Day of the Dead (Film Review)

1985 100 Minutes
Written and Directed by: George A. Romero
Starring: Lori Cardille, Terry Alexander, Joe Pilato, and Richard Liberty
MPAA Rating: N/R; Running Time: 100 Minutes
The Nicsperiment Score: 8/10

The world has gone to hell. Zombies outnumber humans 400,000 to 1. What remains of the U.S. Government has started a desperate research project in South Florida. Several scientists, along with a military escort, run experiments to find out what makes these zombies tick, and how they might be stopped. Unfortunately, the military leader is killed, and his successor is an unhinged, violent, egotistical madman. To make matters worse, it looks like the lead scientist on the project might be a little bit of a madman himself. With zombies banging on the gates outside, and dissention within, what are those stuck in between to do?
George Romero had grand plans for Day of the Dead before the film's budget was cut in half. However, his limited focus here is in the vein of the movie's two predecessors, Night of the Living Dead (1968) and Dawn of the Dead (1978). Both those previous films focused on a small group of individuals hunkering down in a surrounded location, and in that way, Day of the Dead is no different. 

With the cast and location pared down to a handful of scientists and soldiers (mostly) in an underground bunker, Romero can continue to focus on interpersonal dynamics, while still getting in a some great, and outrageously violent action. Thematically, the film seems to center around one line said by the movie's mad scientist, Dr. Logan: "Civility must be rewarded...If it isn't rewarded, then there's no use for it." 

This line not only goes for those trapped in the base, but turns the zombies themselves into more of a loaded metaphor, as well. In this regard, Dr. Logan's "domesticated" zombie, Bub, becomes the most sophisticated and sympathetic character in the film. Thankfully, though, Day of the Dead also has a very engaging lead in Lori Cadille's Dr. Sarah Bowman, who turns out to be the most competent and level-headed person on the base. 

Following previous films' tradition, Romero's more relatable characters here are minorities and women. It's no fluke in casting that all of the base's overly aggressive, meatheaded soliders are played by white males. Of course, if you don't want to think about all of the deeper ideas Romero is presenting(though why not?), there's enough blood and guts here to fill an oil tanker, with makeup effects all-star, Tom Savini, presenting some of his most gruesome work to date. Intestines are ripped out and feasted upon, heads and limbs hacked and pulled off, even the skin around eyeballs ripped away. It's awesome.

Still, with all of these pros, I do find this to be the weakest of the orignal Night of the Living Dead trilogy, though on par with the fourth entry, Land of the Dead. It's still quite good, but not perfect, like those first two films. It has moments that are a little stagnant, particularly in the film's more placid middle, and does have a slight retread feeling. I appreciate its thematic complexity, though. While NOTLD's racial themes, DOTD's consumerism themes, and LOTD's class themes are all quite clear, Day of the Dead's exploration of societal interaction, and the value and devaluation of civility are a little less easy to scribble out in a short book report. For that, as well as its incredible effects work, excellent performance by Cardille, and unmistakeable Romero atmosphere, Day of the Dead is still a quite worthy entry in the Living Dead cannon. And I haven't even mentioned John Harrison's synth soundtrack--it's as fun as a wheelbarrow full of brains! 

A wheelbarrow full of brains is something I consider fun!

Sorry for the mixed metaphor! I'm having trouble with those today.