Dead Heads (2011)

Directed by: Brett Pierce, Drew T. Pierce | 92 minutes | horror, comedy, adventure | Actors: Michael McKiddy, Ross Kidder, Markus Taylor, Thomas Galasso, Natalie Victoria, Eden Malyn, Benjamin Webster, Greg Dow, Harry Burkey, Leonard Kelly-Young, Jamie Wheatley, Brian Matthew Richardson, Christina Rose, Alexander Borrello, Brock Tarzana, Kasey Bell, Courtney Lauwers, Skylar Lauwers, Robert Emmett Young, Dan Crosby, Nathan Napier, Conor Liam Callaghan, Lela Montgomery, Bart Pierce, Brent Woodruff

To get straight to the point: film buffs who are NOT particularly fans of the zombie genre will have a great time with ‘Deadheads’. With the Pierce brothers putting little real zombie violence into their story and more exploring the comedy side, ‘DeadHeads’ remains easy to digest. So perhaps this horror/comedy can be better categorized within the new, increasingly popular ‘zomedy’ genre. This hybrid of a zombie film and a comedy can compete with classics like ‘Shaun of the Dead’ (2004) and the more recent ‘Zombieland’ (2009).

‘DeadHeads’ can be described as a special road movie full of old-fashioned charm. Mike (Michael McKiddy) awakens three years after his violent death as a zombie. Slowly but surely the memory of how he died is coming back, but what is even more important for Mike: he was then, with a freshly purchased ring, about to propose to his childhood sweetheart Ellie. Mike’s zombie buddy Brent (a fun role by the outstanding Ross Kidder) persuades Mike to honor Ellie with a visit and proposal. The humor and fun in the making of the film is apparent from the texts of the protagonists. To the enthusiasm of Brent, who has become a zombie after a misdirected auto-erotic mutilation, Mike responds: “But I’m dead, she sees me coming.” Brent, completely undeterred, even manages to put a positive spin on this: “Death? I call that character. You have something dark and mysterious.”

And so the two sworn undead begin their journey across America. They get a lift from the unusual elderly Cliff, take in a good-natured zombie named ‘Cheese’ and are chased from the start by the ‘craft squad’ McDinkle and Gillman. Also ex-prisoner / bounty hunter Thomas wants to grab the two. Even the military gets involved, all in the context of science. At least that’s what Ellie’s father would have us believe, but his motives don’t appear to be too pure… So, little toddling corpses that breathe nonsense and only want fresh blood. It is nice that it is all presented ‘tongue in cheek’. Mike who loses an arm three times and screws it back to his body just as easily. And what do the three zombie friends get served when they make a stopover at a drive inn movie theater? Indeed… The slow motion scene at the end is also hilarious.

The only dissonance is Eden Malyn in the role of Emily, the scientist’s stupid assistant. ‘DeadHeads’ is a must for fans of ‘unusual’ humorous films such as ‘The Hangover’, ‘The Goonies’ and ‘Back to the Future’. Not great, but entertaining enough.