Braindead (aka Dead Alive) is perfected camp, threading the horror comedy needle by being intentionally silly yet respecting the genre. It gives viewers enough plot and character development to create emotional investment. This reinforces the humor and produces proper drama to keep the film from running out of steam. There's setup/payoff, romance, a hook, internal conflicts, dramatic irony, symbolism, and earned arcs. The dialogue is blunt and the narrative is simple, but the chaos ramps up nicely and the sight gags are endlessly creative. Meanwhile, its acting balances exaggeration, physicality, and some range. Overall, Braindead is counterintuitively good-natured fun.
Braindead is self-aware, energetic, and committed. The gory effects parade blood, prosthetics, stop motion, makeup, stunts, dummies, fire, animatronics, puppets, miniatures, and forced perspective. Its imagery uses movement, POVs, framing, depth, angles, oners, and lighting. The sound adds stings, split cuts, emphasis, genre elements, offscreens, and violence. Its production design offers color, creatures, a clear setting, and an era. The cast is lesser-known New Zealanders and the music fits the corny moods. Its editing utilizes pacing, inserts, smash cuts, intercuts, frame rates, cross cuts, and brevity. Thus, Braindead is highly enthusiastic and surprisingly clever.
Writing: 6/10
Direction: 9/10
Cinematography: 9/10
Acting: 7/10
Editing: 9/10
Sound: 8/10
Score/Soundtrack: 7/10
Production Design: 8/10
Casting: 6/10
Effects: 10/10
Overall Score: 7.9/10
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