Director: Jim Towns
Year: 2023
Country: USA
Alternate Titles: State of Desolation
Genre: Zombie
Plot:
Following a zombie apocalypse, a desperate woman and an aging mercenary decide to team up to navigate their way safely across the undead-strewn landscape, but when they join a group of survivors in a remote commune they find it threatens their safety as much as the encroaching zombie hordes.
Review:
Overall, there’s quite a lot to like about this one. One of the big aspects to be had here is the highly enjoyable setup that serves the film’s low-budget origins quite well. The post-apocalyptic zombie effort like this features the type of fare presented here means that this can really focus on the humanity of the two leads forced into the situation that sees a drastic change and shift in their personality over time. Initially starting the journey as a prissy do-gooder too afraid to fight back even if her life depended on it, the change into a cold, ruthless fighter at least capable of going into a fight is handled rather well which happens with the more encounters they have not only with other figures but survivors as well. It’s serviceable enough in this type of scenario and makes their relationship fun to follow as the point is to help her toughen up and survive.
This manages to provide some rather fun zombie action that pops up here. Starting with the necessary encounters that show off the post-apocalyptic scenario this is attempting to tell with the encounters showing the creatures arriving to take out the victims in their homes or out on the streets, it’s a fine start to things while also showing off the kind of environment where her changing condition shows itself off rather nicely. This also serves as a fine means of getting them together when he saves her from an attack and they team up with their training sessions also providing the kind of first-hand training that’s fun to see, especially when it’s the only stuff here that really carries any kind of action until the finale when it offers the full scope of it’s setup giving this a spectacular heartfelt conclusion perfectly in tone with the rest of the film. It’s all enough to make this exceptionally enjoyable.
There isn’t much to hold this back but it does have some slight issues. One of the main drawbacks holding it back is the somewhat overlong running length that could’ve been trimmed down somewhat. A lot of the film consists of him teaching her survival tactics and weaponry skills to help prepare her for the situation which can be somewhat redundant with it relying on him instructing what needs to be done, her failing it, and then trying it again when everything goes smoothly. That all helps to establish the situation present as well as their relationship but does feel a little overlong as they don’t even reach the colony of survivors until an hour into here which is all to the detriment of the zombie attacks. There’s not a whole lot throughout here which is kept to brief but thrilling encounters due to these other factors. These end up being the main drawbacks to this one.
Overview: ****/5
A rather fun zombie effort that might be somewhat problematic for some, that its main issue being a lack of zombie action and carnage might be a problem for those looking for a hardcore zombie film in this style. Those that are into this overall approach with their films, are a hardcore zombie fanatic, or are just curious about it will want to give this one a shot while most others who are turned off by the flaws should heed caution here.
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