Dead Meat

Do you like your zombie films without the constant melodrama, but with a primal narrative stripped to the bone, overly familiar in pattern (with lots of driving, stomping, running, fighting and hiding) and choked with practical gore effects? Then the low-budget Irish zombie horror DEAD MEAT might be right up your alley.

The plot is of no real importance, no topical message (unless you count its abrupt, non-resolution ending), and no flesh (thematically speaking), other than to set-up people surviving a mad cow disease outbreak infecting the populace of an Irish countryside, turning them into devouring flesh-eating zombies. There's a quick exposition dump of what's happening when a car radio is turned on, but these characters mainly learn it the hard way. Each arising situation seems to finish on zombie carnage in what starts off as a couple, eventually becomes hordes upon hordes of living dead; you even a get mad cow or two joining in on the mauling action. Some neat zombie kills involving a vacuum cleaner, high heels and screwdriver too. You got to remember though, this is really low-budget and for majority it shows in all aspects. It was actually more limited than I was expecting, but the gushing effects and cadaverous make-up while varied (even using some raw leftovers from the butchers) are competently executed.

The opening moments of the couple driving in the countryside feels like a head nod towards the intro of "Night of the Living Dead", and the filming style with its swirling, lively camera-work had me thinking of "The Evil Dead", but without the kinetic flair. Actually the way it was filmed, felt a little maverick and experimental in its constant disorienting changes in cinematography and editing. Set-pieces can get repetitive and lighting during the night time scenes is simply a flashlight, but it never lingers and the vast rural backdrop serves its purpose in creating a real unnerving sense of hopelessness and isolation from the real world. The characters are paper thin, but sometimes it was hard to understand what was being said, especially when they mumble or bicker, due to a couple of thick accents. In a way it wasn't easy to connect with these characters, but there was a believable quality to the performances. Actually come to think of it, maybe there were a few moments of character insight, but it just went over my head because I kept finding myself going in and out due to the heavy accents?

"DEAD MEAT" won't blow you away. It doesn't add anything new to the sub-genre, or pretend to be anything other than homage, but I did enjoy the simplicity and abundance of low-grade gore.

That movie is not funny, not horrifying it's a total mess.I don't care if it's a low budget movie they could have done better. Usually i'm easily satisfied by horror movie but that one totally suck. Guys eaten by cow, a zombie in a rolling chair, a guy loose his eye suck by a vacuum and a girl who killed zombie with her shoes. Did i smoke something bad ??? Don't loose your precious time and if you want a good zombie flick, watch something else!.There is ton of other movies of this kind in the world. Maybe the author want to pay an homage to the other film he like, but that one is a pale copy of the originals.I just hope they don't plan to make a sequel....

This may not be the best movie, but is very entertaining.

This film had some good potential but just sort of fizzles out instead.Oh this movie was close to being one of the good ones.

The story takes place in Ireland which provides some good horror film locations---castles,woods,isolated cottages and the dark gloomy countryside itself.And they were all used but just not that well.The movie is about a few folks fighting off flesh eating humans and cows,yes cows,after a really bad strain of mad cow disease infects both cows and humans.Right off the bat I'll just say the zombie cows were just silly.Didn't work at all.There were also several silly scenes that just didn't ring true,for instance,one of the surviving women fights off a zombie by throwing her shoe and sticking her high heel in it's head.Now what are the chances of killing a zombie like that in real life? Well you know what I mean.

But on the plus side are some really good fight scenes with the zombies and some good gore and blood. This movie was on the verge of being really good several times and just didn't get over the hump due to weak areas in the plot and those silly mad cows.

I'm really disappointed in this film,I'd rather a movie completely suck than be so close to being good and not quite making it.

One thing is for sure: this one isn't recommended unless you're into the genre. The movie itself feels like something of Peter Jackson's old works, judging of the splatter, the camera work and the neatly applied effects. The plot didn't really catch me and there were a few moments which I just found plain boring here due to the lack of action. At the same time I have to admit that there were some scenes which made me choke of laughter. What about a crazy cow facing her death through a baseball or a different approach to drive-by's with swinging bats chopping off zombie heads. Now that's some joy I tell you. The Irish accent tops it all.