I watched "A Little Bit Zombie", like so many other people, at a genre-dedicated festival, and director Casey Walker was physically present to introduce his achievement and attend a Q&A after the screening. Although I fairly liked the movie for what it is already, it was Walker's playful attitude and OTT enthusiasm that made me appreciate it even more! He explained, in great detail, how he got the crowd funding off the ground and unsubtly elaborated on his aversion towards big budgeted studio productions. His film became a zombie-comedy, and that's a rather risky undertaking nowadays, since we have seen so dreadfully many of them and what innovating elements could possibly be brought anymore? Well, "A Little Bit Zombie" indeed brings nothing new to the horror table, but at least it's a 200% enthusiast, unpretentious and massively entertaining flick. Steve is a goody two-shoes desk clerk who's about to get married with his "Bridezilla" Tina. Together with his sister Sarah and his best pal Craig, who're both trying to convince Steve that Tina isn't his perfect match, they're heading out to the family cabin for the final marriage preparations. But poor Steve gets stung by a virus-infected mosquito on the first evening and literally starts to waste away as per the next morning. He's slowly turning into a zombie, developing an insatiable hunger for brains and gradually losing body parts. For Tina, the only thing that matters is assuring that her flawless wedding ceremony takes place, whether her husband is an undead rotting corpse or not. Meanwhile, Steve is also pursued by a psychotic zombie hunter and his geeky scientist sidekick. "A Little Bit Zombie" opens as a prototypic but nevertheless tasteful comedy, but quickly shifts towards a rather juvenile slapstick baloney. Steve's struggle to resist devouring a defenseless little bunny rabbit, the clique's visit to a downright disgusting butcher shop and the two girls – in sexily revealing outfits – scouting for potential brains for Steve to eat
They're all examples of highlight sequences, but it's definitely not solid horror. There are some excellent gross-out effects, but naturally the film is never atmospheric, morbid or even remotely unsettling. The acting performances are more than decent, with Crystal Lowe and Stephen McHattie as the most famous names in the cast. Interesting zombie comedy for the fans, but surely not on par with the real high-fliers of its kind ("Shaun of the Dead", "Zombieland", "Braindead", Return of the Living Dead"
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Review of A Little Bit Zombie
