Exhumed
(Frontline Films Region 0 NTSC DVD)
(2003)
review by Head Cheeze

I really don't know how Brian Clement does it. While folks like Soderbergh "slum it" with their Canon XL-1 digital camcorders, creating these harsh looking experiments in an attempt to show off their indie cred, people like Clement are trying to do the opposite; Show audiences that viable films can be made by digital means. In his previous outings (Meat Marke/Binge and Purge), Clement has shown us he has the eye of a big budget filmmaker. With his latest film, the excellent zombie anthology Exhumed, Clement now shows us he has the skill.

Filmed on a micro-budget, Exhumed's tagline states that it's an "epic anthology of the undead", and it's not kidding. Broken down into three segments, the film explores man's quest for a mystical object used to raise the dead throughout the ages; feudal Japan, 1940's America, and a not so distant post-apocalyptic future. Like all anthologies, Exhumed has it's strengths and weaknesses, but the quality from segment to segment is pretty solid.

My favourite is Shi No Mori (The Forest of Death), which is not only set in feudal Japan, but features Japanese actors speaking in Japanese with English subtitles! Now, while you may be wondering what the big deal about that is, let me tell you that Clement's budget on this film was less than you'd pay for a used Ford Escort, so the authenticity of this segment is truly a testament to this guy's resourcefullness. Their are some weak points, especially in the semi-lethargic battle scenes where the actors seem very concerned about not hurting the other actors, but at this budget level it's truly jaw droppingly good stuff. You'll also be hard pressed to tell if this is video or actual film, seeing as how it's lit in such expert fashion.

The second segment, Shadow of Tomorrow, is an homage to the classic noir films. Presented in black and white, with a hilariously authentic credits sequence and score, Shadow is great fun that's only bogged down by it's lead actress' performance. I always grade on a curve when it comes to micro-budget stuff, but I'm very unforgiving when it comes to bad acting, especially when there are other's in the cast who show that no-budget doesn't have to mean no talent. I'm not saying she's awful, just unconvincing and sort of lifeless. Still, Shadow is still very entertaining, and meticulously well crafted, even if it is my least favourite of the batch.

The final segment, Last Rumble, is a something of a hybrid of Quadrophenia, Underworld (although this film was well into production upon that one's release) and Romero's Dead Trilogy, featuring Mod Vampires and Rocker Werewolves duking it out in a post-apocalyptic world in which the living dead have forced men to live underground. Last Rumble is probably the most technically proficient of the bunch, and features a really well done fight scene in which the film is edited in a jerky fashion to emphasise the action, resembling some of the techniques employed in the shot-on-video 28 Days Later. This segment also features the lion's share of the gore, with some really well done (and very over the top) effects, as well as a nicely done lesbian love scene between Mod and Rocker prisoners which leads to the film's somewhat confusing finale.

All in all, Exhumed is a triumph of micro-budget ingenuity, marred only by the occasional bad performance and the sheer scope of it's premise, which is just too huge for it's budget. However, Clement does a fantastic job holding it all together, and presenting it in such a way as to rival many studio releases in terms of quality and unrelenting commitment to his vision. It's fantastic stuff, and will blow away fans of independent cinema and steadfast cinephiles alike.