Category: Horror

“Dead Zone” (2022) starring Michael Jai White / Z-View

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Dead Zone (2022)

Director:  Hank Braxtan

Screenplay: Michael Klug, Tim Ogletree; story by Michael Lurie, Jeffrey Giles

Stars: Michael Jai White, Antuone Torbert and Jeff Fahey.

Tagline:  None.

The Plot…

A squad of soldiers are sent into a zombie-infested town.  Their fate of humanity depends on their success.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I was hoping for a much better film.  I barely made it through so I will barely rate it 2 stars.

Dead Zone (2022) rates 2 of 5 stars

“Night of the Hunter” (1955) directed by Charles Laughton; starring Robert Mitchum, Lillian Gish, Shelley Winters, Billy Chapin and Sally Jane Bruce / Z-View

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                                  Night of the Hunter alt poster by Laurent Carbonelle

Night of the Hunter (1955)

Director:  Charles Laughton

Screenplay: James Agee; based on THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER by Davis Grubb

Stars: Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Lillian Gish, James Gleason, Evelyn Varden, Don Beddoe, Billy Chapin, Sally Jane Bruce, Gloria Castillo, Corey Allen, Paul Bryar and Peter Graves.

Tagline: The scenes…the story…The stars BUT ABOVE ALL – THE SUSPENSE!

The Plot…

The Great Depression has a stranglehold on the country.

Harry Powell is the proverbial wolf in sheep’s clothing.  Powell claims to be a traveling preacher.  In truth Powell is a psychotic serial killer.

Powell’s hatred for women consumes him.  He says to himself, “There are things you do hate, Lord. Perfume-smellin’ things, lacy things, things with curly hair…There’s too many of them. I can’t kill the world.”  Powell travels the countryside taking advantage of the weak.  He steals and kills without regret.  Then moves on to find the next victim.

Powell is caught in a stolen car.  Sent to prison, he is celled with Ben Harper.  Harper and a friend, unable to find jobs become desperate enough to rob a bank.  Two men and Harper’s friend were killed in the theft.  Harper made it home to hid the bank’s $10,000.  As the police came to arrest him, he told his two small children where the money was hidden, and made them swear to never tell.

Harry Powell learns of the $10,000 robbery and attempts to get Harper to tell where he hid the loot.  Harper takes the secret to his grave when he is hanged for his crimes.  When Powell is released from prison he decides to call on Harper’s widow.

Powell plans to woo and wed widow Harper.  Once he finds the hidden cash, he’ll kill the woman and her little children too.

“It’s a hard world for little things.”

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Night of the Hunter is based on Davis Grubb’s novel THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER.

Night of the Hunter is sadly the only film ever directed by Charles Laughton.

When Mitchum’s character is seen in silhouette in the distance riding a horse, it is actually a dwarf on a pony.  The scene was filmed in forced perspective.

Robert Mitchum said that Charles Laughton was his favorite director and Night of the Hunter was the favorite film that he starred in.

The Harry Powell character was based on a real serial killer named Harry Powers.  Powers found his victims through “lonely hearts” advertisements.  Powers killed women and their children then stole their money and valuables.  When Powers was caught, police found many letters from women wanting to meet him.  Powers was convicted and hung for his crimes.

There’s a shot of Winters that is haunting.  It will stay with you forever.

Stephen King has called Night of the Hunter the scariest film of all time.

Night of the Hunter is a classic.  Everyone should watch it at least once.

Night of the Hunter (1955) rates 5 of 5 stars

“28 Days Later” written by Alex Garland; directed by Danny Boyle; starring Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brenden Gleeson and Megan Burns / Z-View

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28 Days Later (2002)

Director:  Danny Boyle

Screenplay: Alex Garland

Stars: Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Megan Burns, Christopher Eccleston, Alex Palmer, David Schneider, Toby Sedgwick, Noah Huntley, Kim McGarrity, Luke Mably, Stuart McQuarrie and Brendan Gleeson.

Tagline: Day 1: Exposure – Day 3: Infection – Day 8: Epidemic – Day 15: Evacuation – Day 20: Devastation

The Plot…

Jim awakens after being in a coma for 28 days.  He’s in a hospital bed, but the hospital is deserted.  Jim throws on some clothes and heads out into the street.  Broad daylight and no one is seen.

Jim goes into a church.  In the sanctuary are dozens of people.  Most show signs of major physical trauma.  They appear to be sleeping.  When a priest sees Jim and begins to attack, the infected come out of their slumber and attack as well.

Jim barely escapes.  Jim comes to realize that while he was in a coma, a fast-acting virus turned normal people into mindless, frenzied, killing machines.  There are few survivors in a city that once held over 7 million souls.  Jim meets and befriends three who have endured: Selena, a young woman about his age, Frank, a middle-aged man and his teenage daughter Hannah.

A radio broadcast repeats the message that protection can be found at a location outside of Manchester.  The four debate if there is truly salvation there.  The broadcast could be outdated.  Everyone there could be dead.  The people there could be as dangerous as the infected.  The journey will require them to pass through multiple congested areas.

Ultimately the group decides to go.  Unexpected dangers await. Not all will survive.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Megan Burns, who plays Frank’s teenage daughter Hannah, had appeared in only one other film prior to 28 Days Later.  Megan retired from acting after 28 Days Later to pursue a career as a musician.  Her stage name is Betty Curse.

28 Days Later re-invigorated the zombie genre.  Although some argue that the infected aren’t zombies, since they have lost control of their bodies and reasoning, I think they fit the definition.

28 Days Later is a classic.  Well written, well directed and well acted.  <Chef’s kiss>

28 Days Later (2002) rates 5 of 5 stars

“Reign of Fire” (2002) starring Matthew McConaughey and Christian Bale / Z-View

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Reign of Fire (2002)

Director:  Rob Bowman

Screenplay: Gregg Chabot, Kevin Peterka, Matt Greenberg; story by Gregg Chabot, Kevin Peterka

Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Christian Bale, Izabella Scorupco, David Kennedy,
Alexander Siddig, Terence Maynard, Alice Krige and Gerard Butler.

Tagline: Fight Fire With Fire

The Plot…

In 2002, workers drilling in the London Underground opened a passage into an undiscovered cave.  A gigantic dragon awoke.  Soon it and other dragons emerged.  In short order, cities and the people living in them were destroyed.  A young boy named Quinn witnessed the first dragon emerging from the underground when it killed his mother.

2020.  Most of the world’s population is long gone.  The few survivors have banded together in small communities.  Quinn is now a leader of a group that took refuge in Bamburgh Castle.  The group is barely hanging on.  The food supply is low. Crops won’t come to harvest for a few weeks.  A dragon recently attacked and destroyed part of the crop when it attacked and killed a community member.

Quinn and the community are shocked when a heavily armored military squad pulls up to the castle entrance.  They request entrance.  The convoy contains a tank, a helicopter and many armed soldiers.  The leader of the troop is Van Zan.  Quinn isn’t sure if the new arrivals are true military or raiders looking to steal whatever they can.  One thing Quinn knows is his community has no chance in a firefight.

He allows them in.  Soon all hell will break loose.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Bale did an excellent job in his role but McConaughey OWNED every scene he was in. The direction, production values, special effects were all top notch.

Gerard Butler has a supporting role as Bale’s friend.  Four years later Butler would become an international star with the release of 300.

Reign of Fire (2002) rates 5 of 5 stars

“Vindicta” (2023) starring Elena Kampouris, Jeremy Piven and Sean Astin / Z-View

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Vindicta (2023)

Director:  Sean McNamara

Screenplay: Ian Neligh; story by Steven Paul

Stars: Elena Kampouris, Jeremy Piven, Travis Nelson, Daniel Cudmore, Bradley Stryker, Robin Atkin Downes and Sean Astin.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

As riots rage across Seattle, a serial killer begins taking victims. The killer’s prey are first responders… police, fire and rescue workers.  The maniac leaves Latin phrases by each mutilated body.

Lou is a rookie paramedic.  Her proficiency in Latin allows her to decipher the killer’s message.  Detective Russo will rely on Lou to assist with future clues.  As the bodies pile up, Lou realizes that the killer is taking vengeance and those close to her may be next.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would.  Definitely would qualify for a drive-in movie.  There are worse ways to spend an hour and 27 minutes.

Vindicta (2023) rates 2 of 5 stars

“28 Years Later” written by Alex Garland; directed by Danny Boyle; starring Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes / Z-View

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28 Years Later (2025)

Director:  Danny Boyle

Screenplay: Alex Garland

Stars: Alfie Williams, Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Edvin Ryding, Chi Lewis-Parry, Jack O’Connell and Ralph Fiennes.

Tagline:  Time didn’t heal anything.

The Plot…

2002. In Britain a fast spreading infection turns people into mindless, frenzied, killing machines.  The source is called the Rage Virus.  The virus is passed through bites, blood or saliva.  There is no cure.

As a horde attacks, Jimmy, a twelve-year-old boy sees his mother taken down.  Jimmy runs to the church where his father is minister.  The swarm of infected follows closely behind.  Jimmy’s father gives the boy a small cross and tells him to “run!”.  As the infected burst into the church, Jimmy’s father allows himself to be taken so that Jimmy may escape.

28 years later.  The Rage Virus is contained to the British Isles which are now quarantined from the rest of the world.  Military vessels patrol to make sure no one gets in or out.  The virus has mutated.  Some infected have grown bigger, faster and have limited reasoning.

Survivors either live alone or in small fortified villages.  One such refuge is on a coastal island connected to the mainland by a causeway that is underwater except at low tide.  Sentries stand watch 24 hours a day.

Jamie, his wife Isla and their twelve-year-old son Spike live on this island.  Jamie is a scavenger for the community.  Isla has been sick.  She’s started to hallucinate.  She’s weak and getting worse.

From time to time Jamie goes back to the mainland to search for needed items.  Timing is crucial.  He must leave at low tide and return before the water rises.  If he fails to do so, tides are too strong and deep.  Getting back to the island is then impossible.

Jamie believes that Spike is mature enough for his first trip to the mainland.  The minimum age is usually fifteen.  Going against convention, Jamie takes Spike over.  When Spike learns that a doctor used to live within traveling distance, he wants to take his mother there.  Jamie tells Spike the trip would be much too dangerous.  Worse still, the doctor is out of his mind.

If Spike survives his first trip to the mainland, he is determined to take his mother to the doctor.

That is IF he survives…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

28 days later upped the ante with the zombie genre. (And let’s not quibble if the rage-infected are zombies.)

There is a nice surprise twist near the end of the film.

The final scenes have a different feel than the rest of the film.  Many will find/have found the change jarring.  These scenes set up the next film in the series.

I’ve always contended that the best part of zombie/apocalyptic films is at the very beginning when people are unsure of what is happening or how to best respond.  Having the virus mutate and having Spike make the mainland journey for the first time was a smart move.  The audience is learning about the changes along with Spike.  I hope the next film doesn’t make the infected blasé.

28 Years Later (2025) rates 4 of 5 stars

BURN TO SHINE: A JOE LEDGER AND ROGUE TEAM INTERNATIONAL NOVEL by Jonathan Maberry / Z-View

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BURN TO SHINE by Jonathan Maberry

First sentence…

“You’re going to want to take that call,” I said.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Joe Ledger is an ex-Army Ranger and ex-Baltimore police detective.  Ledger was recruited into the United States’ several-levels-above-top-secret Department of Military Sciences.  This organization dealt with threats to the US,.  Most of their missions involved stopping terrorists using advanced technology to create bio-weapons.  Some of Ledger’s assignments ventured into the realm of the supernatural… and while Ledger might not believe in that “stuff” — his team had to deal with it.  Ultimately because of threats to the world, Rogue Team International was formed.

The man calls himself Mr. October.  He’s been known by other names.  Mr. October is fine… for now.  Mr. October has plans to change the world.  Chaos will reign.

She should be dead. She was dead.  She remembers that much.  Slowly her memory is coming back.  Mr. October calls her Mother Mary.  Mother Mary’s IQ is on a genius level scale that is off the charts.  As intelligent as she is, Mary is just as insane.  She wants to see the world burn.  It has to burn to shine.

Mr. October has the financial resources to get Mary whatever she needs to make a virus strain more potent than ever seen before.  The virus will infect people across the country.  The infected will become “bombs” spreading the plague.   The US… and then the world will fall.

Joe Ledger and his team are sent to Pine Deep.  From past experience Ledger knows to count on strange things.  Groups of heavily armed men, gearing up for battle, usually indicate a militia.  The “soldiers” look like skinheads.  But the mission they’re preparing for is much more sinister.  And even the “soldiers” have no idea how they’re being used.

It’s been said it’s impossible to stop an assassin willing to die.  How do you stop an army of those assassins?

Joe Ledger and his team are going to find out.  Or die trying.

+++

Fans of Jonathan Maberry’s Pine Deep series/characters will get a kick out of their inclusion in BURN TO SHINE.

Jonathan Maberry has another winner!  I love the Joe Ledger tales.

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“Troll 2” – The Poster and Trailer are Here! 

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Troll 2 – The Poster and Trailer are Here!  I found the original to be surprisingly fun.  I’m looking forward to another round.

Deal me in.

When a dangerous new troll is awakened, unleashing devastation across Norway, beloved adventurers Nora, Andreas and Captain Kris are thrust into their most perilous mission yet.

Troll 2 is coming to Netflix December 1, 2025. For more on Troll 2, visit https://www.netflix.com/troll2

“Monster Island” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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I like the looks of the poster and trailer for Orang Ikan aka Monster Island.

Deal me in!

After being torpedoed by allied submarines, a Japanese soldier and a British POW are stranded on a deserted island and soon discover that they’re being hunted by a ferocious mythological creature, the Orang Ikan.

MONSTER ISLAND drops July 25 on Shudder.

Director: Mike Wiluan
Starring: Dean Fujioka, Callum Woodhouse, Alexandra Gottardo

“Predator” (1987) directed by John McTiernan; starring Arnold Schwarzenegger / Z-View

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Predator (1987)

Director:  John McTiernan

Screenplay: Jim Thomas, John Thomas

Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Kevin Peter Hall, Elpidia Carrillo, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Landham, Richard Chaves, R.G. Armstrong, Shane Black,
Franco Columbu and Sven-Ole Thorsen.

Tagline:  If it bleeds, we can kill it…

The Plot…

A helicopter carrying a diplomat is shot down in a Central American jungle.  The CIA sends in Agent Al Dillon to oversee the rescue mission led by Major “Dutch” Schaefer and his team of mercenaries.

Shortly after their drop-off in the jungle, the team finds three skinned corpses strung upside down from a tree.  Dutch learns that his team was sent in under false pretenses.  Even worse, as the team will soon discover, an alien predator with advanced technology is stalking them.

It wants warrior trophies.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Jean-Claude Van Damme (5’9″) was originally cast as the Predator.  It was soon decided that JCVD’s Predator (much shorter than Schwarzenegger and the rest of his squad) was not imposing enough.  Kevin Peter Hall (7’2″) ended up playing the Predator.

John McTiernan was chosen to helm Predator after Ridley Scott, James Cameron, John Milius, John Carpenter, Renny Harlin and others turned it down.  McTiernan proved to be the right choice.

Kevin Peter Hall can be seen as one of the helicopter pilots at the end of the film.  John McTiernan gave him the role as a reward for his performance in the Predator suit.

Shane Black, the actor who plays one of the rescue squad soldiers is better known as the screenwriter for Lethal Weapon and other films.

Both Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jesse Ventura would go on to become state governors in real life.

Predator is a classic.

Predator (1987) rates 5 of 5 stars

BITTER ROOT: THE NEXT MOVEMENT #1 created by David F. Walker, Chuck Brown, Sanford Greene / Z-View

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BITTER ROOT: THE NEXT MOVEMENT #1 created by David F. Walker, Chuck Brown, Sanford Greene

Coloring: Matt Herms

Lettering: Hasson Otsmane-Elhaou

Publisher: Image Comics

Going back as far as can be told the Sangeryes have been Jinoo hunters. Jinoo were once human.  They became so poisoned by greed, hate, racism and other evils that the Jinoo became monsters. Some could be cured.  Others had to be killed.  But the cost to the Sangerye family was heavy.

Now, in the year 1964, the United States government say the Jinoo have been eliminated.  The Sangerye family knows differently.

When a bus load of young civil rights activists are brutally murdered in Mississippi, government agents are sent down.  The agents discover the destroyed bus.  The corpses, at least those that they can find, were butchered.  Recent attacks in Tennessee, Alabama and Louisiana were increasingly brutal.  This is even worse.

The lead agent is unwilling to say Jinoo have returned. Meriah Manigo, a member of the Sangerye family knows differently.  And she’s now on site.

The original BITTER ROOT series received my highest recommendation.  I love that the original creative team of writers David F. Walker and Chuck Brown along with artist Sanford Greene have returned.   They haven’t missed a beat as they continue the BITTER ROOT story.  Kudos also to colorist Matt Herms and letterer Hasson Otsmane-Elhaou.

Don’t be discouraged if you haven’t read the original series.  You don’t need it to enjoy BITTER ROOT: THE NEXT MOVEMENT.  (But I do encourage you to seek out the original series as well!)

BITTER ROOT: THE NEXT MOVEMENT #1 gets my highest recommendation.

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