Zombie Film Review:

The Dead Pit

Director: Brett Leonard

Year: 1989

Tagline: When the Dead start Walking, You'd better start Running...

Review: This film is not as bad as it first appears, although some of the earlier scenes leave you guessing as to exactly what you are watching, either a poor rip off of ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest' or a Whitesnake Video, it suddenly becomes good. Zombies everywhere, twitching their way round the hospital and killing everyone they encounter… Although this is no NOTLD, this film has some interesting aspects and is only slightly spoiled by the Directors insistence on using smoke and lighting that would be more suitable to Heavy Metal than Heavy Carnage…

Zombie Quality: ***

These zombies are wet and bloody, created as by-products of the mass murdering of an old doctor, did I mention they are wet and bloody, yes, very wet and covered in claret. Strangely enough the claret, the moisture and the lighting make for good, if a little cheap looking, zombies.

Zombie Behaviour: ***

Twitching, jerking and shuffling, they amble round the hospital, occasionally talking and then playing with brains, which they seem to treat more like a trophy than lunch. Bit of a draw back is when it's suggested that they have opened a car bonnet and removed the distributor cap? I mean, logically speaking, why not just eat the people???

Zombie Threat: **

If these zombies get their way, then a hospital will be overrun. They ‘work' for the evil Dr Ramzi, so vengeance seems to be their main motivation, rather than world domination. Lack of ambition with these undead is definitely one of their drawbacks…

Gore Content: ***

Heads being squashed, brains being fondled, nice bit of claret now and again, but nothing to make you hide behind the sofa or lose your lunch!

Overall Quality: **

Zombies in the last third of the film, but quite a good sense of impending doom and creeping death builds throughout the film, and the acting is not as bad as you would expect from something that has this kind of a budget. ur pennies on something else, like a bottle of Scotch.

Special Award:

Most Blatant Plot Device in a Zombie Film: The Nun and the Holy Water! Watch it... You'll understand...