Zona Mortal

Saw this on the Horror Channel as part of their Frightfest season. Never know what you're going to get, a lot of movies they show don't live up to much. But on the other hand a few are a cut above average and this is one such example. It's a bit slow to start with but is well made & it gradually drew me in. Certainly an interesting concept, a good combination of sci fi and horror. Seeing people & animals suddenly drop dead is very eerie, no matter how many times it is shown. Worth a view

I took a flyer on this movie because the description looked interesting (and I also noted the guy from The Black List, which I'm a fan of, starred). I'm glad I did! The premise is one I don't recall ever having seen before and that was fun. If you give this a go try NOT to read the description because it'd be better to be trying to figure it out right along with the characters, but it won't ruin anything if you know going in.

I thought the acting was pretty good across the board and I very much appreciate the fact that it just jumps right in without any long setup work. Sometimes you absolutely need such setup work (and I'm always telling my impatient kids to give movies time to develop the story and characters) but in this case it works great to not have to get through it.

It's well-made from a technical standpoint and I don't think you'll have any complaints in that area.

As for complaints? The "twist" ending fell a little flat because as a writer myself I felt there was more interesting ways to go. That said, I wouldn't call it a bad ending, I think it works in the same sort of fatalistic way The Mist works (it's highly divisive, but I think The Mist is one of the best endings in movie history so you may want to use that as a guide to whether you're going to like this one or not - which is NOT to say they're identical or anything like that, I just mean in terms of tone). Whether you're let down or not I don't think you would be to the extent that it ruins the experience.

Really, for me, if you're expecting an all-time classic here then yeah, skip it because that's not what you're going to get. But, if you want a decent movie that I think will keep you interested throughout, is definitely on the dark side (something I like in movies) and that may surprise you a little bit in terms of story and in terms of how good it is then yeah, I think this is one to give a try. I for one liked it and have no problem recommending to others.

It's rare that I watch a movie that catches me completely off guard. I don't understand the low ratings. This movie gets a 10 for originality.

Liam (Diego Klattenhoff, star of TV's "The Blacklist") wakes from a car crash with no memory of who he is. As he makes his way into town to look for help, he finds only dead bodies, all with strange pale eyes. Liam's first assessment is that a virus is present in the air, but he soon discovers the horrible truth.

This film was born with Fantasia's Frontières Market serving as midwife way back in 2012. Other great films in recent years that came out of this process are "Turbo Kid", "The Void" and "Raw", so the track record is rather strong. (The late George Romero's "Road of the Dead" most recently went through the market and may arrive in 2018.) A few producers were attached and dropped out along the way (hence the multi-year genesis), but ultimately everything worked out.

At first, I thought that perhaps the creators give too much away in their plot description (which I have shortened) and title, but this turns out not to be the case. While the viewer will be more rewarded the less they know going in, the cause of death is only the first in a series of surprises and twists. A far more interesting one awaits.

It cannot be overstated how absolutely wonderful this original concept is. Allegedly, it was inspired in part by the style and format of "Oldboy" (which is not at all obvious) mixed with the plot of an old Superman comic. There are mild horror elements, mixed in with an overall science fiction or supernatural premise. When we find out about the memory of the Santa beard, a mystery element is added. And still further the constant police chase adds an action element, making this a hard film to categorize (other than it is not much of a western or romance!).

The production value is clearly high, and the cinematography from Simon Villeneuve is rich and gorgeous. Charlotte Sullivan's acting seems a little too rehearsed, a little tense and unrealistic. This is a shame, really, because according to her, she approached the role as though she were Kim Novak in "Vertigo" or some other Hitchcock tale, which seems like a strong mindset to use. Diego Klattenhoff hits it out of the park, however. While his character's history and motives are constantly under question, Klattenhoff plays Liam with such warmth that we cannot help but side with him as he goes through this ordeal.

While it is hard to review this film without giving away too much, it really is a must-see. An official selection of FrightFest, Fantastic Fest, and Fantasia Film Festival, everyone else gets to finally see it available on VOD on November 10, 2017. Courtesy of Epic Pictures, the fine folks who gave us "Turbo Kid" and "Tales of Halloween".

One thing I have always loved about Sci-Fi is how they can flesh out a thought experiment. The how/why something happens is secondary to what chain of events occurs when you start with a catalyzing thought/event.

In this case the the thought experiment is what would happen if everything that came within 50ft of a person dropped dead instantly. How would that person react, how would they figure it out? That was the portion of the story that I found compelling and interesting. The second part of the thought experiment, is what if there is another person who renders his powers safe.

The second aspect of the story, is that person in question, wakes up with amnesia. He can't remember who he is or anything about his life. There is also another person who also can't remember her life, and happened to be in the car wreck with him right before he woke up.

The part I found less compelling was the backstory of the two main characters. It was an odd mystery thriller added on top, that was kind of at odds with the characters' arc. It also kind of made the ending seem morally OK (perhaps even blah), instead of poignant and/or tragic. For many viewers, I assume, the added layer may make it more enticing, so I can't say it was bad, just not for me.

The ending did leave some unanswered questions, but that is to be expected and even desired for movies like this. Overall the movie was very well done, and worth watching.