Dead Alive
Lionel (Timothy Balme) is a shy young man who lives with his mother (Elizabeth Moody) in Wellington, New Zealand. Then he meets and falls in love with grocery store clerk Paquita (Diana Penalver). But for Lionel, happily ever after is shot in the food when,m during a trip to the zoo, his mother is bitten by a Sumatran rat monkey. Now that she's been bitten, Mum proceeds to infect others with her "condition", and life becomes a virtual zombie apocalypse for the hapless Lionel. As if that isn't bad enough, Lionel's Uncle Les (Ian Watkin_ threatens to reveal a hidden family secret. And Lionel finds himself with a basement that could double as a daycare for delinquent zombies. Is there any way to end the madness, one where he ends up with the girl of his dreams, Paquita?
Dead Alive is a little known horror film from director Peter Jackson, who is better known for his Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films. This film deserves to be better known. It's a comedy/horror/zombie flick that you won't soon forget. Lionel and Paquita are a cute couple. It's hard enough for a woman to compete with her boyfriend's mother for his affection, but once she becomes a zombie? The challenge has just grown to disastrous proportions. And don't ignore the opening, where we meet the killer Sumatran rat monkey - it's hilarious.
I really enjoyed this film. Peter Jackson clearly can do more than fantasy. He should do more of these films., although I do love his LOTR films too and am looking forward to the Gollum film. I will give this film 4 Stars.
