The Vanguard (2007)
Director: Matthew Hope
Writer: Matthew Hope
Synopsis: The year is 2015. The last known oil fields have been lost to global war. Overpopulation and famine have plunged our planet into chaos. But deep in the wilderness, one desperate survivor now finds himself hunted by corporate kill squads, sought by the Resistance, and pursued by hordes of rage-crazed zombies. In a world ruled by murder, madness and cannibalistic carnage, will humanity’s last hope be measured in bloodshed?
Impressive...
1) ACTING: The acting was really good for a low/no budget indie. I was really impressed. Especially with the lead. If he had not been as good as he was, this movie would've failed, because his character would not have been so convincing.
2) PRODUCTION: Wow! A low/no budget zombie movie with a musical score. Who'da thought? In regards to other aspects of the movie, sadly, the lack of a major budget held it back. It is very difficult to show the after effects of an apocalyptic world, when there is no money in the budget to do so. That said, the director did everything he could with his minimal budget, and must have stretched it to the limits.
3) THE ZOMBIES: The zombies in The Vanguard are very animal-like. They seem to travel in packs, all hunched over like Gorillas, and when one of their own falls, they don't stop to assist, they continue on. A few times I got the impression that the packs of zombies at times just wanted to be left alone, such as some of the herds of wild animals in Africa. They'll acknowledge you, but if you leave them alone, it appears that they will leave you alone. This seemed to happen most near the end of the movie. The zombie make up, on the other hand, was pretty bottom of the barrel. From a distance, it looked okay, with the creepy eye contacts and dark veins on their faces, along with the ever present "raccoon eyes." But, up close, it is painfully clear that this was just black make up around the eyes and the veins seemed to be almost like tribal markings than grotesque rotted veins on their faces.
4) THE CAUSE: Man-made serum to control population.
5) NUDITY: None.
FINAL: Overall, I really enjoyed this movie. I usually am apprehensive when viewing a new entry in the low/no budget indie zombie movie section. But this one was a nice surprise. There was enough interest generated where I wanted to stay in the movie and didn't step away to check the clock or run to the fridge for some snacks. I would like to see the director get some serious money and remake this with what it really needs; a budget. I think then that this would be like a smart man's zombie movie. Pick this one up today!
RATING: 4 out of 5
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