The Dead Ones Review from Artsploitation Films!

You know that kind of film when you start watching, you hate it, you get restless and annoyed because you feel there’s plot holes and that gets you frustrated? Yeah, The Dead Ones is that sort of flick. But, as you continue to watch, something happens. You predict the twist early on (20-minutes-in to be exact) and it all suddenly makes sense, so you find yourself really enjoying the ride. The Dead Ones is also that kind of movie.

Scottie, Mouse, Emily, and Louis are all driven to their high school with instructions that they must clean up the mess they made. The place is aged and derelict. There’s not just your standard graffiti here and there, we’re talking a run-to-the-ground closed-off-forever look to it. Ms. Persephone is the tutor in charge, a hard stone-faced, doesn’t take any shit kind of teacher.

What we also witnessed pre-credits is a group of high school dickheads tormenting a young lad who has his face covered in a video which went viral on YouTube. This of course connects with the plot in a big way. Before we go there, our teens look bewildered at the chaos whilst Persephone threatens that Ammit will eat their hearts. Mouse explains the Egyptian God status and why Ammit consumes the sinful hearts.

Outside in the darkness, four people are putting on hideous masks to represent the Horsemen and are getting ready for something. They head into the school after chaining the doors up. We find out that Emily is off her medication, so she is becoming quite erratic in her behaviour from the start. After Scottie sees the four masked figures who run past him totally ignoring him, Mouse looks for Ms. Persephone. The tutor is sat in her office surrounded by photos of a screaming child. Mouse asks if the heating can be turned down a bit. “But it’s so cold.” says the woman and turns, half her head is missing.

Soon afterwards the quartet find they are locked and trapped in the school. Emily’s old cutting scars suddenly start opening and bleeding, then flashes of eerie figures are seen just in the corner of their eyes. The lads go on the hunt for whomever is causing this to happen. The girls wait. Mouse explains to Emily how she gained her nickname. Then Emily’s arms are suddenly bleeding again and covered in maggots. As time goes on, we find out more about who they are, and subplots such as Gus the janitor, who was found stabbed to death prior to that evening. Louis also finds a huge pile of writhing guts slopping around the place as you’d expect in such situations. Scottie also discovers what appears to be a gateway with a painting of demons and lost souls behind it.

We witness the four masked and gun carrying figures holding up the whole high school in what could have been the past or another reality altogether. Segments and noises bleed into the dark and dead building as our four teens become more scared and panicked by their surroundings, but also finding that remnants of their former selves are leaking back into their mannerisms.

The use of lighting and the vast desolation of the building is used to dramatic and freaky effect by the director, Jeremy Kasten. As predictable as the plot is, he gets the most out of his locations and the cast. He’s a professional you see, he’s the guy behind such rental gems like Horror in the Attic/a.k.a. The Attic Expeditions, the Wizard of Gore remake with Crispin Glover, and The Profane Exhibit (see review here).

The small gathering of players acts their little hearts out for Ammit as well as Jeremy. Katie (Emily) Foster is stand out showing a slow breakdown of her character as her true self and her surroundings begin to hammer and warp her reasoning. Brandon Thane Wilson as Scottie, the linchpin of the tale, is faultless, his acting sort of reveals bits and pieces carefully just by watching his reactions to certain things.

There’s an interesting Event Horizon aura to the whole thing – stronger in the final half as the visions and dangers grow more persistent. The Dead Ones is a simple tale well written and excellently played. It is recommended for Halloween viewing or just a creepy night in.

As an extra note, once you’ve watched The Dead Ones, go over to IMDb and read the negative review by Kannibalcorpsegrinder then ponder over how this person has managed to miss the whole plot completely. Unfortunately, whilst reading it you’ll realize there’s people such as he/she who walk on two legs somehow managing to survive day by day. My God…

MOVIE

Overall Score 4

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The Dead Ones Review from Artsploitation Films!

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