Pamela De Graff
13 Eerie is not Citizen Kane, but then it does not hold itself out to be. The film is a totally decent entry in the ever-expanding zombie genre and features the strikingly alluring and always interesting actress Katherine Isabele (Ginger Snaps) who does not appear to have aged a day in two decades. Surely she would be starring in main stream Hollywood cinema had she the right connections.Writer/Director George Romero pretty well covered and exhausted the zombie concept with Night Of The Living Dead (1968) and Dawn Of The Dead (1978.) There have however, been a few additional movies which have added additional and novel dimensions to the concept, such as Shatter Dead (1994), Les Revenants (2004), and The Vanguard (2008.) 13 Eerie does't break new ground; typical to the genre the theme is the usual evasion, pursuit, and fight for life from and against the undead. But 13 Eerie IS eerie and sinister, unfolding its events against an overcast, dark blue-grey sky, during those late November days in which decaying autumn leaves on wooded hillsides take on that purplish color. It's an isolated landscape of forgotten outbuildings, hex signed old barns, and dead winter trees; a place where every window faces away from the sun.This movie is a first full length release effort from the writer, and on a par with Corman's production of FF Coppola's first try, Dementia (1963). I.E, it shows promise for the filmmakers. 13 Eerie is well produced and technically executed in a professional manner -which is to say, that while it is a modest and unremarkable feel. The acting is decent, the premise is acceptable, and the zombies are as original in appearance as they can be for a niche which has been so exploited. This movie doesn't take itself too seriously, yet avoids the trap of being campy and silly. Enjoy the well-fitted electronic musical score and the plethora of gruesome makeup special effects. The icky, gory sequences are presented with enough originality to make you squirm in your seat as if someone grabbed your hand and dragged your fingernails down a chalkboard.
Brendanflynn5
Now it is not the worst pile of cheap filmmaking in the world nor is the the best by a long shot. Why do film makers of zombie movies insist on making the people in it do stupid things no normal person would do. This is what annoys me most about movies like this. They insist on not taking any cars out and they came on a boat but never think of getting out on it. They constantly run into dark old flimsy buildings. Shoot them in the head one of the girls explained. Next scene guy shoots zombie in shoulder. Doh! I am writing a zombie movie as a book at the moment and am eliminating the idiot plots most movies have. Anyone who directs and wants to work on a decent storyline. Give me a bell. B
GL84
Arriving at a remote campsite for a class project, forensics students learn the area was a ground for dumping toxic waste years ago when the patients of a prison experiment found there revive and vicious attack them, forcing them to get out alive.This turned out to be quite an enjoyable and entertaining zombie effort with a lot to like about it. One of the better features is the zombies themselves, which starts off nicely with their introduction as another supposed part of their field trip only for a nasty surprise to await them, also manages to work rather well with them within the film itself. Deformed beyond belief with some rather nasty looking wounds, exposed veins, charred skin and a decomposed look that comes off really well and is truly frightening at times, especially with the way their actions are involved. Managing to incorporate the more ravenous side of their behavior makes for a rather imposing villain here as they relentlessly charge after their victims and don't seem interested in anything other than devouring their prey which makes them formidable enemies in here. As well, this provides the film with plenty of fantastic gore scenes throughout as they initially strike against the group before getting the tables turned, so there's plenty to like from the first attacks out on the lake or in the tangled, twisting cluster of tree-branches that really signals where the film hits its stride in terms of attacks. Surprisingly, this also affords the movie numerous amounts of high-end action scenes as the sleeping shack encounter, command-center ambush and the extended, thrilling high-way escape on the prison bus are all extremely fun and exciting action sequences that are just immensely entertaining and pack more of a punch than expected considering the low-budget that rears it's head from time-to-time. There's a quality running throughout this that really does betray the low-budget roots of this that really sticks out quite noticeably on the devoured bodies that doesn't quite match the rest of the movie and somewhat gives away the film's sources. As well, the opening assignment and getting them out to the area is itself quite dull with the endless time actually setting up the procedures to be conducted rather than having been done beforehand as well as being forced to spend time with the bitter, resentful head of the project who wears thin quite early in the film. Otherwise, there's not a lot wrong with this one.Rated R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.
agremlin82
Cons: They followed "The Formula" of zombie movies. Its a by-the-numbers zombie flick, that's about the only con I had with the movie. Yup, we've seen it all before. Pros: The make up effects were great, high marks for slime. Very high on the "gore count". Although not intentionally a comedy there was some pretty humorous reactions.As the plot line goes, all the complications in the lives of people being chased by killer zombies were made in this movie like wasting bullets with torso shots, denial by the authority figure even when there are multiple incidents of something going really wrong, wrecking the only transportation you have, ignoring the screams of comrades with the "Did you hear something?" line and then not investigating as your buddies are transformed into an all you can eat buffet. Nothing was missed. Loved the reaction of Larry, the ex-con/driver who had the best line in the movie "We stand a better chance if we just roll outta here and call in an airstrike". Better than classic!The only thing that really didn't make sense from the writer/editors is if access was made with a gated road, why did the students go to the island (actually a peninsula in this case) on a small rubber zodiac and have to walk some 10 minutes to the camp. It had nothing to do with the plot line of the movie. Wouldn't it been easier to just drive in as everyone else did? Also, you could have saved the cost of the zodiac.In any case, if you're a fan of zombie movies you pretty much know what's going to happen, this one is no different, but the running, the screaming, the dying were all quite entertaining. Its worth a look.