Low budget horror movies are a dime a dozen. Seriously. Every time you turn around another one is popping out of the woodwork, each claiming to be the next big thing. However, more often than not, they just turn out to be another low budget exercise destined for budget bins around the world and quickly forgotten.
In recent weeks I have reviewed a pair of low budget horror films. Each one brought something of worth to the table and are well worth spending some time with. That being the case, it was bound to happen — a low budget horror film that does not have a lot to offer, and was actually a little hard to watch. For those playing at home, the two recent ones worth watching are Die and Let Live and The Blood Shed, and the one that offers little is the subject of this review, Automaton Transfusion.
Now, when you watch a low budget film the question will invariably arise: should this be rated on the same scale as your typical Hollywood film? Should a movie be given a free pass because it is a low budget film? Does that fact somehow entitle it to some good will? This is not an easy thing to answer. It is quite complicated, but what it all boils down to is fairly simple. The movie has to be entertaining and make some effort to stand out from the crowd. I will always give films at this level a lot of credit for the simple fact they exist. Making a film is not an easy thing to do at any level.
With that said, Automaton Transfusion does build to a frenetic conclusion that should make viewers, me included, rather happy. However, there is nothing particularly special about the build-up. There was nothing we haven't seen before, and done better. Granted, there was fun to be had, but given a choice for my zombie action, I would seek elsewhere.
Before going any further, let's lay out a bit about the movie.
The film opens in the morgue. Seems as good a place as any to kick off a zombie flick. As the teenage assistant cleans up after the final body of the day is placed in storage, a strange noise is heard. Further investigation reveals a zombie, which in turn leads to our first kill. The scene shifts to the local high school with your typical conglomeration of teens doing teen things. Then a teacher is rushed out after being bitten by a student. Normal everyday stuff.
Article comments