THE ZOMBIE DIARIES

At the beginning of the 2000s, the world population is about to be decimated by an impressive epidemic of unknown origin that transforms much of the population into flesh-eating zombies. A group of English reporters decides to document the events by recording three films: in the first, "The outbreak", it is revealed how the virus first spread in schools and how the armed forces are preparing to combat the epidemic. The second report, titled "The scavengers", tells the story of a couple who venture into the city in search of supplies and encounter some psychopaths far more dangerous than the zombies. In the final part, "The survivors", a group of survivors who had found refuge on a farm tries to survive the assault of the undead. The day comes when two debut directors, Michael Bartlett and Kevin Gates, spurred by their love for George A. Romero and films shot with steady-cam, decide to make a horror documentary like "The zombie diaries" seeking to make the most of their meager finances. The result is a film divided into three separate episodes that tell the evolution of an epidemic that, obviously, cannot but have unknown origins. Drawing inspiration from various films by Romero and films like "28 Days Later", they manage to produce a work that is uneven in all aspects; the various characters present in the three "stories" are characterized in an acceptable manner thanks to a script that can be defined as more than sufficient, keeping the viewer's attention alive. Sprinkled with low-cost special effects but of discreet impact, the film, at times, manages to be engaging and interesting in all its parts. At various points in the film, the lack of experience of the directors can be noticed, especially with regard to outdoor shots that often turn out to be a bit too blurry and characterized by numerous and annoying video noises presumably due to the use of manual cameras. On the other hand, we can see "The zombie diaries" as cinema of the essence, without the use of unnecessary particulars or striking situations; our directors go straight to the point without leaving too much to the imagination, focusing mainly on the psychological aspect of a situation like the end of the human world. We are indeed faced with a group of characters among whom an abysmal pessimism serpents, which worsens exponentially as the film progresses, instilling in the viewer a sense of discomfort and presents them with a decidedly interesting reflection: how can man behave if suddenly deprived of everything he considers obvious and indispensable, such as family, friendships, health, and work. "The zombie diaries" is therefore an interesting work in several aspects, but it struggles to reach sufficiency due mainly to the lack of direction and shots that are too often mediocre and unclear; the idea of the horror documentary has now worn out, and the public is willing to accept only masterpieces of the genre, and this is not the case. The film slides fairly quickly through all 80 minutes of its duration without particular hitches. Film recommended exclusively to genre lovers.