Screens Only Semi-Ignite with Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies: A Movie Review

Director: Richard Schenkman.

Writers: Karl T. Hirsch, J. Lauren Proctor, and Richard Schenkman.

Cast: Bill Oberst Jr., David Alexander, Raed Ali and Bernie Ask.

Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies is production company The Asylum's latest mockbuster. A sendup of Timur Bekmambetov's Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, the film here has been created to potentially capitalize on Timur's looming success. However, the film here has been made for a fraction of the price of its bigger budgeted cousin. That lack of financial backing means that Richard Schenkman's feature must be innovative. There is creativity here. And Shenkman gets many film elements right, but Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies comes across as a tepid Civil War action piece.

As a boy, Abraham Lincoln (Bill Oberst Jr.) had to watch his mother infected with a zombie virus. As a man, he must watch Mary (Baby Norman), his former sweetheart, also fall ill to this disease. The Union is fracturing under an epidemic. But, America will not go down without a fight! And so, Abraham picks up his scythe to do battle with the undead. He must gather some fighters, as well. So a few friends come along for the ride including: Stonewall Jackson (Don McGraw), Pat Garrett (Christopher Marrone), Theodore Roosevelt (Canon Kuipers), and John Wilkes Booth (Jason Vail). Booth sets himself up as the antagonist and so do all of the roaming dead. Will the Union and Abraham survive?

This reviewer lost interest in the answer to this question. However, it was fun trying to categorize Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies by genre. Is this a period piece? The costumes, settings and dialogue make the film seem accurate historically. Although, diehard historians will realize that many of the characters in this film would not be the ages portrayed here. Many characters would be much younger. Is this an action film? The assorted battles between the undead and Abraham with his Secret Service men create for some enjoyable confrontations. Yet, the many lumbering zombies seem like speed bumps rather than actual foes. Is this a horror film? The only element that makes this film seem terrifying are the creatures on the screen. The makeup from Renonda Anderson is gruesome (even though some necks go unpainted), but there are few scares to be found here. Really, Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies is an average thriller with only a few scenes creating for true excitement.

Bill Oberst Jr.'s characterization of honest Abe is much better than average, however. Oberst is known for being a character actor. He often researches his roles in depth giving him the title: "the hardest working man in Hollywood." So he really steps into the character here. His mannerisms, dialogue and appearance make for a believable 16th President on the cusp of forming the Union. This actor seems comfortable in his role, while others struggle to stay compelling. It must be hard to be a serious actor when you are wearing a turn of the century styled beard. Oberst is one of the reasons that fans of his and of b-movieish styled films should see this one.

Unfortunately, this outing was not one of The Asylum's best. While the film does not resort to cliches, Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies fails to reach its full parodical potential. Surely there are a few more laughs to be found here. This is Abraham Lincoln fighting zombies after all. As well, there is very little tension between warring groups. The zombies seem to act like pylons when they needed to be more threatening. There are some awkward moments of dialogue that seem overextended. The change in pacing was welcomed, but the film slows down too much in a few spots. The music is well done by Chris Ridnehour. It is especially compelling during the many action scenes. The settings are great, while the plot is a little sparse. There are many night shoots that are poorly lighted; day shoots are lively and bright. All of these elements create for a fairly average, or slightly above average film.

Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies released on DVD May 29th. This film is only for those who enjoy period pieces set in the 19th Century. Or perhaps, action fans will find something to smile about here. This is definitely not a horror movie and fans of this genre might not be satisfied with this showing. This reviewer would give it a half-hearted recommend for history buffs who like to debunk film. Others might want to dodge Lincoln's scythe for a more compelling feature.

Overall: 6 out of 10 (good sets, great performance from Bill Oberst Jr., lots of interesting characters, an average finale, a heavy reliance on CGI).

Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies at The Asylum:

The Film's Homepage

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Posted in: 2012,2012 release,bill oberst jr.,history,movie review,parody,satire,the asylum,thriller