So this was kind of bad.
The originals were so long ago, I don’t really remember their style (other than fast zombies), or whether any important plot elements carried over.
I found the cinematography to be really annoying in this one. Lots of really close up shots from low angles, shots from the grass, or with something else in the foreground. I rarely notice such things, but this one felt annoying. And, when they first venture out, they keep replaying some old army chant thing, and doing quick cuts to some old war footage. It got to be grating.
The movie almost feels like two separate parts. The first half is more zombie chasing and action, which is what I was expecting. But it wasn’t much of a story, and had all the annoying stuff I mentioned above.
The second half actually seems to get rid of all the annoying stuff, but feels like a different movie. It has more of a plot, but the problem is, it’s really dumb. It’s hard to get into without spoilers, but the entire second half seems nonsensical.
Then there is a final scene that ties into the opening sequence. And it feels completely out of place. Guys in track suits start flipping around and look ridiculous. Like it was something out of a comic book. Then it just ends, so they’re probably planning more sequels.
The first half is just the dad taking his kid out for his first zombie kill. Fairly basic, but largely plotless. The kid sort of sucks at hunting, they get chased by an alpha, the dad tells the story as if the kid was great. You’re introduced to the mom who is sick and delusional. That’s pretty much it.
The second half, the kid decides to find some doctor he hears about to help his mom. Suddenly, the kid who is useless thinks he’s going to drag his mom who can barely tell what’s real across the dangerous mainland. The doctor was a nonsensical character. He’s burning bodies and building giant skeleton structures for no reason. He paralyzes the alpha, but for some reason doesn’t kill it. It was frustratingly stupid.