The Dead One

I am not familiar with the comic book this movie was based on but it seemed like a decent adaptation.I just stumbled across it at the DVD rental store and knew nothing about it.It has an interesting mythology and the actors all performed well and were convincing.I especially loved Zac's reaction when Diego came back from the dead and how no one believed him or took him seriously. I loved the outfit (or costume) Wilmer Valderrama (Diego) wore in the movie. It's dark & stylish and good for any occasion.I would love to wear something like that. The movie didn't really seem to end so i'm not sure whether sequels are planned,or if it is a pilot for a new series. Either way I liked it and the effects were good.The cinematography was nice and I liked how it was effective without gore and bad CGI effects. I look forward to seeing more movies about these character's if any more are planned and would like to read the comic now also.

Okay... I get the similarities to "The Crow" and the fact that it's supposed to be a comic book adaptation, and I understand that even "Fez" needs to work these days, but come on... This is the best they could come up with? It's just plain... Silly. I guess our economic frenzy has hit Hollywood just as hard, because it's sad to see great character actors like: Michael Parks, Billy Drago and Maria Alonso reduced to this pathetic piece of garbage. It amazes me, that something this bad could make it onto cable pay channels, let alone directly after the wonderful "Masters of Horror". This belongs hidden from plain site, on the back shelf of a family owned video store, and covered with dust from lack of rental. It sounds harsh, but producers need to understand this, and quit insulting our intelligence. I'll give it a 2 for above average acting and cinematography, but that's it. This is a train wreck from the get go, and doesn't deserve to be aired on something we have to pay for on a monthly basis.

Clad in his zombie mariachi costume twenty-one year old Diego is going to a Dia De Los Muertos party.Unfortunately for him he is abducted, sacrificed and resurrected by the Aztec Gods of Death and Destiny."El Muerto" is easily one of the worst so-called "horror" films I have seen recently.It's dull and completely unscary.There is no gore and some CGI effects look really poor.The film is based on the comic book series from Javier Hernandez,which I never read.The production values are surprisingly high and the cinematography is great,but the lack of suspense,gore and nudity can't be forgiven.Avoid this boring mess like the plague-you'll thank me later.3 out of 10 and that's being kind.

There have been zombie films, superhero flicks, Latino features and teen romance movies, but this is the first Latino zombie superhero teen romance! And this isn't your uncle's zombie film as El Muerto, unlike other members of the walking dead, can run around during the day, feel love, fight evil and he doesn't have a taste for human flesh.

The motion picture is based on the El Muerto comic by Javier Hernandez, published by Los Comex. It is one of the most faithful transfers of a comic book to the screen as adapted by director Brian Cox. The film's title sequence pays reverence to its origins, featuring art by Hernandez that evokes the opening of many Sergio Leone films (Coincidently the film is produced by unrelated Leones).

Contrary to many comic book films that take forever setting up the origin of the character, El Muerto swiftly unfolds his beginnings and gets to the action, establishing his motivation, his powers and the conflict of being a teen zombie. Young Diego (Wilmer Valderrama, yes Fez from That 70s Show) crosses Mictlantecuhtli, the Aztec God of Death and has his still-beating heart (if not his soul) plucked from him. His love for his girlfriend Maria (the beautiful Angie Cepeda) helps brings him back from the Land of Death, much to the surprise of his friend Zak (Joel David Moore of Art School Confidential) and others.

A series of gruesome deaths and some omens lead them to believe the God of Death is up to no good and only Diego as El Muerto can stop him! El Muerto has something for everyone and will even appeal to people who wouldn't be caught dead watching a zombie movie. This is a zombie film for the entire family! It has an engaging action and a romantic theme, believable special effects, great music and sound design. It boasts many incredible actors like Michael Parks (Kill Bill), Tony Plana (now in "Ugly Betty"), Maria Conchita Alonso and Tony Amendola. The underused and underrated Billy Drago (The Untouchables) makes an impression in a stunning performance.

Some cite the character's similarity to the Crow, but they are night and day. They're both black-clad reanimated corpses with make-up on, but that's where it ends. Whereas the Crow is dark and cynical, El Muerto is light and positive. Though hearts get ripped out and there's other gore, it's tastefully done, usually off screen though still with impact.

With Wilmer Valderrama in the lead, it should attract a wide female and teen audience. One gets the feeling that this film will ultimately have long legs on video and become a cult/mainstream favorite as the years pass. It's a great character and should inspire many fun sequels and spin-offs.

First off this film has yet to be seen in any theater because the Los Angeles VIP premier was but a few days ago. This movie(YES I actually did see this) was utterly excellent because it was a thriller and a comic crossover. This was such a refreshing movie because every "Scary" scene was not gore and random CGI filling the screen until your absolutely disgusted. No, this retraced the steps of all great horror scenes: the music, the absence of gore that makes your own imagination so much more terrifying and vivid than anything that could be portrayed visually, and having an all star cast like: Tony Plana and Billy Drago! Though this film is a comic-to-movie film, it lacked the major budget that most of these types of films have. This movie does pace slow but it is visually stunning... that is not filled with random flying body parts, but with actual plot and suspense. Even without this movie being filled with blood, gore, and CGI it still made half of the audience jump at the premier!!!