The movie is not all that good. For one thing it doesn't seem to obey any of the previously established rules, nor does it set up any of it's own. This results in a mishmash of ways to kill a zombie. Zombies die by head shots, multiple body shots, a broken neck, nothing making a pattern. In this respect, the zombie fan in me is sorely disappointed. You need to have some rules in these films, and considering the series that this supposedly a part of, it would have been nice to have some references to it.

The acting is sub par. None of the kids strike me as terribly bright, especially the guy who wants to see his zombie parents that he thought we actually dead. This requires them to traverse the facility through oncoming waves of the undead. The dialog is bad, the characters say stupid things to each other, and pretend that this is serious. Then there is the usually dependable Peter Coyote, he played the scientist. He has this goofy grin on his face most of the time. You would have expected him to die, but wait for the sequel.

A big problem is that the filmmakers seem to have forgotten the comedic elements of the series. Necropolis plays everything straight, any laughs are unintentional. Of course, there was the one line of homage: "Send more security guards." Too bad it was rather clumsily wedged in there.

Overall, it is better than your average Sci-Fi Original, but as a Return of the Living Dead sequel, it doesn't measure up. I'm glad I didn't pay to see it, but I am glad to have spent the time. Every once in awhile all you need is a corny, doesn't make sense, zombie movie, especially during the Halloween season.

Return of the Living Dead Part 5: Rave to the Grave

Picking up where Part 4 left off. The last we saw of Peter Coyote's scientist character, he was sneaking out the back of the research facility with the last remaining barrel of Trioxin. He was attempting to sell it when things go bad and everyone starts dying and gaining a strong desire to consume brains.

The barrel ends up in a back room, where it is discovered by the fortunate survivors of Part 4. They are now college students, who apparently can't remember what happened to them previously. Anyway, they go to their science nerd friend in order to to figure what the chemical is within that mysterious barrel. One of the guys decides to taste it, determines that it can be sold as a drug. It gets mixed with X and made into little pills and sold to anyone they can find.

During this whole thing they are putting together a rave for Halloween. It is an outdoor setting where lot's of people can fit, perfect for a slaughter of monumental proportions. Before we can get to that we have to suffer through the slow burn process of setting up the party, and also having a few nobodies show just what this new drug can do, other than give a great high.