'A Little Bit Zombie': Like 'Evil Dead' only not as awesome. "A Little Bit Zombie" is what happens when fans of a movie make a movie. Look, we all love "Evil Dead" – or to be precise, we all really love "Evil Dead II" because anyone who watches the first installment and expects the hilarious humor of the sequel is in for the shock of their lives – but there's a fine line between an homage and a lame copy. Unfortunately "A Little Bit Zombie" is a little bit in the latter category.
The plot, such as it is, centers on HR manager Steve (Kristopher Turner) who is marrying salon stylist and high maintenance fiancée Tina (Crystal Lowe). There's just one problem: Steve's sister and maid of honor Sarah (Kristen Hager) hates Tina, and it's easy to see why.
Fortunately, Steve's best friend Craig (Shawn Roberts) is also Sarah's husband and is there to provide moral support. Things take a turn for the hilarious when Steve is bitten by a zombie mosquito and slowly begins to turn into a cannibalistic brain-eater. Hunted by a magic orb-wielding hottie Penelope (Emilie Ullerup) and crotchety shotgun-wielding Max (Stephen McHattie), it seems our fun foursome are about to experience a very bad weekend in the woods.
The cast is a problem. Turner is passable as a normal guy just trying doing his best to avoid nibbling on his friends' brains, but Lowe is pretty bad in a role that requires her to carry much of the humor. Her inability to keep up with Hager of "Being Human" fame is apparent – the roles could easily have been reversed, as there's more chemistry between Hager and Turner than there is between Turner and Lowe. Ew.
The zombie hunters aren't much better. McHattie plays Max as a psychopath who will blow anything up at a moment's notice, which is probably supposed to be funnier than it is. For a great example of McHattie's talent put to good use against zombies, see "Pontypool." Blonde bombshell Ullerup speaks her lines with her usual wide-eyed wooden acting – if you've seen her turn as Ashley Magnus in "Sanctuary," you know what to expect here.
Fortunately, "A Little Bit Zombie" doesn’t take itself too seriously. Yes, the homages to "Evil Dead" are over the top, from the shed scene to the chuckle-worthy evil-point-of-view-cam, but the film's heart is in the right place even if it the script doesn't hit most of the comedy beats. The ending is appropriately off-key and at least ironic enough to make it worth sticking with the film.
"A Little Bit Zombie" isn't very gory, isn't very funny, and isn't very good – but then it isn't trying to be. It's just a little bit of all three that makes it a passable entry in the zombie humor genre.
Monday, May 27, 2013
'A Little Bit Zombie': Like 'Evil Dead' only not as awesome
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