Sunday, August 15, 2010
Michael Allen
Director/writer: Marvin Suarez.
The Zombie Chronicles: The Infected is a zombie short from Infected Pictures of twenty-six minutes. This film is part of a trilogy with the first film, mentioned above, releasing in late 2010. Here's hoping the next two films in the series do not get released, or are a lot better than the film being reviewed here. Dark lighting, cardboard, starchy acting, and an unexplained premise left this reviewer's eyes rolling from the sheer frustration of it all.
The setting is Manhattan and the time is June 6th, 2012. Stop this movie lover if you have heard this before, a zombie rampage is scouring itself across The City, where survivors hide in apartment buildings to wait out the plague. Two ambulance attendants are the focus of the story and the female in this twosome can not let go of her zombie daughter. Then, some mysterious events occur in total darkness and this reviewer's ability to tell the story ends here.
Here is some advice to actor Lavrenti Lopes who places the medic Josh; try practicing your lines before showing up for the shoot. Not rehearsing your character equals laziness and this shows in your performance. The other actors come off as average, but Lopes is two steps below everyone else.
Slamming on independent horror films is never fun, but if your production cannot afford lighting please acquire more funding, or do not make the film at all. Creating a film where almost the second half of the feature is in complete darkness is not mysterious and instead is, simply, annoying. Turn on a light or two, so events can actually be seen and save the mystery for the writing.
Finally, the source of the infection is not really explained, which is not always necessary. However, providing a little backstory as to why the disease is happening helps to inform the viewer as to what is happening and, of course, why. Providing a backstory on the virus also helps with uniqueness. Sadly, outside of some menacing, talking zombies, dual screen shots, and some interesting colours in hallways, the Zombie Chronicles just does not deliver the goods. Here is one vote for Marvin Suarez tightening up the production on his following two films. Otherwise, this series will be like watching a wall in the darkness of your own home, where an occasional unwarranted scream breaks up the silence.
Overall: 4 out of 10 (one of the fundamental elements of filmmaking is not achieved with any level of adequacy - the lighting, minus another point for Lopes' dismal acting, one last note this is Marvin Suarez's first film and hopefully not a precedent for the rest of his filmmaking career).
The homepage for the film here:
What Are the Infected
The film on Facebook:
Zombie Chronicles on FB
A completely misleading review of the film by Scott Shoyer at Anythinghorror.com:
Zombie Chronicles at Anything Horror
A much better zombie genred film, where you can actually see what is going on:
Advertise Here - Contact me Michael Allen at 28DLA
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The Zombie Chronicles: The Infected is a zombie short from Infected Pictures of twenty-six minutes. This film is part of a trilogy with the first film, mentioned above, releasing in late 2010. Here's hoping the next two films in the series do not get released, or are a lot better than the film being reviewed here. Dark lighting, cardboard, starchy acting, and an unexplained premise left this reviewer's eyes rolling from the sheer frustration of it all.
The setting is Manhattan and the time is June 6th, 2012. Stop this movie lover if you have heard this before, a zombie rampage is scouring itself across The City, where survivors hide in apartment buildings to wait out the plague. Two ambulance attendants are the focus of the story and the female in this twosome can not let go of her zombie daughter. Then, some mysterious events occur in total darkness and this reviewer's ability to tell the story ends here.
Here is some advice to actor Lavrenti Lopes who places the medic Josh; try practicing your lines before showing up for the shoot. Not rehearsing your character equals laziness and this shows in your performance. The other actors come off as average, but Lopes is two steps below everyone else.
Slamming on independent horror films is never fun, but if your production cannot afford lighting please acquire more funding, or do not make the film at all. Creating a film where almost the second half of the feature is in complete darkness is not mysterious and instead is, simply, annoying. Turn on a light or two, so events can actually be seen and save the mystery for the writing.
Finally, the source of the infection is not really explained, which is not always necessary. However, providing a little backstory as to why the disease is happening helps to inform the viewer as to what is happening and, of course, why. Providing a backstory on the virus also helps with uniqueness. Sadly, outside of some menacing, talking zombies, dual screen shots, and some interesting colours in hallways, the Zombie Chronicles just does not deliver the goods. Here is one vote for Marvin Suarez tightening up the production on his following two films. Otherwise, this series will be like watching a wall in the darkness of your own home, where an occasional unwarranted scream breaks up the silence.
Overall: 4 out of 10 (one of the fundamental elements of filmmaking is not achieved with any level of adequacy - the lighting, minus another point for Lopes' dismal acting, one last note this is Marvin Suarez's first film and hopefully not a precedent for the rest of his filmmaking career).
The homepage for the film here:
What Are the Infected
The film on Facebook:
Zombie Chronicles on FB
A completely misleading review of the film by Scott Shoyer at Anythinghorror.com:
Zombie Chronicles at Anything Horror
A much better zombie genred film, where you can actually see what is going on:
Advertise Here - Contact me Michael Allen at 28DLA
| | |
Stumble It!Subscribe to 28 Days Later: An Analysis by Email
Posted in: horror,independent,marvin suarez,thriller,zombie,zombie chronicles: the infection
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