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"LAND OF THE DEAD" (2005) (Simon Baker, John Leguizamo) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Heavy Extreme Extreme *Extreme Extreme Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild Moderate Extreme *None Extreme Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy Moderate Minor Moderate Extreme QUICK TAKE: Horror: Various humans try to survive attacks by increasingly smart and resourceful zombies in a post apocalyptic world. PLOT: In a post apocalyptic world, undead zombies rule the land, with pockets of humans managing to live in fortified cities protected by heavily armed soldiers. And within those, there are the haves and have-nots, where the likes of corrupt businessman Kaufman (DENNIS HOPPER) have their hands in everything and look down on the less fortunate survivors as lower-class citizens. He utilizes a bunch of mercenaries -- including leader Riley (SIMON BAKER) and his sidekick Charlie (ROBERT JOY), as well as the number two man Cholo (JOHN LEGUIZAMO) and his team members such as Foxy (TONY NAPPO) -- to make supply raids in the unprotected, outside environs where ordinary fireworks distract the zombies -- such as Number 9 (JENNIFER BAXTER) and Butcher (BOYD BANKS) -- while the humans get what they need. Riley has recently rescued hooker Slack (ASIA ARGENTO) from several zombies but dreams of getting far away from all of the mayhem. That's a sentiment shared by Cholo who's hoping to cash in his favors to Kaufman in exchange for a spot in the gated high-rise known as Fiddler's Green. When Kaufman rebukes him, Cholo decides to take his boss's heavily armored transport vehicle and get his revenge, prompting the corrupt leader to send Riley and his team to find and stop Cholo. As all of that unfolds, the various humans must deal with the discovery that one of the zombies, Big Daddy (EUGENE CLARK), seemingly is trying to organize the other "walkers" into a unified strike on the humans. As the undead then make their way toward the city and Fiddler's Green, the humans try to stop the assault and avoid being turned into zombies themselves. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're into horror and specifically zombie films, they probably will. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For pervasive strong violence and gore, language, brief sexuality and some drug use. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: SIMON BAKER plays Kaufman's lead mercenary who wants to get out of his line of work and move far away from all of the mayhem. He kills many zombies and uses strong profanity. JOHN LEGUIZAMO plays the second in charge who wants to cash in his favors to move into Fiddler's Green but is upset when Kaufman rebukes his request. He kills many zombies, wants to kill Kaufman for that, uses strong profanity, smokes and briefly smokes a joint. DENNIS HOPPER plays the corrupt businessman who has his hands in everything in the city and uses Cholo to kill any opponents. He looks down on everyone else, kills one man, smokes, drinks and uses strong profanity. ASIA ARGENTO plays a street hooker who's rescued by Riley and then joins forces with him in battling and killing the zombies. She uses strong profanity and briefly smokes a joint. ROBERT JOY plays Riley's friend and teammate who many think is mentally challenged, has Riley's back at all times, and is a proficient shot at killing zombies. EUGENE CLARK plays the unofficial zombie leader who shows signs of learning and organizing the other zombies into a unified attack on the humans. TONY NAPPO plays Cholo's right-hand man who kills many zombies. JENNIFER BAXTER and BOYD BANKS play other zombies who are after the humans. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated horror flick. Profanity consists of at least 38 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually related dialogue is present, two women are briefly seen passionately making out (clothed), while a bare-breasted dancer (in a small bottom) is briefly seen. Violence consists of people killing zombies via all sorts of weaponry, as well as the zombies killing all sorts of people. All of that has extremely bloody, gory and very gruesome results (while the zombies exist in various stages of decomposition). Such material as well as other moments of peril, jump scenes and "don't get in there" moments may be disturbing, suspenseful and/or scary to viewers, particularly the young and those with low tolerance levels for such matters. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, while some smoke and/or drink, and a few smoke pot (while a few drug references are also present). Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE There's a comment that there's only booze in a store and we then see such bottles on the shelf as Cholo and his team snatch a bunch (Cholo later delivers some of them to Kaufman). A man jokes to another that getting women stinking drunk is the only way that the second is going to "get laid." We see an old video promoting Fiddler's Green and showing some couples having wine. Charlie asks Riley if he wants to get a drink, saying he could use one, but Riley declines the offer. Charlie drinks from a bottle that he hands back to another man. Cholo pours what looks like champagne for himself and Kaufman, with the latter pouring more for himself. Some people have drinks in a club. Slack states that if one can "drink it, shoot it or f*ck it," then Kaufman runs it in the city. Slack rolls her own joint and smokes it in jail. Kaufman has a drink in front of him and offers one to Riley who says he doesn't drink. Kaufman and others drink. Cholo, who's wounded, tells another man that what would be helpful would be that second man rolling him a joint. We then see Cholo smoking a joint. BLOOD/GORE We see flash images (during the open credits) of zombies in various states of decomposition, gore and bloodiness, as well as that of some attacks, such as a zombie mouth pulling human flesh and another appearing to bite fingers (all in a color muted montage). Cholo and his crew dump crates filled with dead bodies down into a garbage dump where a decomposed zombie lies in the trash. Cholo shoots it in the head with his small spear gun, killing it (with very bloody results). We also see blood spilling from some of the crates. Charlie has old, but bad burn scars on one side of his face. We see a zombie who's missing some of the skin on the side of her face, thus exposing her teeth through that side. Many zombies are shot with machine guns, with all sorts of bloody results in their already bloody bodies. Another is hit in the head with some sort of rod/pole, with equally bloody/gory results. Big Daddy holds one zombie by the head, but it pulls off from the body with very bloody/gory results. Big Daddy then stomps down onto the head on the street, squashing it. Riley shoots a zombie in the head (with blood coming out). Many more zombies are shot with machine guns (with similar bloody/gory results), while an explosion goes off near others. A zombie jumps out and attacks Cholo who struggles with it, holding it at bay until he gets his gun under its chin and shoots it dead (with blood splattering up onto the ceiling). A zombie suddenly grabs a man's arm and bites him there, leaving a large and bloody hole (and we see it chewing the bloody meat). Cholo then shoots that zombie dead. A recently infected man appears to shoot himself in the mouth, committing suicide (with very bloody results). Riley shoots two zombies, killing them (with bloody results). A small person then tries to shoot Riley, but Slack knocks him aside and is grazed on the arm by the bullet (with slight bloody results). Soldiers shoot many zombies with machine guns, killing many (with all sorts of bloody/gory results). As more zombies breach the soldiers' security, they attack some of the soldiers (with bloody results -- we see one picking up and eating a severed finger among several on the street, while another has bloody flesh in its mouth, etc.). Kaufman briefly picks his nose. Charlie aims his gun at a new woman with them, but does so to shoot a zombie (in the head, with bloody results) right behind her. The camera focuses on a boot on the floor and then tilts up to show just a lower leg in it (with a bloody stump on the end). We then see a zombie chewing on a bloody human bone, while other zombies are eating other parts of a human victim, including one that pulls bloody organs out of a victim's throat and mouth after having its arm deep down inside there. One man shoots and kills various zombies (with bloody results). We see a headless zombie (with bloody results around the neck area) that then flips its head forward (it's attached just by a meaty/bloody string of flesh, muscle and/or bone) to bite a human (with bloody results). Another person then shoots that flip-head zombie dead (with additional bloody results). After he shoots a zombie dead, more zombies attack a man, biting him on the neck and arm (which has a bloody chunk taken out). We see the shadow of a zombie pulling off a person's head (with stuff hanging down from it). A zombie shoots a soldier on the ground with a machine gun (with bloody results). A soldier prepares to toss a grenade, but a zombie hacks off his arm. The soldier then lands on his own severed arm and the grenade explodes (with gory results). A woman is bit by a zombie, with Slack delivering a mercy kill with a shot to her head (with bloody results). A zombie is hit, with part of his head coming off. A man shoots a spear into a zombie's head (with bloody results), while another bites him and he then stabs that one in the face, killing it. His hand is very bloody after being bitten there. We see footage of zombies killing and eating humans, with bloody flesh and entrails on display. We see the silhouette of zombies tearing a person's hand and arm in half like a wishbone. Zombies break through a large plate glass window and attack various people inside a building. We see blood splatter onto some glass, briefly see a pool of blood from underneath another attack, and then see a zombie yank a belly ring from someone's navel, causing a small pool of blood to form in that navel. As zombies scrape their hands on an armored vehicle, we see one's fingernails ripping off its hands. Riley struggles with a zombie, eventually positioning its head so that a large piece of metal lowers down and decapitates the zombie (with blood coming out and the sight of the severed head falling into some water). We see a zombie with bloody stumps on the ends of its legs. We see a big zombie feeding scene, with various zombies munching down on human flesh, entrails and more. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE The zombies try to kill various humans. Kaufman is the ruthless ruler of Fiddler's Green who wants to keep undesirables out of his building, looks down on them and zombies, and uses Cholo to kill off his enemies. Cholo cleans up Kaufman's problems (meaning he kills others who are not zombies). Despite Cholo's obedient service to him, Kaufman won't let him move into his building and then fires him. We see various zombie kids who've been strung upside down with large targets on them (apparently to be used as target practice). We see that humans are using zombies as sources of entertainment for them (posing with chained-up ones, shooting paintballs at another, and betting on which zombie will kill a human woman in a cage fight). A soldier refers to Charlie, who seems to have a speech impediment, as a "retard." Later, another refers to him as an "idiot." Kaufman shoots and kills a man (no impact seen). Kaufman refers to Cholo as a "f*cking spic bastard." FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence," "Blood/Gore" and "Jump Scenes" may be unsettling, suspenseful or scary to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material. In addition, the same holds true for the overall sight of the zombies and their varying stages of decomposition. We hear brief news audio reports of zombie attacks. When the team's fireworks (used to distract the zombies) become jammed, part of the team in a zombie-infested part of the city is suddenly in danger. A man slowly makes his way into a port shed at night, wary of any possible zombies. We see scores of zombies surfacing from under the water as they make their way toward Kaufman's building. Cholo holds a gun to Riley's head, while one of his men holds a gun on Charlie. Riley barely holds on to the armored vehicle as it drives away with various zombies around it and one crawling up the back end of it. Big Daddy tries to get at Kaufman in his car. He eventually smashes a hole in the windshield with a gas pump nozzle and then pours gasoline inside the car. GUNS/WEAPONS Handguns/Machine guns/Rifles/Spear gun/Meat Cleaver/Missiles/Other explosives: Used to threaten, wound or kill others (mainly zombies, but some humans as well) and/or cause property damage. See "Violence" for details. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "Get the f*ck out of there," "I don't want any f*ck-ups," "What the f*ck /is going on/did you do/are you doing?" "It's a f*cking massacre," "F*cking cowboy," "Back the f*ck off," "You got f*cked," "Not a f*cking chance," "We're f*cked," "F*cking spic bastard," "What, are you f*cking nuts?" "You look like sh*t," "Sh*t happens," "Holy sh*t," "Bang" (sexual), "Stop being a p*ssy," "Who'd you blow to get this cushy job?" "Chicks," "You little nose-picker," "Dumb ass," "Bastards," "You little bitch" (said to a man), "Hell yeah," "Screw" (nonsexual), "I'm gonna do a jihad on his ass," "Piss all over me," "Retard" and "Idiot." Some of the action and stunts might be enticing for some to try to imitate. Cholo has a large tattoo on his arm. JUMP SCENES A zombie jumps out and attacks Cholo. A zombie suddenly grabs a man's arm. A zombie kid is suddenly at a hole in a fence. A rat's sudden appearance might startle some viewers. A zombie suddenly surprises a person. A zombie's face suddenly shows up on a surveillance monitor. A zombie suddenly attacks someone. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) An extreme amount of suspenseful and ominous music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) A song had lyrics that we couldn't understand, thus offering the possibility of it potentially containing objectionable material. PROFANITY At least 38 "f" words (1 used sexually, as are the terms "laid" and "bang"), 8 "s" words, 1 slang term using female genitals ("p*ssy"), 4 hells, 3 asses, 1 S.O.B., 4 uses of "G-damn," 2 uses each of "Christ" and "Oh my God," and 1 use each of "Jesus" and "Jesus Christ." SEX/NUDITY Cholo tells Riley, "You look like sh*t" and then jokingly adds that he told Riley "not to bang chicks" with problems worse than his. A man jokes to another that getting women stinking drunk is the only way that the second is going to "get laid." That phrase is then used twice again, with one asking the other about the last time "you got laid." Slack shows some cleavage in her top and we later hear that she's a hooker. We see a topless female dancer in a club who's only wearing a small bottom. Slack states that if one can "drink it, shoot it or f*ck it," then Kaufman runs it in the city. A person asks another, "Who'd you blow to get this cushy job?" A person comments that there are three things man must do alone -- be born, die and then tells another that he knows what the third is (possibly referring to masturbation). As Slack changes her clothes, we see her in a black bra that shows cleavage. We briefly see two woman passionately kissing while standing and clothed (with related sounds), but a zombie suddenly grabs them. SMOKING Kaufman smokes cigars several times, Cholo smokes both a cigar and cigarette, and a minor character smokes a cigar. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Riley states that when his younger brother was bitten and thus infected, he shot him dead. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The comment that the zombies are pretending to be alive while the humans are also pretending to be alive (in their zombie-filled world). The existence of gated communities and the attitudes of some of those inside them to outsiders. Kaufman states, "We don't negotiate with terrorists" (referring to Cholo). A soldier refers to Charlie, who seems to have a speech impediment, as a "retard." Later, another refers to him as an "idiot." Riley states that when his younger brother was bitten and thus infected, he shot him dead. VIOLENCE We see flash images (during the open credits) of zombies in various states of decomposition, gore and bloodiness, as well as that of some attacks, such as a zombie mouth pulling human flesh and another appearing to bite fingers (all in a color muted montage). Cholo shoots a zombie in the head with his small spear gun, killing it (with very bloody results). Many zombies are shot with machine guns, with all sorts of bloody results in their already bloody bodies. Another is hit in the head with some sort of rod/pole, with equally bloody/gory results. Big Daddy holds one zombie by the head, but it pulls off from the body with very bloody/gory results. Big Daddy then stomps down onto the head on the street, squashing it. Riley shoots a zombie in the head (with blood coming out). Many more zombies are shot with machine guns (with similar bloody/gory results), while an explosion goes off near others. A zombie jumps out and attacks Cholo who struggles with it, holding it at bay until he gets his gun under its chin and shoots it dead (with blood splattering up onto the ceiling). A zombie suddenly grabs a man's arm and bites him there, leaving a large and bloody hole (and we see it chewing the bloody meat). Cholo then shoots that zombie dead. A recently infected man appears to shoot himself in the mouth, committing suicide (with very bloody results). A zombie gets zapped by an electrified fence, with a soldier then shooting him dead (his body catches on fire from the electricity). Cholo hits one of Kaufman's goons, bangs his hand (holding a gun) against a stairwell railing, and then head-butts him unconscious. A person shoots paintballs at a zombie. Riley grabs a small person and lifts him off the ground regarding a missing car. A man throws Slack into a closed cage where two hungry zombies come after her. She then proceeds to punch, kick and otherwise hit them as they try to get her. When they finally overpower her, Riley shoots both, killing them (with bloody results). A small person then tries to shoot Riley, but Slack knocks him aside and is grazed on the arm by the bullet (with slight bloody results). Charlie then slowly takes aim and shoots the small person from a distance (we see him fall, but don't see the impact). Soldiers shoot many zombies with machine guns, killing many (with all sorts of bloody/gory results). As more zombies breach the soldiers' security, they attack some of the soldiers (with bloody results -- we see one picking up and eating a severed finger among several on the street, while another has bloody flesh in its mouth, etc.). Charlie aims his gun at a new woman with them, but does so to shoot a zombie (in the head, with bloody results) right behind her. In turn, she does the same a few moments later, but her shot apparently nicks his face (he holds his hand there after protesting the close shot). One man shoots and kills various zombies (with bloody results). We see a headless zombie (with bloody results around the neck area) that then flips its head forward (it's attached just by a meaty/bloody string of flesh, muscle and/or bone) to bite a human (with bloody results). Another person then shoots that flip-head zombie dead (with additional bloody results). Slack shoots an infected man dead (no impact seen). Cholo fires a spear that strikes a zombie in the head, killing him (seen on a surveillance monitor). After he shoots a zombie dead, more zombies attack a man, biting him on the neck and arm (which has a bloody chunk taken out). A large man punches his female partner unconscious. Cholo holds a gun to Riley's head, while one of his men holds a gun on Charlie. Moments later, Cholo kicks Riley, but during an ensuing scuffle, Cholo is wounded. We see the shadow of a zombie pulling off a person's head (with stuff hanging down from it). A zombie shoots a soldier on the ground with a machine gun (with bloody results). A soldier prepares to toss a grenade, but a zombie hacks off his arm. The soldier then lands on his own severed arm and the grenade explodes (with gory results). A woman is bit by a zombie, with Slack delivering a mercy kill with a shot to her head (with bloody results). A zombie is hit, with part of his head coming off. Kaufman shoots and kills a man (no impact seen). There's a battle between zombies and humans, with the latter shooting the former with machine guns, while the former attack members of the latter, including the motion and sound of one zombie slicing a human in half from top to bottom. A man shoots a spear into a zombie's head (with bloody results), while another bites him and he then stabs that one in the face, killing it. We see footage of zombies killing and eating humans, with bloody flesh and entrails on display. A zombie catches on fire, with Big Daddy shooting him in a mercy killing. We see the silhouette of zombies tearing a person's hand and arm in half like a wishbone. Zombies break through a large plate glass window and attack various people inside a building. We see blood splatter onto some glass, briefly see a pool of blood from underneath another attack, and then see a zombie yank a belly ring from someone's navel, causing a small pool of blood to form in that navel. Riley struggles with a zombie, eventually positioning its head so that a large piece of metal lowers down and decapitates the zombie (with blood coming out and the sight of the severed head falling into some water). Riley kicks a zombie in a head. A large, heavily armored vehicle purposefully drives over several zombies, squashing them. Kaufman shoots Big Daddy several times, but runs out of bullets before he can kill the zombie. Kaufman shoots a zombie several times, thinking he's killed it when he really hasn't. Fire ignites some gasoline that causes a car to explode and blasts a human and a zombie away from it (presumably killing them). We see a big zombie feeding scene, with various zombies munching down on human flesh, entrails and more. Various missiles are fired into groups of zombies and blow them to bits. A zombie drops down onto a person, but we later see another guy tossing the zombie out of their vehicle. Reviewed June 21, 2005 / Posted June 24, 2005

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