Plane Dead (Flight of the Living Dead) (2007)
Review by The Film Fiend
When random groups of rogue scientists suddenly decide to transport their oh-so mysterious cargo from one clandestine location to another, I’m sure they all choose to fly commercial. If nothing else, it allows for the maximum amount of bloody carnage should their dangerous luggage accidentally unleash a zombie horde on the unsuspecting passengers. Sure, they may sully their precious reputations in the process, but it makes for a lovely little anecdote once the legions of the undead have been properly contained. I speak from experience.
So who will fearlessly battle these endless waves of shrieking zombies when they burst through the floorboards, chew up the flight attendants and steal seats from the first class passengers? If you said Richard Tyson, Kevin J. O’Connor, David Chisum and Kristen Kerr, then give yourself a firm pat on the backside. This unlikely group of makeshift heroes will ultimately band together in order to save everyone who’s still alive from becoming a fleshy chew toy for the eternally damned. Can they successfully land the plane before the United States government blows them out of the sky, or will all their efforts be in vain?
If you only see one monster movie that takes place thousands of feet above the ground in your lifetime, Plane Dead is definitely the way to roll. Director Scott Thomas and his talented crew have crafted one of the best low-budget zombie pictures to come down the ol’ pipeline in quite some time. Granted, the film is certainly not the most original slice of empty-calorie cinema you’ll see this year, but it does manage to inject some serious fun into a subgenre that could use a little cheering up. Those of you who have grown tired of these so-called “mature” zombie flicks should definitely pick up this insane little number whenever it runs screaming into a video store near you sometime soon.
Speaking of running and screaming, the good zombified folks in Plane Dead aren’t afraid of breaking a sweat when it comes to acquiring their chow. I personally don’t have a problem with fast-moving zombies, regardless of what horror purists may have to say on the subject. The undead buggers in this particular effort are lean, mean and quick to gobble you up. They also have a tendency to pop through floors, mirrors and whatever else happens to be in their way at the time. If this controversial technique prevents you from checking out Scott Thomas’ thoroughly entertaining horror opus, then shame on you and yours, buddy. You don’t deserve to have fun.
On top of a smart script and some break-neck pacing, Plane Dead is also supported by a bevy of very talented second-rate thespians. Though the names and faces may not be instantly familiar to your average movie-going schlub, those of us who spend much of our free time swimming in murky B-movie rivers will be thrilled to see a few old favorites on-board this gooey little flight. Besides the four I’ve already listed, the prospective viewer will be treated to the cinematic stylings of Dale Midkiff, Erick Avari, Todd Babcock and Derek Webster, among others. Everyone does a fabulous job keeping the tone light and breezy, a trait that allows Plane Dead to rise to the surface of the straight-to-video universe.
If you can overlook the fact that this picture is essentially a Snakes on a Plane knock-off with dozens of fresh-eating zombies in place of some lousy CGI reptiles, I think Plane Dead will satisfy the horror-hungry monstrosity living just beneath your sickly skin. The film never once takes itself too seriously, nor does it stop to dump unnecessary exposition or character development onto your weak and weary shoulders. It may not reinvent the wheel, mind you, but it does manage to stuff lots of undead action into a slick 90-minute excursion into a subgenre that could use a fresh coat of blood red paint. Hey, if you’re going to make a zombie picture in this day and age, you might as well try to do something a little different with the material, even if you do steal the idea from someone else.
Keep your snakes, naysayers; I’ll take my chances with the pretty ghouls.
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