A Cadaver Christmas (2011) User Reviews

It is a bloody Christmas after all...

[paul_haakonsen · 6/10 · 20 October 2012]

As a zombie aficionado, it was somewhat of a treat to sit down and watch "A Cadaver Christmas" actually. I had never heard about it anywhere when I came upon it by sheer random luck. And as it was something with zombies, it caught my interest and I decided to give it a go.

So what is "A Cadaver Christmas" you might think? Well, think "Dead Alive", "Feast" and "Shaun of the Dead" mixed up into one movie, then you basically have "A Cadaver Christmas". It was a great movie to watch, good amount of blood and mayhem, good story and nice characters. However, the movie slacked somewhat on the acting part, as it wasn't the best of performances to be seen in this movie. But for a low budget movie, they pulled it off as to be expected.

The story was simple and straight forward as most zombie movie story lines tend to be. A group of people get stuck somewhere with zombies and have to survive. And of course, the survivors are underdogs of society, as they tend to be in these types of movies, so nothing new here.

Actually the characters were the best part of the movie. You had a drunk (played by Hanlon Smith-Dorsey), a bartender (played by Ben Hopkins), a former police officer (played by Yosh Hayashi), a perp (played by Edward O'Ryan) and a janitor (played by Daniel Rairdin-Hale). These characters were extreme in their own ways, but it worked out well enough, because they all added flavor to the movie.

For a low budget zombie movie, then "A Cadaver Christmas" is actually at the high end of the scale, because the story was enjoyable (despite the often questionable acting), and the characters were fun and likable. Plus, and most importantly, there was a good amount of blood and gore in the movie to keep most gore hounds satisfied.

If you enjoy zombie movies and don't mind watching even those that don't have a multi million dollar budget, then you should check out "A Cadaver Christmas".

A fair try that misses the mark in too many ways

[I_Ailurophile · 4/10 · 27 December 2021]

There's a lot going on here. I get a sense that the finished film pretty well matches what the director, writers, and their cast were trying to achieve. Unfortunately, I can't say that the end product is fun, or sparks the imagination, in the way I assume those involved would want. 'A cadaver Christmas' is, sadly, mostly pretty subpar.

I do appreciate the post-production work that ensured the picture bears the appearance of a 70s grindhouse feature - faint vertical lines across the screen, slightly grainy image quality. In addition, there are a handful of moments scattered throughout these 85 minutes that are mildly clever and lightly amusing. However, these are the only noteworthy fragments of praise I have to offer.

It's one thing to suggest the cast demonstrate a lack of acting skills, thereby engendering inauthenticity in the movie, and I suppose that's a distinct possibility. True or not, it's also clear that everyone is emphatically hamming up their performances, and overacting - presumably at least in part in an effort to mimic those same grindhouse flicks. But with rare, infrequent exception as noted, their performances aren't funny, or even just broadly enjoyable. Mostly they're just overblown and irritating.

There are some good ideas in the plot, but the screenplay at large is less than impressive. Characters are very thin, and dialogue bears the same regrettable qualities as the acting. For one prominent example, town drunk Tom is supposed to be consistent comic relief, but for far too much of his time on screen he is instead just overbearing, and an unwelcome addition. Scene writing is loose, feels a little haphazard at times, and is often definitely unconvincing; even if the inclusion of an instance in the narrative is worthwhile, in the details it falters. Worse than the writing, though, is Joe Zerull's direction. Those questionable scenes are built with shots that attempt to imitate the artfulness and sophistication of other titles where they are employed, but here they are terribly forced and unnatural. Zerull's guidance of the cast, and the orchestration of each scene, feels amateurish and unpracticed. His work as editor is no better, with inelegant cuts and sequencing that leaves a bit to be desired.

I will allow that 'A cadaver Christmas' certainly feels like a low-budget passion project among friends, and I'm often willing to overlook many indelicacies so long as the end result is worthy. I've seen a few small-time pictures for which "DIY" and "homemade" were arguably the best descriptors, and was pleasantly surprised by how good they were. But what I see here, more than anything, is occasional passing value that in the next moment is taken too far, and is overcooked. That goes for special effects, as static blood and gore look great, but staged gory violence and post-production visual effects are dubious. That goes for much of the would-be comedy; when it isn't outright forced, a flash of amusement often overstays its welcome, diminishing its benefit. And that goes even for the ending, which could have concluded with a spark of brilliance before sunrise, but instead come morning is taken an extra step that breaks with the sardonic tone the feature has otherwise struck. Almost every scene that should be funny, horrific, or even poignant is rendered inert by the substantial indelicate hand at play in writing, direction, and acting alike.

I admire what the participants here were trying to do - creating a holiday horror flick with few resources and no major backing. Effort only goes so far, though, especially if the outcome falls too short. I want to like this more than I do - I see the potential of what the concept could have been - yet I also wonder if I'm already being too generous. I think budgetary constraints were the least of the problems with 'A cadaver Christmas,' as more so than not it tends to try too hard, or manages a proverbial "swing and a miss" while facing the wrong direction. True, there are a lot worse films out there that one could accidentally start watching. But unless you're dead-set on watching flicks of a group to which this belongs in one capacity or another, there's no need to seek it out, and I can't say I'd specifically recommend it for anything.

How unfortunate.

has its moments

[atinder · 5/10 · 29 August 2015]

When I saw the cover for this movie, I thought 8t was going to have a zombie santa on are hands , I thought ghe cover Was a bit misleading.

This was not thd best indie , I have not seen many indie recently , it been Awhile since i seen one

For me , I found this movie to been really funny at times,

Maybe I am easily pleased with humourbut I did laugh a numer of times.

There were some really silly jokes that do not work at all.

The cast worked really well together.

I did enjoy some of the gory zombie deaths, not bad for a low bugget indie m9vie

The acting was good for this kind of movie.

5 our of 10

Don't Bother

[mysticzine · 2/10 · 20 September 2014]

I love B grade horror films. I love zombie movies. I love over the top Troma humor. I am even an indie filmmaker. I did not like this movie.

The premise sounds really fun: A janitor enlists several locals to help him fight zombies in a university on Christmas eve. Instead of an enjoyable romp with tons of blood and gore, we get long passages where nothing happens and banal dialog that is supposed to pass for jokes.

The film is really nothing more than a low budget vanity project by a group of guys who aren't as funny or talented as they want to be. It's the kind of situation that all indie movie makers have been in (me included) where enthusiasm can't compensate for a bad script. I will check back after they've made a few more movies, though. I'm betting they do get better down the line.

Bad Everything

[mhorg2018 · 1/10 · 21 July 2015]

Ever since Shaun of the Dead, anyone and everyone thinks they can make a zombie comedy. They're wrong and this lame waste of time proves it. What people miss is that Shaun is a traditional zombie film with comedy elements. When something tries to be comedic, like this mess, it usually doesn't work. Poor acting, bad directing, some lame effects and stupid ideas make this the terrible waste of time it is. I'm sure when the screenplay writers got together and lit up that bowl of cheap weed, they thought it was hysterical. Too bad any hilarity that existed didn't make it to the screen. A comedy is supposed to make one laugh, not sigh with relief when it's over. Watch only if A)You don't own Shaun on DVD or B) you're too drunk or high to care. This is bad enough to be one of the 'movies' the formerly known as the Sci-Fi channel shows on Saturday.

Two thirds in I had to bail.

[archiecm · 2/10 · 23 December 2013]

Zombies are a given but the characters still need to stick to some kind of personality, some basic persona with unflinching motivations. The fake cop breaks character after entering the school. First he's the bad guy apprehender. Then he's the guilty guy who accidentally killed his cat and then he's just a scared guy who wants to escape. But the real king of character changes is the janitor. He's aware that they need more weapons, and some real cops (not just the fake one they have). But both times he tries to call 911 he can't complete the deal. Instead of letting the school security girl have her routine fact finding, he hangs up even though it closes out his hope that she'll call the cops if there's a real need. Rather than this being an inconsistency in his character, maybe he's just a little impatient. But after they have the showdown at the professors office and half of them are dead or infected they run downstairs and the janitor is the one who no longer feels outnumbered and outclassed. Now he wants to stay and fight even though they have no weapons and no hope. It's totally against everything he said in the film up to that point. Total personality reverses are harder to take than slobbering mauling zombies so I bailed. But now I wonder how it turned out.

A Fun B Movie

[revbighig · 7/10 · 7 December 2014]

Normally, I am so tired of zombies these days, I skip such films. But this time, I'm glad I didn't. Bored and lazy at 2:00 in the morning, I saw nothing interesting on the tube, so I said what the heck, I'll check it out before I crash. It turned out to be quite funny. The goofy characters approached over the top, but in an affable way. Think of your craziest real-life acquaintances thrust into an even crazier situation. I liked the artificial graininess imposed over the film like worn black and white stock. And the hokey lighting was perfect vintage '50s monster movie. Also, the soundtrack was a gas - rock Christmas music played in creepy minor keys. All in all, a good time, with a lot of laughs.

A cadaver Christmas.

[jeffreyc-32567 · 4/10 · 20 May 2020]

This is my review for a cadaver Christmas, can't remember when I bought the disc or what I paid for it. OK for a time filler I suppose but not worth more than four stars. Normally I give very good reviews, but unfortunately this film didn't cut the mustard. You win some you loose some, so jacey says peace out.

A Purposefully Campy Zombie Movie (They're Cadavers!)

[tjhughes-73988 · 7/10 · 15 November 2017]

When you watch this movie, you have to understand that the camp and the quirks are there on purpose. They're meant to be pointed at and joked about.

I enjoyed this movie immensely, and I think it's a great movie to get a group of friends together and just have a good time with. It's got some superb editing and cinematography, as well as charming performances from the cast.

WARNING: I may be a bit biased, as I attend the college this was filmed at, and one of my professors created the movie.

Missed the mark.

[hubbard-51836 · 4/10 · 5 May 2020]

There was way too little humor and what looked like an attempt at dramatic moments. Make it funny, make it a horror movie, put on some horse blinders, and go for it. This is barely an entertaining b-horror movie.

hilarious

[Sorpse · 9/10 · 26 December 2013]

the dialogue in this movie is very well written and the janitor actor sells the whole thing with his performance. Everyone else is what you would expect from an indie film but he steals the show. Gore and dialogue are the key reasons to see this. its indie film making done right. This movie will fit in perfectly with my collection of Christmas horror movies and becoming essential viewing over the holidays. The people behind this seem very talented as the gore effects all looked great and the one liners hit more often than not. I liked the part where the janitor was passed out and the drunk was moving his lips and talking for him, twas priceless. I had a great time and this movie fits in well with newer grindhouse-esque slew of indie films as well as all of my holiday favorites.

Amateurish

[gregberne11 · 2/10 · 10 January 2020]

Combining awful effects, home made special effects, community dinner theater acting and bad dad jokes you've either heard before or can see coming a mile away, this is one of those campy movies that is trying way too hard to be campy and just can't pull off anything truly entertaining.

Immensely entertaining and enjoyable zombie comedy

[kannibalcorpsegrinder · 9/10 · 24 February 2014]

Forced to bring a group of disbelievers into a college dorm, a janitor leads the group through the halls filled with zombies reanimated through an on-campus experiment and must find a way of getting out safely.

This turned out to be quite an enjoyable and cheesy zombie effort. One of the biggest pluses here is the fact that there's a rather enjoyable atmosphere created from the goofy action presented. There's some rather enjoyable material to be found here as the plot allows this ample opportunities to get rather silly at times where the groups' bumbling nature in regards to both offensive and defensive tactics against the zombies gets rather silly at times, utilizing mops and brooms for offense, slipping and sliding on blood-soaked hallways and using everything from desks and notebooks to provide a barrier against the encroaching hordes and the over-the-top nature here keeps this one quite enjoyable. Combined along with the jokes and word-play present, this one has more laughs than expected though this one never forgets to have a hand in the scares which is what allows this one to keep the zombies as threats. They're the slow, shuffling variety which keeps the factor here based on the overall number of creatures there swarming around them as they fight them off, resulting not only in pretty enjoyable scenes but also plenty of action within as the group has plenty of time to fight them off. This also adds some pretty decent amounts of gore to the proceeds, and while these make for some rather entertaining measures, it does have a few flaws in that the comedic nature wears thin after a while with some of the jokes loosing their luster and the whole enterprise being loaded by a rather preposterous storyline that gets almost no fleshing out and remains ludicrous upon scrutiny. Otherwise, there's a whole lot to like here.

Rated R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, Brief Nudity and comedic sexual scenes.

Love this undead movie!

[solitare96 · 9/10 · 8 May 2012]

Having seen many of Zerull's short films, I was anxiously awaiting the release of this film. Seeing it on the big screen was quite delightful though I've never seen a movie quite like this before. I normally don't like this genre, but I had to see it after watching his short films. There was one scene that wasn't necessary in my opinion, but, overall, this film was great. It combined humor with other characteristics of the zombie film. There were several "gross out" scenes, but, again, that's to be expected. The one scene that touched me the most was the drunk's speech; it explains so much of his behavior. Even if you're a mild fan of the undead, you'll want to catch this one!

Christmas + Zombies = Lots of Fun!

[noah-65732 · 8/10 · 6 November 2023]

This movie starts off with a college janitor walking into a bar on Christmas Eve covered in blood. He explains to the bartender and a drunk bar patron that the nearby university is in the midst of a small-scale zombie outbreak. The three team up with a rent-a-cop, a weirdo he arrested and eventually university security to fight the small horde of flesheaters and uncover the truth about the science experiments that caused this outbreak. The humor is strong, the gore effects are great and the characters share some funny back-and-forth jokes. The Janitor is a great survivor character that comes up with some neat ways to take out the living dead including hitting one over the head with an old clunky computer monitor, stabbing one through the face with a Christmas tree and all sorts of creative moves with a mop. The ending was really well-done and left an opening for a sequel. This flick is very low budget but it still manages to deliver as a solid entry into the zombie genre.

Remember, they're cadavers - not zombies

[failedprocess · 8/10 · 8 May 2012]

I had the honor and the privilege of viewing this film at a screening organized by Insane Mike of Prescribed Films. Thirty of us horror fans crowded into a small shop to take part in the viewing of a film few of us had heard of and even less had seen. What unfolded on the screen before us that night was something we never expected and will never forget.

With director Joe Zerull in attendance, those few of us witnessed a madcap, macabre, spectacle not seen since the glory days of Evil Dead and Re-Animator. I could not have hoped for more out of this film: the humor, timing, acting, and gore were top notch and deserving of far more than the limited release this film received.

My best advice to all the self-proclaimed horror aficionados, buffs, and collectors out there is to add this film to your collection as soon as possible. I have no doubt that in time, it will rank among such heavyweights as listed above as the start of a new breed of horror. For in a time where zombies are around every corner, the Steadicam has seemingly never been invented, and the best horror films have subtitles, Joe and his crew say give me a mop, a plunger, and a bandanna, and we'll clean up this mess.