Direct to DVD Dissection looks at another recent release from The Asylum, with the Mockbuster ABRAHAM LINCOLN VS ZOMBIES.
Genre: Horror/Zombie, Action
Release Date: May 29th, 2012
Released By: The Asylum
Produced by: David Michael Latt, David Rimawi, Paul Bales
Directed by: Richard Schenkman
Written by: Richard Schenkman and Karl Hirsch & Lauren Proctor (Story). Richard Schenkman (Screenplay)
Runtime: 01:36:13
THE STORY
Abraham Lincoln fights zombies.
Original Poster
THE CAST
BILL OBERST JR as Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States who finds himself in the middle of a zombie outbreak and must eliminate them with help from his team, some survivors, and his scythe. An Asylum regular of sorts, he’s appeared in several films by the company, like A HAUNTING IN SALEM, BORN BAD, and the children’s film THE PRINCESS & THE PONY.
CANON KUIPERS as Teddy Roosevelt, a young boy, and future president, from New York separated from his parents and finds himself in a hideout with other survivors. During this time, Lincoln imparts words fo wisdom to the young Roosevelt while also helping to dish out some zombie murder. The first film of this actor’s career involves him shooting zombies while on Lincoln’s shoulders. Says it all, really.
DON MCGRAW as Stonewall Jackson, one of the best known generals in the Confedorate army, who is suffering from pneumonia and an amputated leg when Lincoln and his mind find his remaining forces in the fort. With this being his first movie as well, McGraw has Jackson as a man that doesn’t believe all the talk of “zombies” that Lincoln is using, and is offended that Lincoln is committing cold blooded murder on severely ill Confederate citizens.
CHRISTOPHER MARRONE as Pat Garrett, one of the Confederate soldiers at the fort who ends up teaming up with Lincoln to destroy the zombies, armed with knowledge of the area, weapons, and a Freddie Mercury mustache. Garrett’s previous expereince consists of shorts like THE ESCAPIST & THE MIRACLE, along with the TV movie FIELD OF VISION.
THE DISSECTION
Another Mockbuster release, as the Asylum has put out a movie to coincide with the release of a major motion picture hitting theaters. In this case, it’s a take on the theatrical motion picture coming out in late June called ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER. The premise of that movie is similar to this one, except Lincoln, as the name suggest, fights and kills vampires. That movie is actually based on a book, written by Seth Grahame-Smith, that was released around March of 2010, that tell of “secret diaries” from the President himself that told of his life as a vampire hunter. With this Asylum version, both Lincolns fight undead, but this one revolves around zombies. There are also some changes to the plot and to several characters and settings to avoid any issues with the movie’s production company and avoid another AMERICAN BATTLESHIP/WARSHIP issue.
Bill Oberst Jr as Abraham Lincoln.
The story of the movie is actually a bit more elaborate that what was posted above. The plot revolves around Lincoln a few days before he delivers his famous Gettysburg Address. Lincoln, a survivor of a zombie outbreak that took his parents, receives word of a similar infection that has spawned from a Confederate fort in Savannah, Georgia. He, along with a band of 11 other soldiers dressed in black suits, make their way to the fort. They find several survivors and hundreds of zombies, and Lincoln must find a way to wipe them all out to stop the spread of the virus.
First of all, an extra special mention has to be given to the main star of the film, Bill Oberst Jr. Without a shadow of a doubt, he gives quite possibly one of the best performances of his career. His portrayal of Lincoln is magnificent, reflecting that iconic version of the president in his speech and his actions, and gives the movie an outstanding protagonist for an action horror movie. If nothing else, the movie should be watched JUST for his performance, it’s that good. From his first appearance to his final moments in the film, it’s a performance that takes the movie as a whole to a higher level, and one that is irreplaceable.
The rest of the actors are a bit above average for what people expect from an Asylum movie. Some characters deliver a good performance, others deliver a below average one. There’s no real bad performances, though some Southern accents get a bit too stereotypical at times. There are some stand outs, like Jason Hughley (as Wilson Brown) , Jason Vail (as John Wilkinson) Ronald Ogden (as Robert Chamberlin) and Baby Norman (as Mary Owens), to name a few. All in all, not a bad cast.
The zombies in the movie are pretty well done. The source of the zombie epidemic is never explained, it’s just seen as a return of the infection that occurred when Lincoln was young. They also act similar to the classic zombie monsters of being slow but deadly in packs, with an added focus on how the dead react more to sounds and noises instead of going right after anyone that crosses their path. This adds an element of suspense during the various stealth moments in the movie, involving Lincoln and his men surveying the area around the fort to look for survivors, equipment and supplies.
The effects in the movie are not as primarily focused as in other Asylum films. There are no giant CG beasts in the movie, and no need for big set pieces made with a green screen. You have occasional special effects shots for zombie limbs getting cut or gunshots, or for backgrounds and buildings, but it’s nothing too bad and most of the time isn’t that noticeable. However, there are various issues with audio and some practical effects that don’t look well made and even some editing problems. There are also some minor issues in some scenes shown during the movie that could have been cut. With some extra time in post production, it could have elevated the movie a bit more. However, those are relatively small complaints.
"...delivers one of the best Asylum films in recent memory"
Onto the DVD itself, as usual in Asylum films, there are a ton of different trailers for various Asylum movies. It’s basically the same trailers that were on the DVD of NAZIS AT THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (review here), except that movie’s own trailer is on this DVD in place of ABRAHAM LINCOLN VS ZOMBIES.
The other extras are also disappointingly minimal, with just a gag reel and a making of featurette, and while decent, both leave a lot to be desired. Also, the movie only features English audio and no subtitles. All in all, a far cry from what other Asylum movies have gotten after the DVD release treatment. Also, for those who are more about Blu Ray, there’s no differences in extras between it and the DVD version.
THE VERDICT
The movie falls a bit short from being perfect, suffering from various production and editing issues and some questionable scenes, but it still delivers one of the best Asylum films in recent memory. This is the kind of movie The Asylum should be releasing with more frequency, and one that shows they have what it takes to stand on the same level as their big budget counterparts. With some great action and a truly outstanding performance by Bill Oberst Jr in the lead role, it is a movie no one should miss.
Highly Recommended.
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