Ben & Mickey vs. the Dead - DVD

Content: Baseball players Ben (Jeremy Gardner) and Mickey (Adam Cronheim) are among the few survivors of a zombie apocalypse. Though they've never really been friends, the two men have teamed up to fight their way through the undead-populated land together in search of more survivors. The search for safe shelter and food presents them with as many challenges as the constant zombie attacks. When the two have almost given up hope, they intercept a radio message. Somewhere, a small group of survivors seems to have settled, and Ben and Mickey are eager to join them. But their calls for help are mercilessly rejected. When the two set out to find the group anyway, events take a dramatic turn...

Zombies seem to be everywhere these days. On TV, in the movies, in comics and books - everywhere you look, the undead are crawling, shuffling or running around. It is extremely difficult to find new sides to this popular theme of the horror genre, but authors and filmmakers try again and again. Also Jeremy Gardner goes in his indie horror Ben & Mickey vs. the Dead rather unusual ways. However, he doesn't try for a particularly innovative look of the zombies or previously unknown behaviors of the undead. Rather, his film is so unusual because the zombies, while in some ways constantly present, are almost absent from view. Like Ben and Mickey, the viewer must expect a zombie attack to come at them from somewhere at any time. This makes for a very tense, menacing underlying atmosphere, which Gardner counters with a bit of wry humor and very long dialogue sequences.

Thus, the film doesn't so much deal with the zombies as it does with two very disparate people who, through external circumstances, have grown together into a necessary community of convenience and must try to find their way in a new world. With small nods to directing greats like George A. Romero and Steven Spielberg and a successful blend of humor and drama, Gardner makes his film, directed with very little resources, a most interesting addition to the genre. The decision to have the last act take place entirely in the claustrophobic confines of a car besieged by zombies then proves to be an absolute stroke of genius. Admittedly, the director forgoes classic suspense elements here and instead tries to create a scenario that is as realistic as possible. But even if he shows the audience strictly speaking only trivia, the film remains exciting and thrilling until the successful finale - as long as you get involved in the unusual narrative style of the production.

For those who expect a fast-paced gore-fest here will be disappointed guaranteed. Rather, right from the start, the long opening sequence, completely devoid of dialogue, establishes the basic tone of the film. Instead of pace, Jeremy Gardner relies on atmospheric imagery, extended exchanges of words and a few, very slow but still effective zombie attacks. It's a little weird at times, very thought-provoking at others, and surprisingly funny at others. And exactly because of that, this film wins a very own side from the now badly overused zombie genre. For lovers of inappropriate independent horror, here is a clear: worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: The clean image of the DVD pleases with a very atmospheric color scheme, which gives the film a very earthy, somewhat dirty look. The sharpness of the picture is also convincing at most moments. The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix remains very unspectacular for long stretches. There are many scenes that have no dialogue and only very subtle music or ambient sounds. The surround channels do come into play, but really powerful effects can only be heard very occasionally. Good!

Extras: The bonus offerings start with an audio commentary that is very much worth listening to, though it is offered without a subtitle option. However, what Jeremy Gardner and his co-stars have to say about the making of the film, the shooting of certain scenes and various changes from original ideas is most interesting and also amusing to listen to. The featurettes that follow, which are well worth watching, pay tribute to musicians involved in the film and Gardener talks about why a scene he got drunk on whiskey for is an homage to his favorite movie, Jaws. The trailer for the film rounds out the additional offerings. Good!

Conclusion:Ben & Mickey vs. the Dead is a zombie movie with a difference. Because the undead get the inclined zombie fan here only rarely to see and hefty gore effects there is also almost not at all. Rather, the film focuses on its two main characters and how they try to find their way in the new world. This is sometimes a bit weird, sometimes very thoughtful and then again surprisingly funny. Even though there are a few short lenghts and the tension doesn't really build up, this film brings a very unique side to the zombie genre, which has become very overused in the meantime. Worth seeing arthouse horror, which presents itself on the DVD in good picture and sound quality and is also equipped with decent extras. Absolutely recommendable

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp