Redefining the Weird West in Exit Humanity: A Movie Review

Director/writer: John Geddes.

Cast: Mark Gibson, Jordan Hayes, Stephen McHattie, Bill Moseley, Brian Cox, and Dee Wallace.

The Civil War is over, and for Edward Young (Mark Gibson), a soldier who's survived the worst of what mankind can do to one another—to kill a fellow man—he will soon face a new terror in Exit Humanity.

Viewers are being taken through his journey by flipping through the pages of a book, and this technique is a good one to establish each chapter of Young’s life. When the tale begins, six years have passed since the end of that war, and the hero has moved on to forge a new life. Sadly, he is still haunted by his wartime memories of fighting the living dead. It seems the Confederates have found a way to turn the tide, and fortunately history as we know it survived intact.

But when Young comes home from a hunting trip, he finds his wife has become of them, and his son is missing. She dies by his hand and soon enough, desperation hits hard since everything he has dreamed of is crumbling. With no family, his life is meaningless. He keeps a journal, chronicling his descent to madness. And no matter where he goes, all he finds is a world full of suffering at every turn.

And as for why the "dead-alives" (Young's name for zombies) are running rampant is a worthy mystery. Through John Ghedde’s prosaic screenplay, there are hints to suggest why. The narrative is filled with little truisms and a depth that is not always found with some Westerns that unravel itself. Usually the villains get too megalomaniacal and give everything away!

Instead, what is provided here are moments of self-realization that is textured with richly detailed illustrations to underscore the importance of it all. In what is presented turns Young to become a Charles Darwin of his time. His observations about the evolution of the species—especially the human one—are what make this film unique.

If this movie can really succeed as a cult product, a book featuring Montreal based artist Snezhan Bodurov's works really must be published. The drawings that Young made must be from Bodurov's hand. Even the animation sequences that move the story forward prove to be spectacular in both its visual style and supernatural content. The artwork literally comes to life in its photo-realism of the graphite and ink drawings, with watercolour splattered upon its pages.

Producer John Geddes was smart to recruit this artist in developing the visual style of Exit Humanity. Together, they did a great job in crafting a world that is vividly rich in graphic novel style imagery. And Geddes crafted a screenplay that is sharp and philosophical. His decision to use the first person narrative is a great technique to convey the raw emotions that Young expresses throughout the film. And Gibson really sells the role. Without the right tone, this movie would not be as bold. With Brian Cox ("Deadwood") providing the excellent voice over, this cinematic package is very well put together.

In a world going to hell, the weird west is more than gone. Nearly everyone Young encounters in his travels has a secret, and none of them are pleased at forging an alliance. This nuance really shows in the performances by Bill Moseley ("Carnivale") and Stephen McHattie (Pontypool). They each respectively play a Confederate general and a surgeon that the hero has to deal with. But there is also a witch that is also stirring the melting pot that has Young’s heart turning to stone.

Exit Humanity is a film that can stand side-by-side with other classics like George A Romero's original Night of the Living Dead. Although a shorter running time could have helped improve the pacing of this product, only the impatient will really take notice. But for the patient, this film does everything to satisfy some fans of the zombie genre. This movie tries to explain their origins and Max Brooks will more than likely approve.

He may also admire of some of the makeup effects too. Some of the undead creations, especially those in the animated sequences, bring forth the style reminiscent of Lucio Fulci as well as including a few Asian influences. Although this movie is very low in the gore content, that’s just fine.

In a dramatic film that gently uses the zombie tradition to get its point across, Young certainly shows plenty of pains as he struggles to make the hero's journey. His diary is close to being finished when he arrives to certain revelations. It simply means that he has to defeat his own darkness if hope is to survive!

8.5 out of 10 (interesting characterizations, exceptional animation sequences, solid cast, and McHattie never disappoints even in a bit part).

The film's fan page is here:

Exit Humanity on Facebook


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Posted in: 2012,civil war,history,horror movie preview,movie poster,movie review,stephen mchattie,zombie apocalypse,zombies