By: debbie lynn elias
You knew it was coming. There was no way that I would not find at least one “must see film” in the Dark Wave or Guilty Pleasures categories at LAFF. A sucker for zombies, vampires, demons, mass hysteria, blood and guts and just enough camp to draw some laughs mixed in with those shrieks, I love these type of films. You’ve all heard of last summer’s “Snakes on a Plane” well, thanks to writer/director Scott Thomas and his first “horror” debut, we’ve now got zombies on a plane with my new Guilty pleasures LAFF fave, FLIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD.
Imagine a trio of scientists. Mad scientists, if you will. Convinced they are right and everyone else is wrong, they buck the system. Working on illegal experiments involving a rare African mosquito containing a deadly virus, our madmen decide testing outside of a controlled lab environment is mandatory. Human testing is needed. Unfortunately, no country but for Germany will allow for their experimentation without government intervention. Why, you ask? Simple. The virus they are researching has the ability to stop any part of the human anatomy and then restart it. (Yeah, I know, the goosebumps are starting to crawl up your arms with that one.) Anxious to move the project along, the group presses forward by trying the virus out on an unsuspecting female scientist, effectively killing her with the plan being to bring her back to life.
More ready then ever to get their clandestine destination, the group hop a flight from Paris along with their rather mysterious cargo, confident that the airport systems will let it fly unnoticed, undetected and uninspected. Naturally, the cargo makes it on the plane no problem. But just what’s in that cargo? Why the dead female scientist infected with the virus, of course! Locked in an impenetrable metal container heavy, our madmen are certain of the containers security and have no fears of anything untoward happening. But boy are they wrong!
As comes as no surprise, the plane runs into some heavy turbulence, heavy enough to force the impenetrable container open releasing our infected female. Well, I gotta tell you, boys, you think women suffering from PMS are insane? Think again because when this bad-ass gal is unleashed, you’re gonna think its hell on Earth. Shot by a security guard, she dies but thanks to the virus, immediately returns from the dead as a flesh-eating zombie. Oh yeah, and one other teensy weensy factor the mad scientists forgot to check out – once the carrier is released, so is the virus. So, we’ve got a hungry zombie, plenty of human food for the zombie, a virus running rampant that is guaranteed to infect everyone who in turn as they are killed regenerate as zombies themselves, mass hysteria….whew!! Did I forget anything? Of course, the US government sticking its head into the already murky waters by sending a fighter plane in to blow up the commercial airline. And obviously oblivious to concept of air contamination, the feds don’t realize that blowing up the plane will spread the virus globally. Talk about germ warfare!
But wait! Before the government can screw up yet something else, we’ve forgotten our brave passengers, at least the ones that are still alive. Winners of the most unlikely hero awards, coach passengers (see, even zombies prefer the food in first class) Frank, Megan, Paul and Truman band together in an effort to save whoever is left alive and uninfected, not to mention land the plane before its blown to smithereens. Can they save the day? Will the zombies be stopped? Can the virus be stopped? Oh, the terror, the terror!!
One of the best low-budget zombiethons to roll onto the big screen, Scott Thomas and gang will have you rolling in the aisles. Unconventional for a zombie flick as there are no graves, no haunted houses or cemeteries (for that go check out the Buffy The Vampire Slayer Sing-A-Long on June 27 at 10:30 p.m. at the Majestic Crest), we’ve got zombies who emerge from mirrors, pop up through the floor, drop down from the ceiling, break through cabin walls. This is a first-class zombie-fest!
One of the keys to the success of this guilty pleasure is the casting. Using talented and experienced actors who are typically associated with “B” films in supporting roles, we are graced with the likes of Kevin J. O’Connor as Frank who you may recognize from “The Mummy.” Another “Mummy” veteran, Erick Avari comes on board here as Leo Bennett. Avari’s very presence screams horror flick! Siena Goines, from the recently cancelled then re-upped show “Jericho”, is formidable as Anna and soap opera veteran Sarah Laine shines as Cara the Vampire. David Chisum, Kristen Kerr and one of my supporting actor faves, Richard Tyson, round out our team of heroes as Truman, Megan and Paul, respectively.
Also written by Thomas, running gags run amok and none is funnier than a hungry zombie with a stuck seat belt, with nary a bite of dinner within his grasp. Smart, witty, clever and funny writing just adds to the fun as this flight takes off with the speed – and sneakiness – of a Stealth bomber. No plot twists and turns. Just the right amount of camp. Ok, we’ve got some scripting faux pas’ in terms of reality, but hey!! We’ve got zombies. We aren’t talking reality. This film is clearly done for the joy of it and never takes itself or its subject too seriously.
The CGI effects under the supervision of FX guru Daniel Murphy are particularly impressive given the budget as is the work of cinematographer Mark Eberle. A former cameraman on several “Playboy” videos, obviously he didn’t the transition from playmates to zombies too different.
Madness and mayhem amid buckets of blood and gallons of laughter. Aah. So soothing, so comforting. Just like home. Trust me, this is one flight you don’t want to miss!
FLIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD: OUTBREAK ON A PLANE screens Saturday, June 30 at 11:59 p.m. at the Majestic Crest and Sunday July 1 at 3:00 p.m. at the Majestic Crest.
