Death Metal Zombies

The term "amateur horror" shouldn't necessarily be taken as an immediate warning sign. Horror lovers with no budget and no developed skills, but boundless heart and plentiful earnest effort, can sometimes achieve more than filmmakers with all the benefits of major studio resources and A-list stars. Yes, strictly speaking the acting is awful, and the dialogue; even the cinematography, editing, and direction are in question, let alone the muddled sound design (nevermind the text preceding the film that encourages viewers to "play it loud"). On the other hand, the soundtrack that filmmaker Todd Jason Cook compiled, filled with very metal recognizable bands (predominantly, but not exclusively, death metal), is superb; speaking as someone who used to go to shows relentlessly, the least that can be said is that Cook is obviously a fan himself, as the dialogue, characters, and scene writing should be familiar to anyone who has ever spent time in the underground scene. To that same point, between that writing, the low-grade nature of the production, and the minimal skills of those involved, the picture also plainly betrays that a Venn diagram of "metalheads," "film buffs," and "nerds, generally" is a perfect circle.

There are other considerations that are more important, though. Despite clearly demonstrating the untrained amateur level on which they were operating, I readily discern in the actor's performances the sincerity of their effort; they can't act, but they really do try their best, which I absolutely admire. That endeavor certainly comes across, too, in Cook's direction, however meager it might be, and in all other facets of the craftsmanship. Though modest, the practical effects, special makeup, and other tangible creations - that is, blood and gore - really do look great. And as the story Cook conjured trades on classic notions since time immemorial of the bewitching power of music, the foundations of the feature are solid. I'm not saying Brendon Small was directly inspired by 'Death metal zombies' in creating 'Metalocalypse,' but the similarities are notable as this homemade flick likewise blends together metal, mythology, and dark fantasy/horror. The writing surely could have been tighter, as some beats, scenes, or ideas could have been reduced or omitted outright, but the core is firm. It may show its limitations, but I see what Cook was doing here, and I'd be plainly lying if I said I didn't appreciate it.

While this was undeniably made first and foremost by metalheads for metalheads, the intersection of metal and horror is a substantial one; anyone who is receptive to amateur horror, shot on home video, should surely find much to love here. Even among its closest cinematic kin this is no top-notch exemplar, for even within the boundaries in which Cook and his friends operated one can observe ways in which the title could have been improved (including excision of tawdry gratuitous nudity). Be that as it may, the energy that those involved poured into this, and the wholehearted honesty of the project, pair nicely with what the participants meaningfully could contribute. Despite all the shortcomings and weaknesses one could reasonably point out I actually had a really good time watching, and I think the same will go for anyone who is open to what the movie represents. It's nothing one needs to go out of their way to see, but if the underlying notions don't turn you off and you do have the chance to watch 'Death metal zombies,' these eighty-eight minutes are pretty fun!