In limited theatres, that is. Check Moviefone to see if it's playing at a location near you!
If it's playing kinda far away and you're wondering if it's worth the drive, I can kinda answer that for you, being that I finally got around to watching it the other night. In my opinion, it's worth a 15 minute drive at best. Ah, make that 10. Yes, seeing a Romero Dead flick on the big screen is an event that doesn't come around all that often, but truthfully, Survival is barely even a Romero Dead flick - it's not even in the same galaxy as the original trilogy we have all known and loved for so long. One of the taglines for the film pretty much sums it up best...
"Death isn't what it used to be."
No, no it's not. Savini's been replaced by a computer and all around, Survival plays like an amateurs attempt at making a Romero zombie movie - quite frankly if you didn't tell me the same guy who did Dawn and Day made it, I probably wouldn't have picked up on that fact. There's some interesting ideas presented, like trying to get the undead accumstomed to eating non-human products, and the whole western warring family vibe is kinda cool (as was seeing Uncle Creepy chompin' on intestines!), but it's just not a very good movie. It inspires more yawns and eye rolls than anything else. Sad, but so very true. Being that I liked Land and hated Diary, i'd have to rank Survival somewhere between the two. It's not the worst entry in the series, but it's pretty damn close.
My advice to Romero is this ; either ditch the zombie thing entirely or bring back Savini for one last zombie epic that will blow our minds, because this shit just isn't flyin' anymore.
But I digress. Romero Week is a time for praise, not bashing, so i'm gonna leave it at that.
If no theatre in your area is showing the film, you're gonna have to either rent it on demand or wait till August 24th, when it will land on two disc DVD and Blu-ray. There's also the option of picking up the Region 2 DVD, which is currently available, if you have a region free player.
4 comments:
Johnny, i have to disagree, i`ve seen this on quite a good copy pirate DVD and i thought it was superb, second only to "Day of the Dead" (still perhaps the greatest horror movie ever made) in terms of sheer magnificence. Romero should only make zombie movies (whether with Savini or not) nobody makes `em like "THE GUV`NOR".
I had the chance to see the film myself and although it rises above the abhorrently unnecessary POV of Diary of the Dead, the plot behind Survival is just as "dull and done before."
The most authentically interesting idea in the film, zombies eating something other than humans, doesn't even really present itself until the end and by then its really too late to offer any profound effect on its conclusion. While the thought of zombified animals would have exhibited a more entertaining film experience, I think at this point Romero's undead canon has simply extinguished itself.*
*(Still love you though, you dead head).
Johnny, I love how you summed up the film with the tagline. I was so excited to see this film that I pre-ordered the UK Blu-Ray as soon as it was up on Amazon UK. When I finally watched it, I was so disappointed. This was by far Romero's worst film, Dead or otherwise.
Unlike many Romero fans, I enjoyed Diary. I thought there was some smart stuff there and it was a new direction, but Survival goes in a new bad direction. And I agree with you Johnny, it's time to go for one last Dead epic with Savini and the old crew involved. Or else, just give it up.
Not to defend a sinking ship but I think this film is only suffering from the expectations that come about when you see Romero + of the Dead on the cover. It's not a bad zombie film.. it's just not what we've come to expect from the dead series.
That said we have to remember, Day took years to find more of its fans and Land is just starting to turn that corner in our memories. Romero's ghouls are slow moving... and it takes years for them to catch us. So I say here's to him cranking out as many more as he has in him... because even though we might not be wowed now... who knows how the next generation will view them.
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