One Cut of the Dead

 

One Cut of the Dead was the most lauded film of Frightfest 2018. Everyone was raving about it almost as though a virus has been passed from person to person that meant they were deeply in love with the film. For about thirty minutes I was completed stumped as to why people regarded this in any positive light. The acting was stilled and awkward, the dialogue awful and the makeup effects lame and cheap looking. The one cut technique was brave, but it seemed too much for an inexperienced crew.

However, approximately 30 minutes in the movie changes direction completely. The second part of the film is about a new zombie channel hiring a small-time director to shoot a 30 minute, live, one take zombie thriller for their opening day of broadcasting. It becomes apparent that it was a movie within a movie and, for the next hour, time jumps back a month showing the whole filmmaking process including all the behind the scenes disasters that cultivated in the supposed poor quality of the film.

The final third of the film is very much like The Disaster Artist and fact you need to see The Room to appreciate The Disaster Artist. You need to get through the film's supposedly poor first 30 minutes to appreciate the comedic brilliance of the film as a whole. Overall, the film is a loveable, inventive and hilarious riot.

4.5/5