Borrowing Styles in Juan of the Dead: A Movie Review

Director: Alejandro Brugués.

Writer: Alejandro Brugués.

Cast: Alexis Díaz de Villegas, Jorge Molina and Andrea Duro.

Fidel Castro must have been sleeping when his government greenlit Juan of the Dead also known as Juan de los Muertos. This film is set in Havana, Cuba and it hosts an assortment of pro-capitalist messages in a socialist country. Apparently, zombie bashing is profitable. Similar to Shaun of the Dead, Juan of the Dead is meant to be comedic. Yet, many of the bits are silly at best and groan inducing at worst. Only the politicalness of this picture sets it apart from others in the flooded zombie genre.

Juan is a petty thief, a bad father and a boozer. He has few qualities to aspire to. However, when the chips are down, Juan rises up with many of friends to fight off a zombie apocalypse. The newscasters call the undead "imperialists," "dissidents" and other anti-capitalist names, but this is not an uprising begun by America. The source of the plague is never discovered. And Juan discovers a part of himself that is heroic. Let the gore fly and the bodies pile up!


There is a message between all of those action scenes. Perhaps, socialism is not working as seen in the dialogue: "you never change Juan just like this country." This line is spoken by Camilla, Juan's daughter. This line also references the poverty on Havana's streets and the desperation. Those zombies pounding on the door are bringing about a second revolution. The film also references the challenges faced by Cuba over the years such as the Bay of Pigs and other military movements. However, the film offers, in the end, a hope for change and that change might involve a freer economy led by the zombie proletariat.

Edgar Wright's Shaun of the Dead also offered messages. Instead of politics, this film referenced the repetition of modern life. We are all zombies going about our daily routines. And Wright's comedy made fun of ignorance. There was not a catastrophe from the zombie apocalypse until it was on one's doorstep. Juan of the Dead references this film throughout. Of course, it is the average man who becomes the hero. As well, few characters realize the end is nigh until it is too late. Characters in both films are not stupid, but they are certainly unaware.

Shaun of the Dead had better comedic timing and set-ups than the film seen here. Most of the jokes in Juan of the Dead are weak and uninspiring. The film seems to move from one poorly developed gag to another with writer Alejandro Brugués creating jokes that might be best understood by the Cuban people themselves. The only pieces that made this reviewer laugh involved some short shorts being worn by a man in drag. Men are just not meant for spandex. There is also a dance scene involving a zombie that might cause chuckles. Yet, many of the other gags fall flat. The writing needed to create more elaborate comedic set-ups.

Juan of the Dead also offers other mundane film elements. The music is often awkward. Sounds seam to grind together rather than amplifying some of the tension on screen. The film's story seems to move about without direction. And, the movie seems to be a loose succession of scenes strung together. There are lots of good ideas here, but there is not a central thought that holds the film together.

There are some elements here to appreciate as well. There are enough action sequences here to keep most zombie film fans entertained. Scenes are often brutal and bloody. Hundreds of the undead fight for screen time and the sets look battle worn. Brugués also utilizes long shots to show the zombie hordes on walkabout in dramatic fashion. The CGI seems to falter here and there, but many of the exterior shots are a triumph and not a detriment to a viewing. Finally, the film focuses on the characters and their relationships. This creates for some believable camaraderie and the film's conclusion shows the importance of these characters staying and working together.

As the credits roll, Juan of the Dead is hard to recommend for most horror fans. Instead, it is best that fans of both the comedy and horror genres see this film. Zombie genre fans will also find some excitement here. Both of these groups will hopefully find more laughs in a watching than this reviewer did. Maybe the politics got in the way of the comedy and this is why the bits sank like many of the undead in the later scenes.

Overall: 6 out of 10.

*recently shown at the LA Film Fest (June 15th).

**shot in Spanish with English subtitles.

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Posted in: 2012,comedy,juan of the dead,movie review,politic,politics,social message,spanish,zombie apocalypse,zombies