Zombie is a rather languidly paced horror film that will not appeal to everyone, as it has that slow pace and is punctuated by the graphic set pieces. It took me a couple of viewings to warm up to it. When I first heard about how graphic it was and learned of its revered status among horror-philes I expected something a bit different. I was ill prepared to deal with that slow pace, but after a few tries I started to feel at home with it, and recognized just how good a zombie film it is.

The story begins when a derelict yacht sails into New York harbor. Upon investigation, a zombie is found to be on board. The creature is quickly dispatched by the investigating officers, but not before getting in a bite of his own. The fact-finding mission settles on Peter West (Ian McCulloch), a reporter who winds up teaming with Ann Bowles (Tisa Farrow), the daughter of the yacht's owner. Ann's father was a scientist working on some random island in the Caribbean, and he's missing. Together, Ann and Peter head off to the Caribbean in search of the missing doctor, tagging along with a vacationing couple, played by Al Cliver and Auretta Gay.

If you are looking for a strong plot, you are going to be sorely disappointed. The story is terribly thin; the point of this film was the atmosphere and the gore scenes. Fulci delivers on both counts. The slow pace keeps you on edge, wondering just when something is going to happen, and when it does finally happen the blood is plentiful as the film delivers some of the more iconic moments of zombie cinema.

So far as the story goes, suffice to say they wind up on an island that is suffering a zombie infestation that may be a virus, but could also be voodoo related. They find Dr. Menard (Richard Johnson) and a newly unearthed horde of walking dead. It is the sort of story where there will be virtually no possibility of a happy ending; once it hits the fan, nothing will be left alive.

The gore delivers some great moments, including Fulci's penchant for eye violence, some flesh eating, exploding heads, wormy eye sockets, and an unforgettable battle pitting a zombie against a shark (yes, a shark!). For the most part, the effects are well rendered and believable. Nothing done digitally can quite live up to the use of well crafted practical effects. There is nothing digital to be found in this film!

Zombie rightfully retains its status as a classic zombie film, right down to its apocalyptic ending. It may be plagued by a weak script and acting (both of which could be attributed to half the cast speaking English and the other half Italian — dubbing resolved the problem in the end), it delivers a creepy slow burn atmosphere, and the gore is first rate. Again, not for everybody, but definitely in the upper echelon of zombie horror.