CAUTION: Plot spoilers present.
Ireland's lush countryside has been hit by a mutated strain of Mad Cow Disease, turning anyone who is exposed to it into flesh-eating zombies. A group of survivors – a young Spanish tourist, a young girl, a couple & the local gravedigger – attempt to make it to a rescue station whilst dodging attacks by the zombies now roaming the countryside.
Ireland – the land of leprechauns, four-leaf-clovers & Guinness beer on tap – finally joins the world's brotherhood of nations that have made zombie films. Granted, it's nothing particularly special, but it does mean something to the world's zombie fans. Dead Meat is Ireland's entry into the genre, directed by Conor McMahon.
Dead Meat is fairly much a routine zombie film in a flood of similar films that have come out over the past decade. It seems to be nothing more than just another production made to honour the genre but doesn't have anything grand to add to the genre, aside from the location.
The film's first act is nothing special – with a young Spanish woman & the local gravedigger trekking through the countryside while avoiding zombies – although it does have some decent gore on display. The second act is much better, with the survivors travelling through the countryside at night (if you've ever wondered whether zombies can sleep, that question is answered here – although the Irish undead do it while standing up!), a setup that has some modest atmosphere to it. But McMahon drops the ball again when it comes to the third act. Despite much gore, the climax follows zombie tradition to the letter but doesn't do anything particularly special with it.
The actors are clearly professionals & all give good performances. There were some surprise zombie attacks, particularly the young girl, & some seriously ticked-off cows, as well as a downbeat ending that has the sole survivor placed into a containment pen with other survivors while their 'rescuers' clean up the infestation. Oh, & if you've ever wondered about the merits of fighting zombies using a vacuum cleaner, you'll be pleased to know that vacuum cleaners can work quite effectively on the undead.
Ireland's lush countryside has been hit by a mutated strain of Mad Cow Disease, turning anyone who is exposed to it into flesh-eating zombies. A group of survivors – a young Spanish tourist, a young girl, a couple & the local gravedigger – attempt to make it to a rescue station whilst dodging attacks by the zombies now roaming the countryside.
Ireland – the land of leprechauns, four-leaf-clovers & Guinness beer on tap – finally joins the world's brotherhood of nations that have made zombie films. Granted, it's nothing particularly special, but it does mean something to the world's zombie fans. Dead Meat is Ireland's entry into the genre, directed by Conor McMahon.
Dead Meat is fairly much a routine zombie film in a flood of similar films that have come out over the past decade. It seems to be nothing more than just another production made to honour the genre but doesn't have anything grand to add to the genre, aside from the location.
The film's first act is nothing special – with a young Spanish woman & the local gravedigger trekking through the countryside while avoiding zombies – although it does have some decent gore on display. The second act is much better, with the survivors travelling through the countryside at night (if you've ever wondered whether zombies can sleep, that question is answered here – although the Irish undead do it while standing up!), a setup that has some modest atmosphere to it. But McMahon drops the ball again when it comes to the third act. Despite much gore, the climax follows zombie tradition to the letter but doesn't do anything particularly special with it.
The actors are clearly professionals & all give good performances. There were some surprise zombie attacks, particularly the young girl, & some seriously ticked-off cows, as well as a downbeat ending that has the sole survivor placed into a containment pen with other survivors while their 'rescuers' clean up the infestation. Oh, & if you've ever wondered about the merits of fighting zombies using a vacuum cleaner, you'll be pleased to know that vacuum cleaners can work quite effectively on the undead.