Gisigu (Stonehorse Lone Goeman) proves that you never have to worry about reloading a good, sharp sword.Shudder
There comes a point in every horror fans life where he or she thinks that its quite possible theyve seen every imaginable iteration of a particular genre.
Take zombies.
In the 10 years since The Walking Dead debuted on AMC and kickstarted an undead revival, zombies have been omnipresent. And while there have been some notable standout feature films (The Girl with All the Gifts, Zoo, It Stains the Sands Red), the bulk of zombie entertainment follows some pretty well-established rules and rarely deviates when it comes to locale and the people trying not to get eaten.
Blood Quantum4 out of 5 starsRated: UnratedRun Time: 96 minutes
Maybe thats why Blood Quantum feels so fresh and exciting.
Its literally the first (and likely only) zombie film Ive ever seen that considers what an undead uprising might look like from the perspective of an Indigenous population simply trying to protect their reservation and land.
Blood Quantum was a surprise title added to the streaming-horror-platform Shudder last week, likely as a gift to the millions of people stranded at home during the coronavirus pandemic, and it is absolutely worth signing up for a free 30-day trial subscription to watch it.
The film from writer-director Jeff Barnaby is packed with amazing visuals, superior practical effects, a ridiculous amount of gore and some much needed attention and context when it comes to marginalized native communities.
Blood Quantum distinguishes itself right from jump when Gisigu (Stonehorse Lone Goeman), a tribal elder, is spooked to discover that the fish he has just gutted are still flopping around in his bucket. A short time later, his son Traylor (Michael Greyeyes), the reservation sheriff, has a similar experience with a dead wolf in his trunk.
"Blood Quantum" focuses on a father, Traylor (center), and the two sons, Joseph and Lysol (left to right), who represent his best and worst qualities.Shudder
Traylor has two sons. Lysol (Kiowa Gordon), the local malcontent, is by birth. Joseph (Forrest Goodluck), kind and caring, is by his marriage to Joss (Elle- Mij Tailfeathers).
A central plotline through Blood Quantum involves the rift between Lysol and Joseph, both as half-brothers struggling to find common ground and Lysols disgust at Josephs relationship with a white woman, Charlie (Olivia Scriven), who is pregnant with his child, because that goes against their tradition.
Equally fascinating is the way that Barnaby expands on zombie canon mythology by introducing the idea that certain Indigenous people, at least the inhabitants of the Mi'gMaq reserve of Red Crow near Quebec, Canada, where Blood Quantum is set, are immune to the virus that the undead transmit through bites and other wounds.
Barnaby peppers his script with wonderful observations by different tribal members that serve to both educate and elevate Blood Quantum high above your normal plague thriller. One elder says that the Earth is an animal, living and breathing, which white man cant comprehend, and that the dead are coming back to life because the planet is pissed at what humans have done to it.
Consider that.
In the middle of a full-on flesh-munching zombie free-for-all, Barnaby takes time not only to explore what it means to be a First Nations tribal member, but also to slyly inject social commentary about climate change. George A. Romero should be proud.
The third act of Blood Quantum alone is better than most full-length horror movies being released today. Theres so much happening and each new twist is fully realized. Family turns on family. Bodies are torn asunder and devoured. Gisigu and his sword take on an entire horde. Life is born and life is ended. Terrible, devastating choices have to be made.
And the final, haunting frame will stick with you, twisting inside your head, and your heart, until you unravel its meaning. And when you do, it hits like a sucker punch.
Imagine having to fight not once, but twice, in your lifetime simply to stay on land that belongs to you. And then consider what it might mean to find yourself adrift, with no land, no heritage, no place to call home anymore.
John W. Allman has spent more than 25 years as a professional journalist and writer, but hes loved movies his entire life. Good movies, awful movies, movies that are so gloriously bad you cant help but champion them. Since 2009, he has cultivated a review column and now a website dedicated to the genre films that often get overlooked and interviews with cult cinema favorites like George A. Romero, Bruce Campbell and Dee Wallace. Contact him at Blood Violence and Babes.com, on Facebook @BloodViolenceBabes or on Twitter @BVB_reviews.
Original post:
Blood Quantum bites back with a fresh, original perspective on zombies - Creative Loafing Tampa
- Even Will Smith Couldnt Save Zombie Survival Game Undawn, Which Flopped Spectacularly - IGN - March 24th, 2024
- Rob Zombie Recommends This Surprisingly Wholesome Comedy - Dread Central - March 24th, 2024
- Army Writing and the Zombie (Noun) Apocalypse - Modern War Institute - United States Military Academy West Point - March 24th, 2024
- Fatal Fury's Mai Shiranui Is In This Zombie Survival Game For Some Reason - Time Extension - March 24th, 2024
- Should you be worried about 'zombie deer'? | College of Public Health - George Mason University - March 24th, 2024
- 'Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island' Scares Its Way to Blu-ray for the First Time This Spring - Collider - March 24th, 2024
- Rob Zombie hates my guts: GWAR's Dave 'Oderus Urungus' Brockie was a genius, and here's an interview that proves it - Louder - March 24th, 2024
- In the fight against gun violence, Rep. Frost Introduces the Destroy Zombie Guns Act - The Apopka Voice - March 24th, 2024
- Elfriede Jelinek's 'The Children of the Dead' is a historical zombie novel - The Washington Post - The Washington Post - March 24th, 2024
- Germany's Zombie Government Is Fueling the Far Right - The Atlantic - March 24th, 2024
- Zombie Survival Game Undawn Has Crashed And Burned According To A Reuters Report - MMOs.com - March 24th, 2024
- Will Smiths Zombie Game Has Been Hit Harder Than Chris Rock at the Oscars Its Astronomical Budget Was ... - imdb - March 24th, 2024
- Scooby-Doo On Zombie Island / Return to Zombie Island Blu-ray (Warner Archive Collection) - Blu-ray.com - March 24th, 2024
- Registration almost here for Dothans annual Zombie 5K Chase - WDHN - March 24th, 2024
- Zombie magic and gambling club Magic Island will come alive again this summer - Houston Chronicle - March 24th, 2024
- Undawn | The $140m zombie survival game starring Will Smith that bombed while nobody was looking - Filmstories - March 24th, 2024
- After 4 years, a cult classic zombie horror manga from Ga-Rei's creator is finally getting an official English release - Gamesradar - March 24th, 2024
- Will Smith's Zombie Game Has Been Hit Harder Than Chris Rock at the Oscars - Its Astronomical Budget Was ... - FandomWire - March 24th, 2024
- "The game literally no one knew existed": The Will Smith Zombie Survival Game is Reportedly a Big Flop and Fans Are ... - FandomWire - March 24th, 2024
- Zombie-palooza --- Get to the biggest undead music event in the latest Dead Island 2 expansion: SoLA - Gaming Trend - March 24th, 2024
- Bournemouth University medical students treat 'zombie attack' in mass training simulation - The Tab - March 24th, 2024
- Zombie car factories on the rise in China as buyers opt for EVs - Financial Times - March 16th, 2024
- Hey, Remember When Rob Zombie Was Going To Direct THE CROW 3? - FANGORIA - March 16th, 2024
- New Walking Dead Twist Shows How The Zombie Outbreak Will Finally End - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- Candid conversations from death row with The Zombie Hunter - Arizona's Family - March 16th, 2024
- Zombie! The Musical - REVIEW - City Hub Sydney - March 16th, 2024
- A Gorgeous Harp and Guitar String Duet of 'Zombie' by The Cranberries in Honor of Alexei Navalny - Laughing Squid - March 16th, 2024
- Y2K Review: A 1999 Youth Nostalgia Comedy That Turns Into an Attack-of-the-Computers Zombie Movie. But Only the First One Is Fun - Variety - March 16th, 2024
- AMC Announces Every Zombie in The Walking Dead Getting Its Own Spin-Off - Hard Drive - March 16th, 2024
- The Growing Threat of Zombie Code - CXOToday.com - March 16th, 2024
- The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever Gets Theatrical Return For Anniversary - Giant Freakin Robot - March 16th, 2024
- You won't expect which fighting game character pops up in this random mobile zombie game trailer for a bizarre ... - EventHubs - March 16th, 2024
- Coby White, Butler and the 'Zombie Heat,' Fontecchio Are All Here to Stay - Canis Hoopus - March 16th, 2024
- 'Land of the Dead' 19 Years Later: Romero's Return Was Smarter Than the Average Zombie Movie - Bloody Disgusting - March 16th, 2024
- Z Nation Season 6: SYFY Tease Return of Zombie Series 6 Years After Its Death - ComingSoon.net - March 16th, 2024
- Zombie! The Musical (Hayes Theatre Co) - Limelight - March 16th, 2024
- Get This Definitive Edition Zombie Game For Free Right Now On Steam - Screen Rant - February 19th, 2024
- The Best Ghost and Zombie Movie Romances - Vulture - February 19th, 2024
- The couple trying to keep killer 'zombie viruses' at bay - and protect us from another pandemic - The Telegraph - February 19th, 2024
- Meet the Serbian Businessman/DJ Who Runs the Zombie AI Southwest Journal - Racket - February 19th, 2024
- Dead Island 2 Spreading Its Zombie Virus to Steam in April - GameSpace.com - February 19th, 2024
- Lincoln hosts Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie - Omaha - KETV Omaha - February 19th, 2024
- 'The Walking Dead - The Ones Who Live' Review AMC's Zombie Epic Shambles On - Collider - February 19th, 2024
- Legislative recap: zombie bills, teacher pay, lithium tax, pipelines and more - Black Hills Pioneer - February 19th, 2024
- Japan's stock markets are on a tear. Will 'zombie firms threaten the bull run? - CNBC - February 11th, 2024
- Thebe Phetogos haunted response to zombie figuration in art - The Washington Post - February 11th, 2024
- Cosmic dust from 'zombie' galaxies could form planets and life - The Telegraph - February 11th, 2024
- I walked with a zombie: 16 monster love interests that set hearts aflutter - The A.V. Club - February 11th, 2024
- Free Steam zombie shooter you've never heard of is getting rave reviews, somehow - GAMINGbible - February 11th, 2024
- South Korea's 'zombie football' finally leaves them in a hole too deep to climb out of - ESPN - February 11th, 2024
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's Zombie Mode is Getting Abandoned by Developer - FandomWire - February 11th, 2024
- Rob Zombie's House of 1000 Corpses Full Audio Being Released as Immersive Vinyl - ComicBook.com - February 11th, 2024
- Zombie 'apocalypse' caused by mind-altering fungi, like that in hit TV show The Last of Us, is possible MPs ar - Daily Mail - February 11th, 2024
- The dark horse of Steam Next Fest is this open-world zombie survival game that feels like an homage to the best game ... - Gamesradar - February 11th, 2024
- COVID-19 Zombie Viral Fragments Could Help Explain Why Some Infections Are More Severe | Weather.com - The Weather Channel - February 11th, 2024
- Gotham City becomes a Joker-infected zombie nightmare in new Batman #143 preview - Dexerto - February 11th, 2024
- Boy, 16, stabbed to death with zombie knife at birthday party, court hears - The Independent - February 11th, 2024
- ROB ZOMBIE And ALICE COOPER Announce Summer 2024 'Freaks On Parade' Tour With MINISTRY And FILTER - BLABBERMOUTH.NET - February 3rd, 2024
- Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper are bringing their 'Freaks on Parade Tour' to Indy this summer - IndyStar - February 3rd, 2024
- Alice Cooper And Rob Zombie Touring Again This Summer - Vermilion County First - February 3rd, 2024
- Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper's 'Freak' show coming Aug. 25 to the X in St. Paul - Star Tribune - February 3rd, 2024
- Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper get their freak on with tour stop in Houston - CultureMap Houston - February 3rd, 2024
- 'True Detective: Night Country' and the 'Zombie Virus' Theory - Pajiba Entertainment News - February 3rd, 2024
- Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie to team up at Star Lake; Heart to headline PPG Paints Arena - The Times - February 3rd, 2024
- Double bills of Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper, Train and REO Speedwagon coming this summer - St. Paul Pioneer Press - February 3rd, 2024
- Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper's Freaks On Parade 2024 tour: Presale code, tickets, dates, venues, & all you need to ... - Sportskeeda - February 3rd, 2024
- Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper added to Walmart AMP lineup - Fayetteville Flyer - February 3rd, 2024
- ROB ZOMBIE and ALICE COOPER continue "The Freaks On Parade" tour in 2024 - Lambgoat - February 3rd, 2024
- Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper to Continue Their 'Freaks on Parade' Tour with Filter and Ministry - MetalSucks - February 3rd, 2024
- 'Handling the Undead' Review: This Emotional Zombie Horror Movie Isn't as Unique as It Thinks | Sundance 2024 - Collider - February 3rd, 2024
- Sundance Review: Handling The Undead Deconstructs the Zombie Genre with Painful Dread - The Film Stage - February 3rd, 2024
- How many 'zombie' stores will be left in the Philly area after Rite Aid's bankruptcy? - The Philadelphia Tribune - February 3rd, 2024
- Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper announce 'Freaks on Parade' 2024 tour dates with Ministry and Filter - Brooklyn Vegan - February 3rd, 2024
- Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper coming to Milwaukee on Aug. 27, 2024 - FOX 6 Milwaukee - February 3rd, 2024
- Alice Cooper And Rob Zombie Announce 2024 Tour: See The Dates - iHeartRadio - February 3rd, 2024
- Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper to stop at Walmart AMP - KNWA - February 3rd, 2024
- Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper coming to Blossom - WJW FOX 8 News Cleveland - February 3rd, 2024
- Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper Reveal Joint U.S. Tour Dates Here's How To Get Presale Code Tickets - Grimy Goods - February 3rd, 2024
- Canada's 'zombie fires' continue to burn even under thick layers of snow - National Post - February 3rd, 2024
- Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie bringing Freaks on Parade to Coopers home state - MLive.com - February 3rd, 2024
Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero