#27 - Juan of the Dead (2011)
From the title, one might assume that this is just a Spanish language rip-off of Shaun of the Dead. While certainly inspired in part by that one, both in tone and in the title, this one holds it's own as a really solid horror-comedy that pays homage to the genre while still doing some new things. There are some really creative and funny scenes here, and the special effects are mostly very good with the exception of a couple of very obvious CGI moments.
This is also a significant movie in that it is the first ever Cuban zombie film, as well as the first film from Cuba that I've ever seen. For a white suburban American guy like me, it offers an interesting glimpse into the lives of people living in the socialist state, and there is a good amount of social commentary sprinkled throughout. I also liked that one of the main characters is a cross dresser, and the film never makes a joke or a big deal out of it. I feel like an American film would only have a character like that for comic relief.
Plot-wise, this is a pretty typical zombie outbreak story, but like the best zombie films, the focus is more on the characters. I wouldn't say that this is as good of a movie as Shaun of the Dead, but if you liked that one than I highly recommend checking this one out as well.
Comments
Post a Comment