Dead Air

Just have to disagree with kosmap. Better script does not equal better story. You can easily have a better story idea but a worse script. That review should be ignored simply because of the ridiculousness of that comment. Anyways imo this was better than Pontypool. I like the main character in that movie better though.

"Dead Air" is a zombie film with a few different elements of surprise thrown in for good measure. An overtly, competent talk radio host (Bill Moseley) speaks his mind to a late night audience, while an outbreak of toxic zombie-juice (brought on by Muslim terrorists) engulfs an unsuspecting city. Not a bad premise, but really nothing new. It was a bit preachy for a horror flick, and spent a lot of time using underlining character relationships to tug at the viewer's heart-strings (sorry, didn't quite work here) and this slowed the pacing down for much of the film. Moseley, along with the (always sexy) Patricia Tallman do a decent job as the film's protagonists, while the zombies themselves (with blood dripping from their eyes) tear apart their victims. I'm guessing the film's Armageddon theme was a lesson in hatred, and the writer's views on the world today. I didn't realize until the end credits that "Corbin Bernsen" was the director... I guess I didn't even realize that he was a "director" for that fact, but "Dead Air" is a pleasantly fun zombie movie if zombie movies are your thing. Breaks no new ground, but none the less "entertains" the way it's supposed to.

Well, if you are in this movie for zombies, don't get your hopes as, as there aren't actually any 'stereotypical' zombies as in shambling, ravenous flesh-eating ghouls. However, the movie does have a strange infection that causes people to become feral and rapid, doing bodily harm and injury to others, much alike zombie behavior, yes. But not zombies as in the usual type that we are used to.

That being said, then I am not saying that "Dead Air" is a boring or not worth watching, because it is actually rather enjoyable. The storyline is good, fluid and fast paced, although the ending to the movie was rather cliché and predictable.

What makes the movie work so nice is the dialog, because there is a lot of clever banter throughout the movie, and Bill Moseley really nailed the role of a radio host quite well, and I was pleasantly impressed. I enjoy most of his movies, but he really pulled off this role quite amazingly well. And it was also great to have Bill Moseley and Patricia Tallman together again on the screen, although in very different roles from their last collaboration.

As much of a zombie aficionado that I am, then I enjoyed this movie for what it was, a sort of early-stage infection movie that could have lead to the zombie outbreaks that we are accustomed to seeing in the movies. The story was well executed, and it did bring up some rather interesting points about how mankind create things often used for destruction, as well as the destructive nature of mankind. Whether or not you pick up on these viewpoints (or even care about them), then "Dead Air" is good entertainment from start to end.

And amongst the callers who call Logan's show, there are some nice treats; they had some fairly great names adding their voices to the show, which was a subtle, but rather nice touch.

"Dead Air" is definitely worth watching for fans of Bill Moseley and for fans of a proper good suspense movie in overall.

If you watch one movie with a radio station and an infection make it "Pontypool". If you want to watch more than one, this one is decent enough for you to watch it once. It's certainly refreshing to watch Bill Mosley in a different sort of role/character. While he's doing a good job, McHattie was just terrific and could not be matched (which of course is also a sign, that Pontypool has the better script and therefor also the better story).

The effects are good enough for a small budget and the movie does do a decent job in getting the movie along. You have to excuse the movie for some stupid character behaviour of course (something that quite a few horror movies seem to be infected with). If you can do that, you will be able to enjoy it (or if you cut the movie quite some slack, you will even rate it higher than I did)

During a crowded basketball game four terrorists break into the ventilation room of the gymnasium and contaminate the air supply with a deadly new virus. Unfortunately for them, they accidentally infect themselves in the process as well. However, having accomplished their main objective they then head to a nearby radio station to announce their hate-filled message to the world. Meanwhile, at the radio station a talk show host named "Logan Burnhardt" (Bill Moseley) and his partner, "Gil" (David Moscow) are on the air discussing the topic of the day when reports begin to come in by local listeners describing the zombie epidemic which is rapidly spreading out of control. Anyway, this film has several good things going for it. Bill Mosely, David Moscow, Joshua Feinman (as "Burt") and the red-haired vixen, Patricia Tallman (as "Lucy") all put in outstanding performances. The action was brisk and the plot was quite interesting as well. In short, this is definitely worth viewing for those who enjoy a good zombie film. As a side note, if one has some time on their hands this might also go well as a double-feature with a similar film of this type called, "Pontypool". I found both to be quite enjoyable.