Virus of the Dead

Yes, that's what we need right now. A movie about a virus that is destroying the entire world! Virus of the Dead is a zombie horror anthology that uses found footage style action to tell about what happens after a zombie virus goes through America. If you're ready to, well, forget about being quarantined and watch a movie about it, then...I guess this is the movie for you. There are plenty of different talents working on this, including James Cullen Bressack (If Looks Could Kill), Shane Ryan (Samurai Cop 2), Timo Rose (Game Over), Jarrett Furst (Verotika) and Return of the Living Dead 3 scripter John Penney. It was put together by producer Tony Newton (VHS Lives, Grindsploitation). The majority of the stories are held together by the fact that people just can't put their phones or get off social media, even when the world is ending all around them. I'm sure you can relate.

This movie is much better than its average rating. Not all the stories in this anthology are good, but there are certain stories and scenes with some fantastic zombie content. I feel like the weaker content overshadows the good for too many viewers. If you can be patient with the weaker stories then this film is worth watching. The best stories are found half-way and towards the end. My favourites were the zombie attack during the traffic stop, the amiable guy who holed up with his movie collection, the harrowing scenes with the husband whose wife has been infected in the other room, and of course the maniac laughing virus variant in the UK was completely chilling. For those who enjoy not just zombies but also zombie fandom, this film is a great display of many stories from independent, zero-budget film makers.

I am a Walking Dead fan. I even like Fear the Walking Dead. My standards are not very high. I like zombie movies. The first six minutes are a mess. Tries to set the tone, but it looks more like badly made home made video than anything else. The rest is a series of short clips showing the virus effects on different people from different walks of life. Almost a documentary. The quality of the acting varies wildly. From really really bad and laughable to decent. Most are on the lower side of the scale. The label "low budget" is evident everywhere, including the so called zombies. It is not scary, and no surprises. Should have given them a 2 but I felt sorry for them.