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Ethan Cartwright, Jacob Kiesling, and Zach Schlapkohl are the ones behind the direction and screenplay. This movie was Schlapkohl’s first try at writing. It is common knowledge that by winning a promotion, aspiring for governorship, or being voted into the MLB is no stroll in the park, but being a living dead (or for politically inclined, a necrosapien) kind of makes the term, ‘Being Dead Was Easier’ a whole lot simpler. People: Peyton Paulette, Tevia Loeser, Christian Hopson, Richard Scott Jr, Russell Hightower, Reynolds Washam, Bill Small, Mark Johnston.
The film begins like a classic advertising for the ideal American lifestyle, with the one caveat that they are describing how people have discrimination against zombies and how it is entirely incorrect. It’s smart and funny, setting things off on a positive note and the choice of the politically correct term for zombies being necrosapiens was a very nice touch. Personally, I felt as if the human characters begin treating them in a general, ’ I am not a racist, but… ‘ manner which is common in America and it is a good hint towards the topic at hand, which is racism and bigotry. Now, this sounds too serious, but fear not, the film still quite strongly stays true to the mockumentary and comedy genre, but the use of real-life speechs in America makes it clear that this is a hot topic.
At this point in the film, it addresses the social inequity and discrimination that is prevalent in the southern region of the United States and extends all the way to Texas. And the use of Texas as a setting makes complete sense because of the way the discrimination is exhibited there. The use of zombie-ism as a metaphor for racism, homophobia, and generally narrow-mindedness works almost too perfectly. It is so deep in your face, that you must be completely oblivious not to get it, but that is exactly what makes it funny; they are not clever about it in the least, this is just bold-faced honesty in comic form. It is like if the guys behind the film were discussing, how do we make a film that is funny but at the same time addresses America’s shocking level of ignorance. And the answer was to change the prejudice to zombies, and now they don’t sound so complexed when put that way, but that is actually very ingenious.
It is indeed an intriguing inquiry to ask your actors to try to act whilst pretending to be covered in a load of zombie make up on their face or neck, to which reinforces the assertion that they can manage to look like a corpse and still take themselves seriously, as it turns out, they all can. Even though they all look dead, they are able to pull off convincing portrayals whilst nailing the ideal note of satirical drama. Tevia Loeser, on the other hand, does play a human and she does a lovely job. Supremacy over all her characters is most probably top of the heap, she is extremely extra and funny with her political dedication.
It does toughen a little bit with timing when it reaches its sheen moments, which is realistically the same was able to have been achieved in about 70 minutes, instead of 90. A couple of gags that do run too long and at times it asks the audience to care too much about the character’s journey as well in a more dramatic sense threatre which is a tad bit stretching considering mockumentary style design. Rather than adopting a more sentimental approach, it would have been more benign to see it double down on the premise of attacking bigotry and end with a bang.
The concept itself is great, the humor is spot on, the actors are amazing and it conveys a very important message on how much discrimination there is in America. The movie can be watched in less time than it takes to watch it, but surprisingly for a movie about the afterlife, it is quite relatable.
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