Dir. Brett Pierce and Drew T. Pierce, USA, 2011, 90 min
Cast: Michael McKiddy, Ross Kidder, Markus Taylor, Natalie Victoria
Review by Michelle Moore
We have seen our fair share of road trip movies and romantic films where someone declares their undying love for another however, there has never been a combination quite like this. Dead Heads intertwines elements of a romance within an adventure while all being experienced by two zombies.
Directed by Brett and Drew T. Pierce, sons of The Evil Dead special effects photographer Bart Pierce, Dead Heads explores the cross-country adventure, zombies Mike (McKiddy) and Brent (Kidder) enter into to track down the formers old girlfriend.
The films begins with their initially meetings then progresses into their journey intertwining elements of their back history; how they died, why they became zombies and why they are different from the others walking the streets. It takes the majority of the film for this to be explained; they had been injected with some kind of “smart serum” after they died which explains why they are not deranged like others.
The chemistry that grows between McKiddy and Kidder as they embark as “cupids little zombies on a mission of love” (as described by Brent) is spot on with the two sharing some funny moments, anger and frustration as well as the occasional tender and more emotional touch. There is a plethora of gruesome images; using intestines as rope, decapitation and severed limbs and feasting on flesh and internal organs. The emotional side seeps in when someone close to Mike and Brent, an individual that has supported them on their journey passes away and the two grieve. In terms of humour and laughter, Brent teaching a zombie man, he has nicknamed Cheese, to fetch body parts and dance is brilliant, as is the scene where a discussion about mythical beings such as vampires and werewolves have weak points – silver bullets and garlic – and due to their intoxicated state of mind, Cheese gets the muchies!
There are times that create moments of weakness within the story. The fact no one seems shocked or scared by zombies walking, talking or having a drink muddles the effect to some extent as does the brawl between Brent and Mike when the latter’s arm gets ripped off and is easily fixed back on as if a should that has popped out of its socket. What is a little odd is since he is wearing a jacket this appears fixed too.
In a time where the zombie movies tend to be about blood, gore and mutilation, with its combination of action, horror and romance Dead Heads is the perfect addition to the zombie sub-genre. After a successful premier at 2011’s FIRGHTFEST, the zombie feature comes to DVD and Blu-Ray January 2nd 2012!
xx - posted on 23/05/2012 13:13:28
