Follow the Dead

What did you do here? Why change genres four times in the duration of the film?

When it started as a comedy, fine - low budget, genuinely funny moments, but then it took a left turn it couldn't come back from. It's fine if you want to have the standard boy/girl reuniting, but why so serious? Then it became a family melodrama, then attempt at a thriller?

No climax, no character reference outside of the main four, so trying to tie in the story just doesn't work.

Also - the description has nearly nothing to do with the movie. This is very much not about Millennials and fake news from real. That's not even subplot. It's more like, a passing comment.

Before reading the description I thought to myself it's like one person started the movie, went into a coma, then his sad family tried to finish it for him - turns out, you did take two people's entirely different concepts and mash them together. It's rather unfortunate really, I was enjoying it for a bit there.

I don't know if this is your first go or not, but give it another. Just, maybe not as much of a team effort when it comes to the script, plot, genre, etc. If you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one.

I think it's safe to say that since 2004, if you were to give the plot summary of a film as 'a bunch of losers try to comically survive a zombie apocalypse' then you'd automatically think of 'Shaun of the Dead.' It was a classic and well deserving of its iconic status. Of course if something is successful then others will try to copy. Over the years we've got plenty more 'comedy horror zombie' movies featuring lovable losers. Some were good, some were bad, but most were pretty forgettable.

Here we have Ireland's entry into the genre. Yes, it's another 'SotD' rip-off, so I won't bore you with a detailed plot synopsis, as there's not much you haven't seen before. I knew what I was getting into when I sat down, so I can hardly complain about its lack of originality.

And, as it began, I was pleasantly surprised. For a start, the characters were nice. And they were funny and therefore likable. Yes, there are more than a few Irish stereotypes thrown in there to keep reminding the international viewers that this is definitely set in the Emerald Isle, but, overall, all characters do a good job. My hopes were high.

So, I waited for the zombies to show. And I waited. The film began to drag about a quarter of the way through its runtime, but I continued to wait. The beginning was so strong and well-written I wanted to give it every possible chance.

Eventually, it ended. And, my overall summary would be that this is a zombie movie without any zombies. Okay, I'm exaggerating. There were some, but - seriously - in a film about the undead, chucking them in there for a handful of scenes barely counts in my opinion.

What you have for the main part is relationship drama. Just like the zombies never really show, the jokes slowly dwindle in favour of relationship issues. There's not much gore and I swear they stole a prominent mask from another horror film (I think 'Nightbreed' but I could be wrong). Anyway, what could have been a memorable entry ended up being pretty run-of-the-mill and an example of what could have been.

I'll make this short, but felt compelled to leave a note so that folks at least understand what they're getting in to with this one.

Typically, when one thinks about a "zombie flick," there are thoughts of decomposing dead people walking around trying to eat regular people. While "Follow The Dead" is technically about zombies, it is only from a peripheral basis that zombies are involved. To be more concise, THIS IS NOT A ZOMBIE FLICK, rather a dramatic comedy that uses zombies as the foil.

Thematically, the film is about human relationships and values. There are angles that reach in to climate change, political control, and social morality as well, but those are breached within the confines of the script and not major studies. Many conversations of the previously mentioned themes run through the film, but one thing you will NOT see is zombies attacking people. Well, that is not entirely true. I think there are two or three examples of zombie bites, but there is almost no blood and there is certainly NO GORE. If that's what you're looking for, look elsewhere.

I mention all of the above not because the film is bad, but because it looked like a good zombie flick and turned out to be an ok dramedy. In that context, the film was fine.

So...to reiterate, THIS IS NOT A STANDARD ZOMBIE MOVIE. There is almost no blood, there is no gore, and only a couple instances of violence. In retrospect, the film was rather enjoyable. I just kept waiting for the blood to flow and it never did. That said, the characters were all likable, so watching their transition and growth was appreciated.

Overall, the film was well made. It looks and sounds professional, the script was adequate, the actors were fine for the most part...no big complaints.

Guide:

• some profanity but not overbearing. Would probably fall in the PG-13 range.

• no nudity or sexual situations
• no drugs other than 3 seconds of a guy smoking what is inferred as being a joint.

• no gore and very little violence. Blood is seen two or three times but it looks like not much more than scraped knee kind of things.

There is nothing that reasons why someone around 11 or 12 years old couldn't watch this.

I, like many, am a connoisseur of indies, so there are films out there that...make you want to scream. But every now and again you come across a film that showcases a new director, writer, or actor in their best light. "Follow the Dead" is one of those films. And while basic premise has become a perennial horror trope - zombies are taking over - now film makers are exploring other ways to show the undead apocalypse. In this case, it's a bunch of twenty-somethings in Ireland who cannot discern the truth of their situation because of their distrust of the media, after having been bombarded with "fake news" for most of their adult lives. That initial skepticism gradually gives way to their new reality, and focuses on the relationships of the characters. From the opening senes, it's apparent that "Follow the Dead" was crafted with the eye of a talented film maker and writer, Adam Cahill. The writing delivers a different take on the genre, with solid acting that organically follows the tale in a believable way. There is a gentle slacker vibe from the man-children, and the women in the story seem to have their acts together far more than the boys, which is a real-life truism. Some may feel that the action gets a little slow when it gets too talky toward the third act. There are some twists that don't conform to the genre either, which may be a good or bad thing, depending on the viewer and their expectations. Overall, this is a fine effort from a new film maker who has a bright road ahead. I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would, and give this film 3.5/5 stars.

I must say, I found this flick about the undead to be quite the groovy experience, man. It wasn't like those other zombie movies that shove it all in your face, you dig? No, this flick was more about the everyday lives of five cats - a brother, an ex-wife, a sister, and two cousins. They were just kicking back, you know, living their lives. But the atmosphere was thick with foreboding, thanks to those news clips and social media updates. That's what really gave me the heebie-jeebies, man.

But let me tell you, the dialogue between these friends was just cool, daddy-o. It was like listening to my own group of cats, just shooting the breeze and hanging loose. And the way the camera moved along with their conversation was just righteous, man. It kept the pace up, even when things got funny.

The general banter between the friends was downright entertaining, I tell you what. It was like I was there, man. The way they played off each other and joked around was so genuine. It was like watching a real group of friends, just being themselves.

And even though it was a movie about zombies, it never felt too over the top, you know? It was just the right amount of undead action mixed in with the real-life drama of these five friends. The blend was just perfect, man.

Overall, I thought it was one groovy flick, man. I'm definitely going to be on the lookout for more from this director. Maybe they can keep the magic going and continue to deliver films that are both entertaining and thought-provoking.