Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘The Dead Don’t Die’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

It really is quite the special time for zombie fans everywhere. Because these magnificently disgusting creatures are finally enjoying their day in the pop culture sun after spending decades in darkness since the living dead are everywhere in this day and age. They’re a television juggernaut, since The Walking Dead is still the biggest horror T.V. show out there, and their kind are everywhere in the gaming world as new digital adventures through the land of the dead keep popping up on PC and Console and most importantly, it seems as though an endless stream of motion pictures involving walking corpses are finding their way to theaters or digital release.
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But, while the dead continue to dominate in just about every single way imaginable, there has been of course, some level of backlash. Some believe the genre has flat out reached its peak saturation point, and that it’s all downhill from here for these flesh eating monsters, and there are others who feel that the genre is out of ideas and well, I’m one that disagrees with all of that for several reasons. For I am of the belief that the living dead will forever be the perfect carrier for social commentary since they can be anything we want them to on screen, and all it takes is one solid story involving the dead to revive interest in what they can do storytelling wise, and also because, there are still some incredible zombie films to be found out there on the market, the kind that amaze and impress with their originality and this past weekend I was able to enjoy a film that meets that criteria in The Dead Don’t Die.

Now, in this particular film, we are transported to the tiny little town of Centerville, where, nothing bad seems to happen. In fact, the most drama this town ever sees is when a chicken goes missing from the local farm. But thanks to mankind’s need to chase energy, by fracking the polar icecaps, life in Centerville is about to get far more interesting. For this act is throwing the earth off its rotation and this unnatural change to the planet’s status quo, is prompting the unexpected revival of the dead and now, it will be up to the local Sheriff, Cliff Robertson, and his deputies, Officers Ronnie Peterson and Mindy Morrison, to save this town from the hordes of corpses that are rising from the grave…

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So, if that sounds like a fairly by the numbers setup for a movie involving the living dead, you’re absolutely right and there’s good reason for that. Because The Dead Don’t Die is in essence, a horror comedy and the simpler the setup, the better, so that way the movie can get right down to the jokes. But that revelation of course raises quite the important question in that, is this movie funny in the slightest? And the answer to that question, is a resounding yes. Because the jokes really do keep you laughing in this tale, and they all work on screen and that’s thanks in large part to the fact that the gags here are handled in intelligent fashion, allowing for some supremely thoughtful and highbrow humor to take place and the wonder of this motion picture doesn’t end with its elaborate gags and deadpan cracks.

Because it’s inherently clear that Writer/Director Jim Jarmusch wanted to create something supremely special and unique here and he has, because this movie really does have a special feel and vibe to it, especially when one considers the fact that Jarmusch injects a surprising amount of commentary into this film. For this story tackles the ideological divide that America is currently going through in cheeky fashion, alongside an examination of more philosophical concepts such as consumerism, and how death comes for us all. Yet what’s truly impressive about all of this, is that the commentary never overtakes the comedy, because just when seems as though the movie is diving a little too far into a particular topic, the laughs return and the story pivots and well, that’s quite the stroke of genius when all is said and done.  

Yet, while those two elements alone would have carried this movie in their own right, it’s the all-star cast here that adds another layer to this experience. Because there are quite a few, genuine A-listers in this film, and while Bill Murray and Adam Driver steal the show with their deadpan comedy skills, everyone in this cast brings something magnificent to the table. If anything, this movie is just downright brilliant, and it’s one that I highly recommend because it is just so unique and so refreshing, but I will warn, that if you’re not a fan of arthouse style flicks, this may not be one that you truly enjoy. But if you’re all about zombies, and want a good and hearty laugh, then check this one out, because it really is a breath of fresh air and it does a fine job of reminding us that there’s plenty of life left in a genre that seemingly cannot die.   

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