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MOVIES OF THE DEAD: Why So Many Zombie Movies Fail to Match Romero's Greatness

Survival of the Dead is not the finest zombie movie ever made, but George Romero’s latest ". . . of the Dead” movie is still brimming with the genius and complexity that make Romero’s zombie films stand head and shoulder above nearly every other zombie movie ever made. The problem with many zombie movies today is that they suck. And they suck precisely because they don’t understand what a real zombie movie is about—where the true horror comes from.



I’ve been a zombie movie fan for a long time now, and I dare say I’ve seen way more zombie movies than your average moviegoer and probably more than your average horror fan. And I love zombie movies precisely because they are extremely different than the vast majority of horror films in existence.

In general, most horror movies are based on the same plot principle—a monster/serial killer/ghost/supernatural (or biological) force is trying to kill people and our protagonists try to flee/escape/fight said baddie. From that point, much of the fun of watching a horror movie is the tenon that is built up as we are constantly kept in suspense as to who is going to die and how. We enjoy horror movie because they attack the stress centers of our brain and the killing of protagonists or the vanquishing of the killer gives us a release that tickles the pleasure centers.

But most horror movies play the tenon and release between the baddie and the protagonists, creating an “us vs. them” dichotomy. And it’s easy to identify with that dichotomy. We’re (presumably) normal human beings, so place ourselves in the vicarious potion of the protagonists of the film—whom we generally identify with more than the crazed serial killer or toxic beast. It’s comfortable to want to vanquish an evil and deadly force.

But Romero’s films put us in the uncomfortable potion of fighting not with an evil force, but ourselves. That is, nce Night of the Living Dead, Romero has used the zombie plot device mply as a backdrop to the real horror of humanity itself.

Romero’s zombie films aren’t about zombies, they are about humans and the way we are the true monsters when pushed to our limits. Essentially, every “…of the Dead” movie comes down to a struggle between humans trying to survive each other, not about humans trying to survive zombies. In this way, many zombie movies mply can’t match Romero in theme or execution, because they don’t understand that the true essence of a zombie film is not in its gore, but in its ability to hold a mirror to ourselves and see the hidden depths of our own darkness and moral weaknesses. There are other films that have clued into Romero’s thematic esthetic, like 28 Days Later and (to a lesser extent) Zombieland. But far too many focus on the gore and “horror” of an unrelenting zombie horde instead of the true horror of looking in the mirror and seeing ourselves reflected back.

Am I full of crap? Is Romero the standard? What makes a good Zombie movie in your opinion?

James Ged is a movie buff and zombie movie enthuast. I usually write about Comcast cable all day, but in my free time I watch movies and share cool stuff on my Tumblr: Movie Buzzer.

Well said, as Romero and I believe Robert Kirkman have been able to pull off incredible apocalyptic entertainment. I too am far more interested in the intense will of survival amongst the living than the zombies themselves. A good portion of the people I show zombie movies, televion and comics to just don't get it or find it "boring" because there's not enough gore action. I prefer to have more thought-provoking substance any day.

I personally feel Diary was Romero's weakest, but it carried a strong message. Sure, he hasn't been strong nce Day of the Dead, as Land was even a bit on the weak de...BUT, I'd most certainly take that over many other zombie movies or any horror. So yes, Romero has set the bar high and while some have achieved something close, it's usually because they were originally inspired by Romero.

Everyone I know is fucking ck of zombies!... I think so many of them fail is because they attempt to match Romero's Greatness, instead of attempting anything even somewhat original!

How many zombie/outbreak movies with all the exact same tired fucking premise do we need a year!!?

It's gotten fucking ridiculous!

These movies are very easy to make & very cheap. But even all these douche-bag film makers SHOULD realize how pathetic it is at this point!

But no...

You're right, zombie apocalypse films all have the same bac plot, but the strength of the film is based on how the writer and director can take that well-worn trope and make it interesting. I'm not gonna lie, there are a ton of really horrible zombie movies out there--I've seen most of them. But every once in a while a good writer and director come a long and make something really cool. Romero is still doing it, and films like 28 Days Later, Dawn of the Dead (remake), and Zombieland prove that you can take an old genre and make it fresh and new again. And those are the ones I look forward to.

This is great stuff! I can't tell you how frustrating it is to see so many of these independent Zombie films that, are just that zombie films.

There truly is far more to Zombie films than just there being dead people walking around and moaning for brains. IT truly is about the people, the humans that are alive, and what they do when pushed to their limits than it is about the zombies. In theory you could replace zombies with any outde force really.

It seems filmmakers think it's 'cool' to make a zombie movie, and a cheap and easy option because you can just get some friends and put some dirt and fake blood on them and hey! they are a zombie! It's so frustrating.

ooo i fear im gonna be upsetting some people here. but im ny opinion Romero lost it a while ago Night Of The Living Dead started it all and its still a clasc Dawn Of The Dead was a very good and clever film back in 78 but it reallyu hasnt aged well. Day in my opinion is his masterpeice. The gore the claustrophobic feel, it just has it all for me. but nce then he's been on a downhill slide. Land had some intresting ideas. and then Diary and Survival

hmm it seems to have some fans or Romero has some loyal subects but i cant even thikn of any redeeming qualitys. Diary was a fucking terrible film. and i say this as on honest to god fan of the zombie genre. it

made me feel embarresed for what had become of Romero.

And as to why zombie films are not as good any more. market saturation. theres alot more movies beeing produced than there ever has been before. and zombie films kind of suffer because they can be done on a micro budgets and fairly quickly. i think the main problem is there are far too many stupid people and far too many cameras around. :)

The underlying political/social themes are more apparent in Romero's earlier films (even if they started at purely accidental in NotLD), and I think they really color the viewer's perception. Give the films a little more meat, so to speak.