BETTER OFF UNDEAD is a run-of-the-mill zombie’s attack city story. Three friends find themselves the focal point of this tale, and while there’s some decent character development at work, not a ngle individual here conjures any emotion from the viewer whatsoever. What’s worse, there’s really not much thought invested in the plot. It’s literally three guys hoping to avoid zombies for 29 minutes. Even worse, all the viewer is subjected to is constant bickering amongst three grown men… it’s really a bit pathetic. But hey, at less than a full half an hour - I can handle Chinese torture let alone BETTER OFF UNDEAD.
Though the flick’s packed with flaws, the most glaring weakness is the complete lack of thought and neglect of minor details invested in this script. There’s a ton of potential; though limited by a short running time - there’s still quite a bit of impact and emotion that could well be phoned within that minor time frame. With the exception of a few clasc one-liners, the film just fails to capitalize on every opportunity that presents itself throughout the film. It’s almost as though the director fell asleep at the helm from time to time. Regardless, I’ll iterate - I see the outline of a prospect on the horizon, there‘s just some refinement to complete.
BETTER OFF UNDEAD isn’t a terrible film. The problem is, it’s not a particularly good one. The dere lies within the performances: the pason is vible. This group just isn’t prepared quite yet. I wish the entire Newbat/Head Trauma crew luck in their future ventures. I see talent emerging, and if the pason is as dominant as I perceive, I think we’ll be hearing a lot more from these guys in the next few years.
For more information on John Pata (who wrote, produced and directed the film) vit http://myspace.com/better_off_undead
Grade: D+