- Directed by: George A. Romero
- Written by: George A. Romero
- Stars: John Leguizamo, Asia Argento, Simon Baker, Dennis Hopper
- Run Time: 1 Hour, 33 Minutes
- Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6esS0SxRrcU
Spoiler-Free Judgment Zone
This was high on action and low on horror since the zombie universe of Romero is well established at this point. An add-on at this point is that the undead are getting some of their mental faculties back, making them even more of a threat. There’s a secure area of a city where people are getting by. Folks are still divided into the haves and have-nots, but everyone is equal when the undead are chasing them. We both thought it was good overall, not quite great.
Spoilery Synopsis
We are told about the dead rising and killing the living as credits roll. It’s a worldwide phenomenon, but at least the zombies are stupid and slow. Eventually, the dead outnumber the living and most of the world is gone. We cut to a brass band of the dead, all waving instruments around. The man at the gas station comes out to work the pumps.
All the dead are just doing what they did in life. “It’s like they’re pretending to be alive” says one living man to another. The gas station man spots them and starts to follow. Riley is in charge of the group, out scavenging for supplies. Charlie is scarred and not very smart, but he’s Riley’s helper. Riley tells Cholo that the dead seem to be thinking now; they’re smarter. “Things are changing, be careful.” This is Riley’s last night out, and Cholo is scheduled to take over in the future.
The men shoot off fireworks and then shoot the zombies who are attracted to the light and noise. The gas station man understands what’s happening and tries to warn the others, but he’s the only smart zombie in the group who figures it out. Big Daddy zombie roars at the “death” of his friends. The fireworks break down, and everyone is now bait. Cholo and his group raid the liquor store, and one of his people gets bitten and shoots himself.
As the humans all leave, Big Daddy straps on a machine gun and starts lumbering toward the lit-up tower on the horizon. Other zombies follow him.
Back in the city, we see a city block has been sectioned off, and Riley and Charlie unload their loot from last night. Fiddler’s Green plays an ad on the TV, where everything is good.
Riley and Cholo debate about getting into Fiddler’s Green, but they’re both “the wrong kind.” Cholo goes into the Green which is a high-rise with restaurants, a shopping mall, and all kinds of nice things. Riley goes to the slum-town outside, which is a lot less nice, and way more crowded. We see how the defenses of the town work, and that there’s a lot of resentment against Kaufman and the leaders who relax in Fiddler’s Green.
Cholo runs into a zombie situation withing the Green itself, and he quickly takes care of the it before security arrives. Down in the town, the entertainment is heavily zombie-based, with gambling, target shooting, and even an arena fight. This results in a gunfight, and we see that Charlie’s an excellent shot.
Riley rescues a girl named Slack, and then they all get arrested. They all tell their stories. They also arrest Mulligan, the leader of the resistance. Meanwhile, outside, Big Daddy and his group bang on the walls of the town and can’t get in. He tells the undead butcher to hack through with his knife.
Cholo talks to Kaufman about getting a place inside The Green, but Kaufman gets all exclusionary, making excuses. It’s either racial or classist, probably some of each, but Cholo’s clearly not getting in. Kaufman calls security to get rid of Cholo. Cholo kills the security guard and goes rogue. Cholo, Foxy, Mouse, and some others decide to take the truck out for more supplies.
Suddenly, Big Daddy’s army shows up at the gates, and the guards fill them full of lead. Instead of defending the place, Cholo’s people take the big truck, Dead Reckoning, right out through the gate that the zombies had already crashed. Big Daddy and his group continue on toward the big tower.
Kaufman listens to Cholo’s demands and calls for Riley. He sends Riley to retrieve Dead Reckoning and kill Cholo. Riley agrees to retrieve the property along with Charlie and Slack. Some soldiers accompany them. Riley tells Kaufman about the walkers, but they can’t get across the river to the town.
Kaufman knows what’s going on, and he’s made evacuation plans for his friends. Outside, Big Daddy and his friends come to the river, and they can’t swim. They do, however, find a unique approach to their problem.
Cholo figures out that Kaufman isn’t going to pay, so he loads missiles to attack the Green. Kaufman starts packing bags full of cash.
Now on the city side of the river, Big Daddy closes in on the survivor’s town; he teaches the zombies to use machine guns. Riley disables Cholo’s missiles and takes the truck back toward the city to let the people trapped inside out.
Cholo has been bitten and returns to Fiddler’s Green to confront Kaufman. Downstairs, the zombies finally get inside the Green itself and eat all the meaty, juicy rich people inside.
Kaufman gets into his limo as Big Daddy traps him inside. Big Daddy remembers the gas station and gives Kaufman a fill-up. Cholo shows up, and he’s already dead, Kaufman’s bullets do nothing. The exploding gasoline, on the other hand, takes care of both of them.
Riley and his group finally make it into town, too late to save anyone. It’s become a Land of the Dead. No, some of the people in the town have survived, and they’re all packed and ready to leave. A small group decides to stay. Riley, Charlie, and Slack decide to drive to Canada. Big Daddy continues to lead his people away, and Riley refuses to shoot him.
Brian’s Commentary
John Leguizamo and Simon Baker are both good here, but Dennis Hopper mostly seemed to phone in his cliched lines. The gore and zombie effects have improved a lot since the original films, and watching the smart zombies take over the town is pretty cool. It’s almost as if they’ve become the good guys.
It’s an “OK” action-horror movie, and it’s got the series’ usual social commentary, but it all feels a little lacking today. What good was all that money going to do anyone outside the city anyway?
Kevin’s Commentary
I liked it more than not, but it wasn’t the best of the series. Dennis Hopper seemed underutilized and a little too low key here, but the rest of the main characters were on point. The effects were excellent, and if you watch closely, effects artist Tom Savini makes a quick cameo as one of the undead. It’s worth a watch if you’re a fan of Romero’s work.