Month: March 2024

Today’s quick review: Day of the Dead. In the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse, Sarah (Lori Cardille) leads a mission to rekindle civilization by looking for survivors and researching a way to control the zombies. But as the weeks drag on with no results, Rhodes (Joe Pilato), the commanding officer of the military side of the mission, threatens to have Sarah and her colleagues executed if they do not come up with something useful.

Day of the Dead is a zombie horror movie from director George A. Romero. Acting as a loose sequel to Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead shows the end state of a zombie outbreak, where all of America is overrun and a handful of survivors try to make something of the ruins. The movie cranks up the gore and the horror of the series, exploring not only the gruesome nature of the zombies but the inhuman cruelty of the survivors as well.

Day of the Dead has a tense setup. The story takes place in a military bunker where tempers are running high. Although the bunker itself is secure, the slow drip of casualties has caused a rift between the military and civilian sides of the mission, with Rhodes taking control by force and Sarah trying everything short of mutiny to stop him. Meanwhile, Dr. Logan (Richard Liberty) performs ghoulish experiments to decipher the zombies.

What follows is a story that is dark, dramatic, and drowning in gore. The zombies are a constant threat, kept in check but never fully controlled. The infighting between the soldiers and the civilians escalates quickly, and the tenuous peace between them soon reaches the breaking point. The gory special effects tie the whole thing together, keeping the zombies menacing and putting an exclamation point on every death.

Day of the Dead is a strong pick for fans of the zombie genre. Although it is not as groundbreaking as Night of the Living Dead or Dawn of the Dead, it taps into a darker strain of storytelling, with a bleaker setting, more acrimonious characters, and impressive special effects. Try it out when you are in the mood for a zombie movie that does not shy away from its subject matter. Skip it if you are at all sensitive to gore.

For a sci-fi horror movie with a similarly tense story and even more unsettling special effects, try The Thing. For a science fiction movie about a lone band of humans making questionable choices to survive on an overrun Earth, try War for the Planet of the Apes. For a sci-fi horror movie with a similar main character, try Alien or Aliens.

[7.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088993/). I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for a tense plot and effective horror.

Today’s quick review: Dawn of the Dead. As Philadelphia descends into chaos during a zombie outbreak, Stephen (David Emge), Peter (Ken Foree), Fran (Gaylen Ross), and Roger (Scott Reiniger) steal a helicopter and fly west in search of a safe location to stay. The group settles on a shopping mall infested with zombies and begins the dangerous process of clearing the place out so they can scavenge for food, weapons, and other supplies.

Dawn of the Dead is a classic zombie action movie from director George A. Romero. A spiritual sequel to Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead depicts the days and weeks after a zombie outbreak, as the survivors work out new ways to live and the government faces turmoil and collapse. The movie features a huge amount of zombies, plenty of gore, and a fairly engaging plot, but its odd tone will not suit everyone.

Dawn of the Dead strikes a very different tone from other zombie movies, including its predecessor. The zombies are more of a logistical problem than a practical threat. They are slow and not very aggressive, to the point where they are only a danger when a character is negligent or caught badly off-guard. This, coupled with the cornucopia of supplies in the mall, allows the characters to kick back and have some fun.

Even though the overall stakes are lower than other zombie flicks, Dawn of the Dead still has moments of danger. The questions of where to go, what to do, and how to recover from a couple of costly mistakes give the movie plenty of drama. The choreography is not that compelling, thanks mainly to the sluggish nature of the zombies, but the sheer number of zombies is impressive, and there is some good action when circumstances align.

Overall, Dawn of the Dead is an odd pick that has plenty of upshot for the right viewer. The logistics of the zombie outbreak, the sometimes playful attitude of the survivors, and a pinch of social commentary on shopping malls all make for a unique kind of appeal. However, anyone looking for raw drama or tense action will find it a little uneven. Give it a shot if you are a zombie fan; otherwise approach with caution.

For a more condensed movie with a similar style of action, try the original Assault on Precinct 13. For a gory action movie with even more satire, try Death Race 2000. For a zombie comedy that explores similar themes in more depth, try Zombieland or Shaun of the Dead. For a simpler and more horror-oriented zombie movie from the same director, try Night of the Living Dead.

[7.9 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077402/). I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for carving out a new segment of the genre.

Today’s quick review: Night of the Living Dead. After a living corpse attacks and kills her brother (Russell Streiner), Barbra (Judith O’Dea) takes shelter in an abandoned house with Ben (Duane Jones), a level-headed survivor. The two of them board up the entrances and settle down to wait for help. But as more of the undead surround them, they must decide whether to stay inside or make a break for the nearest government shelter.

Night of the Living Dead is a classic zombie horror movie from director George A. Romero. Night of the Living Dead is the quintessential zombie film, charting the early hours of an outbreak of the undead. The movie follows a handful of survivors as they try to stay alive, cope with the horror of the situation, and bicker with each other. The result is a plain but effective zombie film that lays down the conventions of the genre.

Night of the Living Dead has a knack for conveying the right amount of information. The scale of the zombie outbreak is revealed gradually, and the survivors jump at every scrap of information that comes over the radio. By the time the outbreak is in full swing, the audience and the characters know that something has gone horribly wrong.

The film also packs some brutal challenges for its characters. Avoiding a single zombie is surmountable, but being surrounded by them, losing loved ones to them, and coping with dwindling resources and minimal hope of rescue all push the characters to the breaking point. Making matters worse, there is no single correct course of action. The survivors have to use their best judgment and roll the dice to make it out alive.

Night of the Living Dead is not as flashy as its successors. The special effects are strong enough to get the point across and indulge in some gore, but they are not ambitious. The plot focuses almost entirely on the mechanics of the outbreak and the stress on the survivors, with none of the twists seen in other takes on the formula. But the template the film establishes is an enduring one, and its frank cruelty stands the test of time.

For another minimalistic zombie movie that succeeds due to its characters and situations, try 28 Days Later. For a more elaborate story about a world overrun by zombies, try The Omega Man or I Am Legend. For a parody of the genre, try Zombieland or The Dead Don’t Die.

[7.9 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063350/). I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for polished execution and an iconic plot, with the chance to score much higher for fans of the genre.

Today’s quick review: Train to Busan. Fund manager Seo Seok-woo (Gong Yoo) takes the morning off to take his daughter Su-an (Kim Su-an) to see her mother in Busan. But when a woman bitten by a zombie boards the train at the last minute, the entire vehicle becomes a deathtrap. As most of the passengers are infected and turned into zombies, Seo works with the few survivors to secure the forward cars and get to safety.

Train to Busan is a Korean action horror movie about a zombie outbreak on board a train. Train to Busan distinguishes itself by taking the basic ideas of the zombie genre and executing them with unusual skill. The confined environment of a passenger train proves to be a perfect setting for the film, and its intense action, moral conundrums, and powerful emotional core make it a strong choice for any fans of the genre.

Train to Busan gets its zombies right. They move quickly and erratically, making them a serious threat in the confines of the train, and the victims turn within seconds. As such, the outbreak spreads rapidly, transforming the passengers into an avalanche of snapping, snarling flesh. At the same time, the survivors have occasional opportunities to fight back, keeping the tone from getting too bleak and providing the opportunity for heroism.

Train to Busan also succeeds with its characters. The focus is on Seo Seok-woo, a man who was too obsessed with his work to spend time with his daughter. Over the course of the outbreak, he questions his selfish ways and finds himself risking his life to help perfect strangers. The rest of the survivors are interesting as well, with stories ranging from tender to tragic, and the film weaves them into the plot with skill.

Give Train to Busan a shot if you have any interest in the zombie genre. Its rampant gore and frequently tragic tone will not appeal to everyone, but the strength of its ideas, its acting, and its action make it worthwhile for almost anyone who can stomach it.

For zombie action in a similar vein, check out World War Z, I Am Legend, or 28 Weeks Later. For a similar look at an unfolding disaster, try War of the Worlds or Cloverfield. For a more surreal, politically-minded thriller set aboard a train, try Snowpiercer. For a more tongue-in-cheek action thriller about an unusual threat in an enclosed space, try Snakes on a Plane.

[7.6 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5700672/). I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for thrilling action and a compelling story.

Today’s quick review: Bluebeard. Dr. Byun Seung-hoon (Cho Jin-woong) works at a clinic in a part of town once known for its serial killings. When his landlord (Shin Goo) describes a grisly murder while under anesthesia, Byun suspects that he and his son Jung Sung-geun (Kim Dae-myung) were responsible for the killings. But when Byun tries to prove his suspicions, he becomes trapped in a dangerous conspiracy with no clear answers.

Bluebeard is a Korean psychological thriller about a doctor who believes his neighbors are serial killers. Already under pressure from his debts and his divorce from Jo Su-jung (Yun Se-ah), Byun’s sanity frays as his suspicions grow. Bluebeard is a slow burn that gradually turns a mundane setting into a surreal nightmare. Contradictory clues and an ominous atmosphere make the movie a suitably disturbing watch.

Bluebeard has a knack for taking a bad situation and twisting it to make it worse. Early on, Byun has only his suspicions, but when people around him start to go missing, he becomes convinced that his neighbors are responsible. There is a strong sense of danger, even if its exact source is hard to pin down. And although the puzzle pieces may seem scattered, the movie does have a striking ending that it is preparing for.

Bluebeard’s approach has its drawbacks. The mystery takes a long time to get going, and in the meantime, the audience has to spend time with Byun, a character who is only moderately interesting. Incidents that are deliberately unclear and an unreliable perspective character can make the story hard to follow. Finally, Bluebeard includes a few too many plot threads, making its progression less streamlined than it could have been.

Bluebeard is a solid pick for fans of the unsettling and the macabre. The mundane slant to the early part of the movie may be too much to ask for some viewers, but the payoff is a dark mystery with plenty of twists and turns. Exactly how successful Bluebeard is will depend on your taste in murder mysteries and your tolerance for stray plot threads, but there is enough going on to make it worth a watch for the curious.

For a psychological thriller that deals with similar themes, try The Machinist. For another crime drama where something is off in an otherwise mundane setting, try The Man Who Wasn’t There. For a Korean crime drama that starts out lighter and takes a similarly dark turn, try Parasite. For a much lighter story about a mild-mannered dentist who gets in over his head, try The In-Laws or The Whole Nine Yards.

[6.4 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6599340/). I give it a 6.5 for an ominous atmosphere and a disjointed story.

Today’s quick review: Confession of Murder. Fifteen years after Lt. Choi Hyung-gu (Jung Jae-young) failed to catch a serial killer, Lee Doo-suk (Park Si-hoo) releases a best-selling memoir confessing to the crimes. With the statute of limitations expired, Choi can only watch as Lee basks in the publicity. Meanwhile, Han Ji-soo (Kim Young-ae) and the other family members of the victims hatch a plan to take justice into their own hands.

Confession of Murder is a Korean action thriller about a serial killer who goes public with his crimes. Lt. Choi must find a way to get at Lee—or prove he is a fraud—to have any hope of closing the case and easing his conscience. Confession of Murder features a unique setup that leads to some interesting late-game developments. However, misplaced action, an uneven tone, and a few weak points with its plot make it only a mixed success.

Confession of Murder gets a lot of mileage out of its premise. Early on, the story is short on substance. Lee manipulates the media while Choi stews and Han schemes. But once the movie has all of its pieces in place, it takes on a new life. The details of the murders, the fate of the last victim, and Lee’s highly public confession all come together for a satisfying finale.

The catch is that Confession of Murder takes an odd tack when it comes to its tone. The core of the story is quite serious, with Choi haunted by his inability to bring the killer to justice. But odd bits of comedy and over-the-top action sequences keep the story from having the weight it should. Confession of Murder’s premise is a natural fit for something more cerebral, yet the movie tosses in flashy action whenever it gets the chance.

The result is a movie that is entertaining but hard to pin down. Those willing to roll with the punches should give Confession of Murder a shot. It has a premise that bears fruit in the end, and the action is choreographed well, even if it is a debatable fit for the story. Those looking for a darker and more deliberate mystery may want to look elsewhere.

For a much darker thriller about a serial killer that explores some of the same questions, try Se7en. For one man’s search for the truth behind a popular book, try Ghost Writer. For a drama about a media frenzy, try Mad City. For an action thriller that strikes a similar tonal balance but with more flair, try Face/Off.

[7.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2468774/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for a solid plot handled in an odd way.

Today’s quick review: Memoir of a Murderer. Once a serial killer who targeted the wicked, Kim Byung-su (Sol Kyung-gu) is now an old man living with his daughter Eun-hee (Kim Seol-hyun) and struggling with Alzheimer’s disease. After a chance encounter with Min Tae-ju (Kim Nam-gil), a serial killer operating in the area, Kim marshals his fading strength and what is left of his memory to take Min down and protect his daughter.

Memoir of a Murderer is a Korean crime thriller about an ex-serial killer suffering from dementia. With his mind failing him, Kim Byung-su struggles to hang on to his relationship with his daughter and keep the old killer in him from re-emerging. This setup makes for a unique battle of wits when Min Tae-ju enters the picture, and Kim soon finds himself outmaneuvered by a younger killer whose name he can barely remember.

Memoir of a Murderer has a fascinating protagonist. Kim Byung-su has many sins, but he is loyal to his daughter and sharply observant when his mind is working. Sol Kyung-gu plays the role well, a haunted man with a tenacious streak that keeps him pushing forward. The personal side of the story is touching and innately tragic, while the fight with Min is an uphill struggle that leaves Kim questioning his sanity.

Memoir of a Murderer’s chief shortcoming is that it overstays its welcome. Kim’s condition forces him to retread the same ground over and over again, and the conflicts that are striking the first time around are less so when they are repeated. The movie also has a hard time wrapping everything up in a neat ending. Instead, it indulges in plot twist after plot twist, artificially prolonging the story and dampening its sense of catharsis.

The end result is a dark thriller with a surprising amount of heart. Memoir of a Murderer is carried by a strong main character, a dynamic premise, and plenty of secrets for the viewer to uncover. Its drawn-out story keeps it from being as concise and impactful as it could have been, but anyone willing to go along for the ride will find it to be an interesting watch.

For a much more haunting thriller about a man with memory loss, try Memento. For a Korean crime thriller about dueling serial killers, try Missing You. For a more straightforward action movie about a man with dementia fighting to protect a loved one, try The Bodyguard starring Sammo Hung.

[7.2 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5729348/). I give it a 7.0 for a sharp story with slight pacing issues.

Today’s quick review: The Vanished. Park Jin-han (Kim Kang-woo) murders his wife Yoon Seol-hee (Kim Hee-ae), a domineering corporate executive, to protect his relationship with his girlfriend Hye-jin (Han Ji-an). That evening, Park receives a call from the police that Yoon’s body has gone missing from the morgue. As Park pieces together what happened, Detective Woo Jung-sik (Kim Sang-kyung) tries to prove that Park is the killer.

The Vanished is a Korean mystery about the missing body of a murder victim. Set in a morgue over the course of one long night, the movie follows Park and Woo as they match wits over Yoon’s suspicious death, her body’s disappearance, and the mounting evidence that points to Park. The Vanished is an intricately constructed mystery with a couple of good fake-outs, making it a fine pick for viewers in the mood for something dark.

The Vanished’s best feature is the scope of its mystery. What begins as a simple murder by a desperate husband soon unfolds into something more, as someone or something takes a posthumous interest in the case. The mystery is very open-ended, and the movie takes care to make sure there always a few viable hypotheses in play. At the same time, The Vanished saves a couple of key surprise for the end and wraps everything up in a tidy way.

The main drawback of The Vanished is that it never reaches the level of tension it wants to. The nature of the plot requires the movie to be careful about how much it reveals and when. The Vanished makes a valiant effort to ratchet up the tension, using theatrics around Yoon’s disappearance, Park’s flashes of guilt, and strange occurrences to keep things interesting. But there is still something missing, and the threats do not feel immediate.

The Vanished is a worthwhile watch for anyone looking for a peculiar mystery with plenty of twists and turns. The movie tosses out plenty of clues and then lets the audience piece them together while the characters follow their own leads. The result is a colorful mystery that still gives definite answers in the end. However, you may want to skip it if you are looking for more intense thrills and a greater sense of unease.

For a Korean movie about a murder victim coming back to life, try RV: Resurrected Victims. For an even more acrimonious thriller about the apparent murder of a manipulative wife, try Gone Girl.

[6.6 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6955298/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for a carefully woven mystery missing a little bit of the intensity it needs.

Today’s quick review: RV: Resurrected Victims. Seven years after his mother (Kim Hae-soo) was killed in a robbery, prosecutor Seo Jin-hong (Kim Rae-won) is shocked when she comes back to life, seeking revenge on her killer. As Seo reopens the case on his mother’s murder, he finds evidence of a cover-up by Son Young-tae (Sung Dong-il) of the NIS. Meanwhile, criminal psychologist Lee Soo-hyun (Jeon Hye-jin) suspects Seo of being the killer.

RV: Resurrected Victims is a Korean supernatural mystery about a murder victim who comes back for revenge. The reappearance of Choi Myung-sook sets off a series of events that unearth old secrets and threaten to ruin Seo Jin-hong’s life. RV: Resurrected Victims has a unique premise and a plot that twists and turns. However, the two halves of the story do not mesh well, making the movie less than the sum of it parts.

At its core, RV: Resurrected Victims is a murder mystery about a seven-year-old cold case. The movie takes a long time to reveal enough clues to get going, but once it does, it evens out into an intriguing mystery. Different characters approach the case from different angles, and there are enough layers to the mystery to make it worth following to the end.

However, RV: Resurrected Victims does not live up to its full potential. The resurrection of Seo’s mother serves as an inciting incident but otherwise impacts the plot only sporadically. As such, the premise of vengeful dead goes largely unexplored. The mechanics of the plot are also shaky. Some of the twists are not fully justified, and the movie does a poor job of framing key aspects of the conflict, especially early on.

As such, RV: Resurrected Victims gets caught between two different ideas without living up to either of them. Those hoping for a macabre story about the return of the dead will find that the movie only touches on the idea briefly. Those hoping for a chilling cold case will have better luck, but a slow start and a couple of missteps will dampen their enthusiasm. Only give it a try if you are willing to sift the good ideas from the mistakes.

For a much more intense psychological horror movie about death and guilt, check out The Machinist. For a supernatural mystery with a lighter touch, try The Sixth Sense. For a more comedic take on the dead seeking justice, try R.I.P.D.

[5.7 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7243750/). I give it a 6.0 for the makings of a good mystery let down by mediocre execution.

Today’s quick review: Missing You. Fifteen years after her father was murdered by serial killer Kim Ki-bun (Kim Sung-oh), Nam Hee-ju (Shim Eun-kyung) gets her shot at revenge when Kim is released from prison. As Detective Jo Dae-young (Yun Je-mun) and his men keep a close eye on Kim to catch him in the act, Hee-ju lays a clever trap for the killer. But the situation turns violent when another serial killer (Oh Tae-kyung) enters the picture.

Missing You is a Korean crime thriller about a young woman’s plan for revenge. Hee-ju, now in her twenties, leads a double life. On the outside, she is a kind, sunny girl who has been adopted by the police station where her father worked. On the inside, she has steeled herself to do whatever it takes to see Kim in prison or dead. What follows is a peculiar game of cat-and-mouse between a killer and one of his victims.

Missing You has a dark and unpredictable plot. Kim is guilty of more murders than he was sentenced for, but the pressure that comes down on him after his release is purely the result of old grudges. Hee-ju’s plan, Dae-young’s determination to send Kim back to prison, and unfinished business with a rival serial killer all put Kim on the defensive. Seeing how Kim, a dangerous and resourceful man, rolls with the punches is one of the movie’s draws.

However, Missing You may be too bleak for some viewers. Hee-ju makes for a sympathetic protagonist, but the violent way she goes about her revenge stains her innocence and turns her into something of a tragic figure. The police, for their part, are compromised by a series of costly blunders that let the situation escalate out of control. The result is a morally grey story where no one is fully in the right.

Missing You is a fine pick for those interested in what it has to offer. The roles its characters fill are different from the usual serial killer story, and this leads to some interesting twists on the formula. Still, Missing You is a shade or two darker than it needs to be, and its story is not entirely cathartic. Anyone looking for a normal investigation should approach with caution. Viewers with a taste for dubious deeds should check it out.

For a crime drama about a vengeful young man taking the law into his own hands, check out Boy Wonder. For more subdued crime drama about a murderer released from prison, try Blue Ruin. For a crime drama about a pair of detectives desperate to arrest a serial killer without much evidence, try The Little Things. For another crime thriller about a serial killer, try The Bone Collector, Kiss the Girls, or Taking Lives.

[6.7 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5545862/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for a bleak but compelling story.