Bloodlust Zombies (2011)

Directed by: Dan Lantz | 84 minutes | horror, comedy | Actors: Alexis Texas, Janice Marie, Adam Danoff, Robert Heath, Catherine White, Lauren Todd, Sarah Dewey, Dan Lantz, Justus White, Robb Stech, Chris Ready, James Bagnell, Jerry Carter, Kevin Chick, Jordana Leigh, Amanda Scarano, Michael Kelberg, Bill Munich, Keith Lerner, Jeremy Cruts, Elizabeth McDonald, Howard Tyson

Also in ‘Bloodlust Zombies’ it is the once again failing science that causes the eruption of disaster, namely by employees of a military base who turn into zombies. No zombies in the traditional sense of the word, however, but staff members who are infected and changed by a chemical with some nice side effects’… targets the brain… makes logic thought impossible… subject becomes extremely violent…’. Predictable enough because there is some chemical spillage in the base lab. A predictability that doesn’t have to be a problem now, since similar developments have not stood in the way of many more or less successful zombie films. The cliché of the event is also striking. A military complex that has been cut off from the outside world by an emergency situation, a group of characters that only have to fight against the zombies and is slowly thinned out and the zombies that appear in increasing numbers. This in itself does not have to be such a problem, enough zombie films in which these kinds of situations and developments are meritoriously designed.

But the shortcomings of ‘Bloodlust Zombies’ soon become apparent, starting with the slowness of the story. The appearances of the zombies that are not too scary in appearance are few and far between. In terms of gruesome and gory scenes – which the average zombie fan always looks forward to – that is to say. And when they do occur, they don’t seem too uplifting in terms of quality either. They are lousy or at most mediocre special effects that, with a few exceptions, don’t appeal too much to the imagination. In various situations, the film makers throw music too loud to apparently emphasize that the developments that occur are exciting or horrifying. In vain: it rather elevates the anticlimactic content of the film. There are also the necessary technical shortcomings, for example in the form of a mediocre lighting and an editing, which, in addition to the necessary wooden acting and various characters that do not appeal to the imagination or that are irrelevant.

In addition, there has been a lot of talking. About the situations in which the various people find themselves and about what needs to be done to get out of this and that predicament. And with which, again, not too much is done, when various imprisoned persons seem to wander about aimlessly and lost, do not seem too upset by the victims falling around and then surrender themselves again to all kinds of long and rather meaningless appearing conversations. To increase the involvement, some humor is thrown in. With a few exceptions, this comes across as bland or mealy at most, it just doesn’t make you laugh. Or is it supposed to be some kind of satire on the zombie genre? Anyway, it’s not exactly successful. And if there is one thing to laugh about, it will mainly be the lousy special effects and the inadequate and repeatedly unbelievable rendering.

To keep the attention on other fronts as well, only a few female nudes are performed. All nice and nice, but for the right-minded zombie fan, with the other shortcomings present in this production, it cannot and will not compensate for what is expected on the basis of the promising title ‘Bloodlust Zombies’. Not too much acting that appeals to the imagination. Not only are the actors stiff, but they also come across as exaggerated and above all unbelievable. As a secretary, porn star Alexis Texas takes off her clothes repeatedly but above all remarkably non-functionally, and director Dan Lantz comes into the picture as a failed guard who is apparently intended to be funny, but makes an unbelievably goofy impression to come across as funny in the least. The other cast members make a not too convincing impression when portraying the unappealing characters in the acting, whether or not wooden or lacking on other fronts. It makes ‘Bloodlust Zombies’ a zombie film in which the shortcomings predominate and it is regarded as a not too memorable film within the zombie genre.