Bong of the Dead

Director - Thomas Newman (Lake Placid)

Starring - Simone Bailly (Battlestar Galactica), Mark Wynn (Supernatural), and Jy Harris (Psych)

Release Date - 2011

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "There will be bud"

Rating (out of 5):

     I was watching random videos on youtube when I cruised across a trailer for Juan of the Dead, which looks like it is a pretty decent film, when I saw a trailer for Bong of the Dead in one of the related video playlists.   I had never heard of the movie before so I searched around and seen that it had got a lot of good reviews.  I went ahead and ordered it and watched it with my wife (who hates horror movies).  To my surprise she actually enjoyed it and it sparked an interest in zombie movies with her.

     The films opens, like most zombie movies, with a meteor shower.  Well, maybe not all movies, but that is how it happened in this one.  A man, while painting his creepy ass yard gnomes, had a meteor land in his garden.   After inspecting it he gets the gooey substance from the meteor on himself.  That evening while at dinner he changes and attacks his loving wife after she has made him a delicious dinner.  The film then picks up with two stoners as they do the only thing they know how to do...toke up.  However, their weed supply has dwindled since the zombie apocalypse has ravaged the land around them.  Soon the hydroponic scientists discover that by placing the "green goo" from the zombie's brains on the pot seeds they miraculously make a pot plant grow within seconds.  The two decide to set out on a journey to the danger zones where the zombies have yet to be cleared out by the government to get more brain matter so they can grow all the pot plants they need.  After embarking on the quest for zombie brain juice they came across some shambling zombies and are abducted and taken to a zombie who is able to talk.  This zombie is in every way, except for his skin rotting, like a non-infected human.   He tells the two burn outs that he is recruiting the living and turning them into the undead to serve in his army.  The two are able to escape and head out for other zombies to kill.  Along the way the two come across a tough-as-nails girl that has been living by herself since the outbreak has happened.  At first she is reluctant to let the two in to her home but eventually warms up to them and their partying ways.  After time zombies begin to appear around her property and she decides to go with the two and head towards the danger zone for brain goo.  However, once they prepare for the trip a horde of zombies, lead by the talking zombie, show up and the three must fight for their lives...

     I really liked this flick.  At times I was laughing my ass off and could not take my eyes away from it.  The acting is decent and the effects are awesome.  The zombies looked almost as good as those seen in The Walking Dead and the later Romero Dead films.  The story is not that amazing, however, but the movie was still entertaining.  The movie also has a few similarities to other zombie movies, But I don't think that was intentional.  While preparing for their trip they put a lawn mower on the front of the vehicle which is similar to Dead Alive (Braindead) where the main character kills zombies using a mower.  Another similarity is having a meteor shower cause the outbreak similar to Night of the Comet where a passing comet turns people to dust unless they seen the comet while standing behind glass making those transform into the walking dead.  The only thing I don't like about this one is the filter they used on the camera.  Sometimes the light is so bright it hurt my eyes to watch it.  When watching this movie you have to adjust the setting on your tv just right to really enjoy it.  The bottom line is this film is not one of the new wave of zombie movies focused towards the masses instead of the fans of horror.  Movies like Dead Seasons and Humans vs. Zombies are mediocre flicks that does not offer a truly entertaining movie but isn't bad either.  They tend to just ride the fence of being good or completely sucking.  This one is focused towards the horror fan and delivers a zombie movie you won't find at Wal-Mart and focused towards teenage boys trying "express" himself and girls who watch True Blood and Twilight and think they like real horror.  I definitely recommend this one so watch it.