The Battery (2012)

I am someone who has loved zombie movies since I saw Night of the Living Dead when I was 11 years old (more than 35 years ago). This is definitely in the tradition of the best films in this genre. Just like in the early Romero films, the focus is on how we as human beings respond to the zombie apocalypse. It's not an action film, and if you like World War Z you're probably not going to enjoy it. But if you're smart, and want to see some really great and insightful character development, great acting - all backed by a great soundtrack - then you'll love it. And not to undersell the horror. No spoilers, but the long scene in the car is one of the most seriously frightening things I have ever seen. Not all fancy special effects, but real terror if you have a half decent ability to project yourself into the scene.Hats off to Gardner and Cronheim - to make this for $6K makes the Night of the Living Dead budget of $60,000 (in 1968) look lavish. Watched it twice at least, and if you crowd fund any new horror movies I'm sending in some cash.

I'm not against low budget films, in fact some of my favourite films were made on little funding (Clerks, Blair Witch Project, Friday the 13th to name a few), and with a small budget Jeremy Gardner funded, wrote, directed and acted in this indie flick about two friends stuck together after the zombie apocalypse.The story has a quick introduction, two buddies on the same beer league baseball team, join together wandering the around in the New England wilderness, trying to avoid zombies, and generally moving around a lot. Mickey and Ben (pitcher and catcher respectively) banter and bicker a lot, and slowly but surely get on each others nerves. Both characters are together, but very separate at the same time and it's a nice dynamic that most of us can relate to.The film progresses nicely and events unfold through a rather predictable story line. Of course you can expect a lot of screen time from the baseball duo, but it's easy to listen to them talk back and forth with some pretty decent and relevant dialogue. The movie never loses its pace, and slowly builds up to a gut wrenching series of events by the end of the film. The story is well crafted, and simplistic in its way. I really enjoyed the soundtrack as well. It lends a lot to the kind of meandering pace of the film and is a smart little plot device as well, as Mickey rarely goes out without his headphones on.It's a technically sound film, with no silly effects, and really is a nice walk through the countryside... with zombies. There are a few scenes that were pretty difficult to watch, but overall it's a well acted movie with a very limited cast.I would recommend surely it, but don't expect a horror fest with bunch of bloody deaths. It's a character film after all, and some might find it a bit boring.5/10

I'm calling it - this is the best zombie movie of all time. Nothing better will ever be made.I like metaphor in the genre, but I think Dawn of the Dead remake is waaay better than the original. And gore is just gore.The secret to this one? It's a buddy road movie that lets character set the scenes.It has problems in the first 20 mins. Too much music - I'm here for a story, not a concert - although I like the music. And the lack of purpose for the characters is irritating. But it settles in beautifully, with really good performances, and the pace keeps ticking over with imaginative shifts.The final location is genius. Just when you thought the climax would be a show down with the Others in their fortress ... nope - just real survivalism in a tight situation.

I really loved this film, and i'm anxiously waiting for the second installment. This is not an action-zombie movie like Resident Evil and all of those. I'ts about the psychological despair, and trying to enjoy the little things. I would say Ben is trying to make the best out of a bad situation, and Michael is just hoping the nightmare is gonna end soon.The interactions between these two feel really genuine, the arguments they have. And when they forgot about all the world going to hell, and just mess around feel natural as well. But you can feel that both of them would rather be stranded in the end of the world with someone more like them self. Micheal makes this really obvious while Ben conceals it.To be honest i don't feel like anything is missing from this movie. You don't have to explain the outbreak, you don't have to show how they got where they are, you don't have to kill 300 zombies with a machine gun for a movie to be entertaining. I like the zombie genre because of all the endless possibilities a situation like that would bring. This is now my favorite zombie flick.