handful of News

This post has a lot of visual treats for your face, much like my recent artist profiles, and some tantalising tunes for your ears. Excited?.. Shall we start, then?

Bitter Ruin

This pair should be newsworthy everyday, but today I have a specific reason to fawn over them. Do I hear a new song? I think I do! Galloping ferociously into a place in my favourite songs list comes Leather For Hell. Listen, enjoy over and over again, go show your support. Follow, like and be sure to give the rest of their music some attention if you like what you’ve heard.

Birdeatsbaby

Again, this group of talented guys and gals deserve to be the topic of much discussion whenever talking about good music. “Good” doesn’t seem like a strong enough word, but I’m really emphasising it. Good. Anyhow, these lovely folks have released a stunning new video for one of my favourite songs of theirs, Rosary. It’s beautiful, moving and just plain messy. I’ll repeat myself once more (but not the last time) – follow, like, listen, support.

Dead Island

Now, zombie videogames are a dime a dozen, with news of more and more popping up daily. Their popularity has spread, very much like a disease, since the release of Resident Evil, and even before. A lot of their premises follow the same old tired story, often involving genetic experimentation, secret government organisations, or  all three rolled into one. But the new game, Dead Island, certainly holds its own in standing apart from the rest. The trailer alone is enough to send a shiver up your spine as well as making your trigger finger twitch in anticipation of getting your hands on a copy. It’s harrowing, scary and exciting. I don’t know if I’ll be able for this one…

Oz, the Great & Powerful

Okay, I’m not one for my cherished childhood memories to be rewritten by current Hollywood execs with little or no imagination left rattling around their noggin… Buuuuuut when you have Mila Kunis and James Franco on board for a prequel to The Wizard of Oz with Sam Raimi at the helm, it does make it that bit harder to fight against the idea!

Ah, redemption!

Firefly news is always a cause for much joy! Word that The Science Channel had gotten the rights to air Firefly again, start to premature finish, spread through the internet like wild fire….fly. Sorry. This gives us Browncoats new hope to cling onto, and we’re grasping it with a grip even the Vulcans would envy! Accompanying this announcement was a short and sweet interview with the Cap’n himself, Nathan Fillion, over on EW. It’s funny that my plans for a lottery win are the same as Fillions. Huh.

@IndywoodFILMS 72-hour Tweetathon!

By now, any self respecting movie fan must be growing weary of movies that are, well, just plain bad. Every year Hollywood releases an onslaught of “high octane techo thrillers”, a barrage of “touching romances” and a healthy dose of “heart-stopping horrors”.

Now, if we’re honest, how many of these deliver what they promise?

Not too many. And yet we continue to feed the already bloated and big-headed film industry that hasn’t done all that much for us lately. Sure, we get a few gems, and there are quite a few flicks that are watchable but I wouldn’t want in my collection (and if you’ve seen my collection, that’s saying something!).

Why do so many still flock to the cinema to see something that we know will be awful, but “good for a laugh”? On a few occasions I’ve done this..and the films didn’t even offer a chuckle or two. And these were comedies for crying out loud! A lot of people, not just the big wigs with all the cash, are a little wary about independent movies. The general feeling ‘independent’ gives off is either that of some bad film college short or pretentious artsy pieces of cinema that only the oh-so-cool-but-not-cool-at-all get, or at least let on to. 

But no, that is not the be all and end all of independent movie-making. There are original thinkers with fresh new ideas and an energy and enthusiasm that’s since left many of today’s Academy Award nominees. They deserve a chance, for someone to believe in their project and take a risk. Sadly, this doesn’t happen enough but these driven folk aren’t going to back down. One such independent filmmaker is Anthony Lane, or AD Lane.

He will be doing a completely crazy 72 hour tweetathon starting tomorrow (Oct 19th)! That’s three days of solid tweeting!

Why, you may be asking. Fair question. Well, he’ll be undertaking this insane mission to raise money and awareness for his debut horror film Invasion Of The Not Quite Dead – which has Zach Galligan attached. Are y’all telling me you don’t wanna see this movie based on that alone!?

It’s already receiving support from heavies, like  Oscar Nominated Ken Russell, Hollywood actor Kevin Pollack, talk show host Jonathan Ross & Hollywood Special FX make up artist & actor (and not-so-guilty pleasure dreamboat of mine)  Tom Savini!

You know you wanna be half as cool as the people on that list. Or at least cool by association.

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So, you know where you have to be (or at least for some of the time)..

@indywoodFILMS

Tuesday – October 19 – Midnight

For 3 full days!

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And if you ‘re planning on making a contribution towards this great project, you can donate by going to  www.indywood.co.uk

There’s an option of giving what you can, or a pre-order producer package (cue, “ooooh!”) 

If you can’t give anything, donate some of your time. Follow him on twitter, send him a tweet of encouragement ..or just watch him slowly lose his mind via the webcam. You can also join the Indywood Films mailing list; you’ll be in the know and will be entered into monthly prize draws! (another “ooooh!”) The choice is yours!

And don’t forget to spread the word!

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Alrighty, well.. the countdown is on….

God speed, Anthony!

Resident Evil: Afterlife

Before I even begin, I love the Resident Evil series. I know they get a lot of stick from fans of the game and movie goers alike but I really enjoyed them. However, I’ve never played more than ten minutes of the games before suffering mild anxiety attacks, so I’m no authority on what they’ve changed or left out.  The first was the best by far, the second left me a little cold while the third instalment managed to reboot the franchise. It would have been perfectly acceptable to just leave it at that. As much as I like watching them and become excited at the prospect of sequels, I can survive without any more coming to a cinema near me. I have the DVDs and that will do me just fine. That said, the latest in Alice’s search for some peace in a world gone to hell is anything but a Resident Evil movie in my eyes.

This time around, Alice (Milla Jojovich) is continuing her quest to find Arcadia, a supposed haven free from infection. Naturally, she joins up with a group who are on the same mission. That’s as much of the story you need to know going in, the usual zombie movie plot.

Despite the interesting and tension building opening, I couldn’t help but mentally cringe for the ten minutes or so that followed. The first action scene does little to get the heart racing and the 3D effects take more than they add. But we do get to see what became of all the Alices from the end of RE: Extinction. Unfortunately, they would have been better left unused. In this scene we’re also introduced to the big baddie of the piece, Albert Wesker (Shawn Roberts). Oh, boy. If there is ever an award for the most ridiculous villain, this guy is a shoe-in! I’d forgotten his appearance in the previous film – and for a good reason too. He looks every ounce your typical bad guy and just wait until you see his acting skills. He graduated from the evil smirk school of villainy. In fact, I think he must have been valedictorian. He was over the top in a way that didn’t seem at all intentional. I’m not overly familiar with his acting ability but his filmography does read like this role wasn’t a major stretch for him. The man likes his bad horror flicks.

That’s the baddie covered, now for the heroes. Milla is back in great form but, dear oh dear, her throat has been afflicted with the same problem as Christian Bale’s Batman or Jensen Ackles’ Dean Winchester. Apparently, raspy voices are the way to win a battle – and to sound inappropriately intense while saying everyday things. As much as part of me likes this voice, I do worry what will happen to her ever-fading, scratchy tone in the expected sequels.

Ali Larter also returns as Claire Redfield – minus one memory. Then there’s her brother, Chris (Wentworth Miller), who was one of the best things about the movie but underused. Of course, the rag-tag group of survivors is a who’s who of every zombie movie’s usual suspects. How many clichés can we count? The cheeky yet loveable tough guy (Boris Kodjoe). One. A young woman, also doubling as ‘the one that happens to have trained in something that will prove useful’ (Kacey Barnfeld). Two, three. The total A-hole who was a big shot before the infection broke out (Kim Coates). Four. The cute little guy you just know is gonna die (Norman Yeung). Five. And another nice tough guy (Sergio Peris-Mencheta), because you can’t have too many around, as well as a guy who didn’t really get to do much of anything except some light perving (Fulvio Cecere). The acting was pretty dreadful overall. Larter and Miller delivered as best they could with what they were given. Kodjoe was likeable and Coates played the role of annoying jerk to a T.

As with every movie, and the games, the zombies aren’t the same from one to the next. They were you’re run of the mill undead in Resident Evil, the Lickers jumped into Apocalypse and Extinction had pumped up super zombies and also saw the virus take to the air with regenerated crows. For the fourth, evolution has dictated zombies now go all out with octopus face-splitting fun. There’s no mention of the change, so I assume they took the genetic mutation at, um, face value. The juicy Dobermans are back too! Also, there’s always a big – no, massive –  hulk of a creature. We’ve seen the first appearance of Lickers, Nemesis, Tyrant and, most recently, the terrifying Axeman (or ‘Executioner’ in the games). This guy is beyond creepy in his own right but the fact that he reminded me so much of Silent Hill’s Pyramid Head definitely added to the ‘aah’ factor. Even so, he was pretty awesome! I knew he would die because he kind of has to, I just wish he could have hung around a bit longer. I’m not saying I’d fancy running into him again, dark alleyway or no.

Like I said before, I didn’t see this as a Resident Evil movie. It came across more like a regular old zombipocalypse flick, full of tried and tested clichés. And nothing really happened. It was like the Sex and the City 2 of the horror world – a sequel for the sake of it. I expected so much more given it’s track record and Paul W.S. Anderson taking his place back in the director’s chair. He has penned all four but hasn’t been behind the camera since the franchise’s debut. Anderson is already discussing the fifth instalment and looking for fan’s input. I can only hope this will be the series’ lowest point.

3D has effectively ruined the movies of late, meaning their effects have ruined them. I wouldn’t have minded if they just took advantage of the fourth wall for throwing things towards the audience or the odd zombie brain splatter – which was done nicely – but I was driven mad by the constant freeze frame-360-slow motion-speed up scenes. It wasn’t necessary and it didn’t add to anything but my growing dislike for the 3D experience. The best use was during the underground scene. It made the atmosphere claustrophobic and put you right in it with the characters.

I can’t recommend it as wholeheartedly as I’d like to. If you’re a fan, it’s worth a watch. You may like it, this is just one person’s opinion – to each their own – I don’t see its place in the Resident Evil world, save to keep the franchise stumbling on. There’s a few jumps and some fair action sequences. The fight scenes weren’t all they could have been, too focused on high flying antics and less on the actual action. The best of the bunch came courtesy of Alice, Claire Redfield and the looming Axeman. Alice’s ‘hobby’ adds a nice touch but I couldn’t help but think of Scott Pilgrim. Overall, it’s an average horror-action film by today’s standards, which is sadly lowering all the time. All the flaws aside, It will entertain – more so if you don’t mind the effects and are looking for a no brainer.

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My verdict:
2 nommy brains out of 5.

Resident Evil: Afterlife is now out everywhere.