{"id":34778,"date":"2014-09-16T14:41:19","date_gmt":"2014-09-16T18:41:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/?p=34778"},"modified":"2021-03-15T14:51:36","modified_gmt":"2021-03-15T18:51:36","slug":"the-dead-2-2014-blu-ray","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/2014\/09\/16\/the-dead-2-2014-blu-ray\/","title":{"rendered":"The Dead 2 (2014) [Blu-Ray]"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>While I did enjoy \u201cThe Dead,\u201d I also admit that it spooked me a bit, if only for the Ford Brothers\u2019 ability to depict the walking dead as a truly horrifying, a talent that\u2019s tough to accomplish with our current glut of zombie films dominating pop culture. \u201cThe Dead 2\u201d isn\u2019t a far departure, sticking to what made the first film such a success, while switching elements around to regard it as another chapter in the epic continent trotting tale of the zombie apocalypse. There still hasn\u2019t been much of an explanation of the particulars of the zombie virus and where it originated, but that\u2019s irrelevant once the dead are knocking down doors.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe Dead 2\u201d is set in India where the mysterious infection has crept in to the slums of Mumbai. What begins as a single sick man stumbling through the crowded streets of India descends in to a zombie apocalypse, as the dead begin creeping from all corners, feasting on flesh and overtaking the living with ease. Nicholas (Joseph Millson) is a turbine engineer who is working on the country side of India, and is having an affair with an Indian girl named Ishani who has just revealed to him she\u2019s pregnant. Despite her father\u2019s insistence they not see one another, Nicholas is intent on keeping his relationship with her. When the riots break out in Mumbai, Nicholas quickly realizes there\u2019s an outbreak of the undead monsters, and must figure out a way to travel to Mumbai and rescue Ishani. Through this ordeal Nicholas is able to devise a number of interesting methods to escape the dead, which becomes ever more harrowing as the fight to beat the heat and the elements elevates.<\/p>\n

Most of \u201cThe Dead 2\u201d is based around allegorical moments that explore the characters through subtle obstacles. Nicholas\u2019 discovery of Ishani becoming a mother fills him with self doubt. But that becomes an after thought when he saves young Javed from a zombie attack. Before he can flee, Javed attaches himself to Nicholas, offering to help him get to Mumbai, prompting a father and son dynamic that\u2019s charming and yet tense. There\u2019s also the finale where Ishani\u2019s mother makes a startling confession, causing her domineering father to make a sacrifice. Joseph Millson\u2019s performance is top notch with his every shot of the creeping undead taking a toll on his mental stability, furthering his desperation to reach Ishani. The walking dead are especially horrifying, undercutting any and all of the natural beauty present in the Ford Brothers\u2019 depiction of India.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Dead 2\u201d garners a much more complex sense of humanity this time around where every action is symbolic, especially with Nicholas and Javed\u2019s relationship. There\u2019s something to be said for Javed not fearing the prospect of the dead as his over familiarity with India becomes an advantage. Not to mention the sight of Nicholas hanging from the trees unconscious with the dead below him reaching out, almost like impoverished locals trying to steal his clothing. What really kept \u201cThe Dead 2\u201d from being a flawless follow up is the abrupt climax which felt much too rushed, and gave unpleasant implications toward the fate of Nicholas and how his actions affected him. I would have loved more clarification. In either case, \u201cThe Dead 2\u201d is a worthy sequel succeeding in unfolding an emotionally engaging narrative, with richer characterization than its predecessor. The series from the Ford Brothers has surely become the type of films fans of \u201cWorld War Z\u201d wanted all along.<\/p>\n

The Blu-Ray release of \u201cThe Dead 2\u201d comes with two deleted scenes, and a thirty minute Making of Featurette. Film Critic Billy Chainsaw has a sit down interview with the Ford Brothers, discussing the new setting, the undertones of the narrative, and the challenges of filming in India. There are also clips and behind the scenes footage peppered through the interview.<\/p>\n