Writer / director Jose Prendes casts himself in the heroic lead role of Malcolm Grant, a C. I. A. Agent with amnesia in a post-apocalypse Earth overrun by zombies. He must join forces with a ragtag military unit to find out how to close the door to Hell that has opened and let these creatures out.
The average viewer would certainly WANT to like this effort more than they probably will. Give Prendes credit for assembling an ensemble cast full of schlock veterans (Richard Lynch, Brinke Stevens, Linnea Quigley, Felissa Rose, Conrad Brooks, Debbie Rochon, Don Calfa), some of whom at least get decent showcases. Lynch, in particular, is lots of fun as a very evil bad guy. But Prendes was unwise to save the hero role for himself, as he's pretty much a non-entity. Also, his script may be curious for being all over the map (encompassing espionage, sci-fi, serial killer thrillers, and horror), but it's seriously muddled, and the viewer will have a hard time keeping up with what's going on - or caring much. Prendes, too, tries his best to keep this visually interesting on his meager budget, by shooting some scenes in color and some in black & white.
But the action scenes are some of the most inept you'll ever see. They're so bad that they're not even funny. And, in general, this movie commits the unpardonable sin of being boring. Not even this cast can really save it.
To drive home the fact that Prendes is partly parodying James Bond flicks, there's a final joke before the end credits. Said end credits, fortunately, do contain *some* funny outtakes.
One of the lamest bits: the gun-toting priest shamelessly referencing "They Live", which lands with a thud.
Four out of 10.
The average viewer would certainly WANT to like this effort more than they probably will. Give Prendes credit for assembling an ensemble cast full of schlock veterans (Richard Lynch, Brinke Stevens, Linnea Quigley, Felissa Rose, Conrad Brooks, Debbie Rochon, Don Calfa), some of whom at least get decent showcases. Lynch, in particular, is lots of fun as a very evil bad guy. But Prendes was unwise to save the hero role for himself, as he's pretty much a non-entity. Also, his script may be curious for being all over the map (encompassing espionage, sci-fi, serial killer thrillers, and horror), but it's seriously muddled, and the viewer will have a hard time keeping up with what's going on - or caring much. Prendes, too, tries his best to keep this visually interesting on his meager budget, by shooting some scenes in color and some in black & white.
But the action scenes are some of the most inept you'll ever see. They're so bad that they're not even funny. And, in general, this movie commits the unpardonable sin of being boring. Not even this cast can really save it.
To drive home the fact that Prendes is partly parodying James Bond flicks, there's a final joke before the end credits. Said end credits, fortunately, do contain *some* funny outtakes.
One of the lamest bits: the gun-toting priest shamelessly referencing "They Live", which lands with a thud.
Four out of 10.