Braindead (1992) Horror Movie Review
Written By: S.P.
Edited By: Grave Reviews Staff
Film Information
Director: Peter Jackson
Prudcer: Jim Booth
Screenwriter: Stephen Sinclair, Peter Jackson, et. al.
Date Released: August 13, 1992
Cast:
Timothy Balme as Lionel Cosgrove
Diana Peñalver as Paquita María Sánchez
Elizabeth Moody as Vera Cosgrove
Elizabeth Brimilcombe as Zombie Vera
Ian Watkin as Uncle Les
Brenda Kendall as Nurse McTavish
Stuart Devenie as Father McGruder
Rating = 3.5/5 Graves
***May contain some spoilers***
Synopsis
The plot follows a simple and straightforward zombie story line. A New Zealand zoo official visits a foreign country in order to bring back a rare species of animal that is half rat, half monkey. The unique species, after being transported and caged up in a New Zealand zoo, bites the protagonist’s mother. The day proceeding the painful bite, the woman starts to feel its effects, and this is when the gore really begins. The woman’s infected wound starts to ooze pus, her face begins to peel off and her ear falls off into her custard pudding where she unknowingly proceeds to eat it. This however, is only the tip of the iceberg.
Gore Factor
There are simply too many iconic gore scenes to summarize in one review. From an evil zombie newborn baby to an animate killer intestinal track, this film goes above and beyond one’s expectations of a gore flick. Braindead aka Dead Alive is said to be the Goriest film of all time
With a fairly generous budget of $3 million for the time, the film surely does not lack in gruesome and visceral special effects. Rather than use typical CGI graphics, Jackson utilizes an assortment of synthetic and prosthetic materials in order to achieve more realistic and organic gore effects. One aspect that makes this film so unique is that rather than create a horror film with the intention of terrifying its audience, Jackson aims for an amalgam of comedy and gore. He blends humor with disgust, silliness with the macabre in order to make the viewer laugh while simultaneously wanting to throw up.
Braindead aka Dead Alive is said to be the Goriest film of all time
Once accustomed to the gore (if you are able to get yourself to this point), the viewer cannot help but laugh at the absurdity and exaggerated amount of blood that drapes the entire film. From the very beginning we are thrown into the carnage and chaos of severed limbs and constant blood flow. This chaos only intensifies as the movie progresses. It is said that the climactic ending scene, a scene that includes a lawnmower and a horde of zombies, used an average of 5 gallons of blood per second.
The Grave Review
Braindead (1992), an early 90’s splatter-gore film, produced and directed by Peter Jackson, is infamous amongst horror enthusiasts for being possibly the goriest film ever created. Also referred to as Dead Alive, because its original title shares the same name with an existing movie, Braindead (1992)is an essential film for any horror fan to have in their collection.
Personally, being a fan of extreme gore, this film satiated my morbid inclinations. The aspect of humor was also a nice and unexpected touch. Braindead (1992)was the first extreme gore film that I ever watched and since then, I’ve been hooked. Beware. This film is certainly not for the faint of heart. However, if you are daring enough to give this movie a chance, you definitely will not regret it!
For the foregoing reasons, Grave Reviews gives Braindead (1992) three and one half graves out of five graves.
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