Zombiefied 
Directed and Written by Todd Jason Falcon Cook 
Stars: Rebecca Torrellas, Mike Gebble and Tayvis Dunnahoe 
Reviewed by Char Hardin 
Horror 
3/5 

“It’s Happening Again!” 

How many times has one heard, “Never judge a book or DVD by its cover”? Well, the same can be said with reviewers. I was sent a screener for this film and told it was “awful”. At first, I thought, then why send it and then I pressed play. I am glad they sent it. I liked ‘Zombiefied’! THANKS! I am not knocking the sender, it just goes to prove that reviewers all see and like different aspects of a film, for the sender it was a bomb for ME it was a fun Indie low-budget Gorefest! 

Friends Angel and Tommy have been harboring a secret about an incident from their past. Thirteen years ago, it involved the use of subliminal tampered music to turn normal humans into blood thirsting fiends. Tommy had the cure (tape with the song played backwards) to the outbreak and at present contemplates destroying it and then their past comes back to haunt them and creates quite a buzz at a local nightclub. 

After a performance, someone slips a CD of music and the beat does something to the audience…eyes rolled back, convulsions and then faces with blank stares and an uncontrollable craving for flesh. Chaos and gut munching ensue as the Zombiefied turn on anything that is breathing. Some band members who had just vacated the stage escaped and are running for their lives. Alana (Rebecca Torrellas) seems to just run and run and RUN the woman got plenty of exercise dodging the Zombies. Alana and her remaining band mates take it upon themselves, to find out who and why someone is out making zombies. 

Another element that screams cool to me, these zombies aren’t DEAD! Talk about thinking outside the box, way to go Todd! Based on personal experience, I know how hard, it is to sell a zombie story nowadays, because it’s all been done before. So again, I say way to go Todd for selling me on LIVE Zombies! It’s not an infection that affects people, it is a subliminal tinkering in the music that turns them and makes non-zombies blood donors. 

The zombie film becomes a SLASHER crossover? According to Pro-Skater/Actor/Writer/Director Todd Jason Falcon Cook that is exactly, what he wanted to do. He combined a zombie flick with a slasher and the using of a serial killer, wearing a former President Nixon’s mask, adds a certain level of dark humor to what has been called “a brand new intense style dark horror film”. 

The use of the word “intense” is pushing it for me. I found the movie to be brutal yes, but intense no. My reaction is probably not what Cook intended, in that I laughed more than I bit my nails. It had moments of lagging and those were early on, but what kept me glued…the gore and death scenes. Seeing someone go for a stomach and keep going until they hit entrails is always gruesome and these zombies were shoveling the intestines and organs into their mouths in a feeding frenzy, freaking cool! For those that like a little nudity with their bloodbaths…it’s in there. Violence a given, language like a bunch of freaking sailors, GORILICIOUS FX tons of it, acting fair to good, brutal…YES! 

Dialogue was good and snappy especially in one of my favorite scenes involving a Zombie Hooker and Drunk Driver. ‘Zombiefied’ has all the makings to keep Zombie fans happy. Does it succeed…Hmmm? I am giving it 3 out of 5. Based on gore FX, story and the MUSIC! The third best part of this film (for me) gore and story aside is the soundtrack! I had never heard of these bands, but once I heard their music, I had to have the soundtrack. Check out the line-up: Kill Order (opened the film with them performing), Rebecca Torrellas (sang Fighting to Survive-good song), Morgue City, Deceased, Inside Out, Backflow, Shintuza and more. The CD can be found at www.cdbaby.com/cd/Zombiefied 

Look for ‘Zombiefied’ and give it a chance. It’s not perfect, but it’s worth a look. A lot of hard work, blood and sweat pulled it all together and aside from a few slow parts, the majority of it is in motion and flows well. IF you are fans of Marcus Sabom, Patricia Sanchez, they both make sudden appearances. 

Links: 
www.zombiefiedmovie.com 
www.facebook.com/zombiefiedmovie 

To read more Char Hardin Horror Reviews and Interviews please visit: http://www.charhardin.com/