The Walking Dead Special: Post Apocalyptic and Virus Outbreak Films

Previously published for Front Room Cinema in 2012...

With The Walking Dead going from strength to strength in its fifth season, here are some film suggestions for fans of the show who are too impatient to wait for their weekly fix of the post-apocalyptic nightmare

Stakeland

Our heroes in The Walking Dead struggle to survive in the aftermath of a plague that has unleashed hordes of zombies upon them but the protagonists in Stakeland face a different kind of danger, a post apocalyptic world inhabited by a deadly breed of vampires. Jim Mickle has crafted a gritty and powerful road movie, despite being restricted by a low budget, that follows a group of survivors seeking respite from dangerous bloodsucking creatures. The foreboding soundtrack and sparse set locations enhance the feeling of dread, and the incredible acting emphasises the desparation of those lucky enough to still be alive. Stake Land was one of the standout horror movies of 2010 and fans of The Walking Dead would be foolish to pass this film by.

The Last Man on Earth

Many of you will be familiar with the story of I am Legend, the exceptional novel by Richard Matheson which has spawned three film incarnations but have you seen all three? The first film and closest to the source novel, 1964's The Last Man on Earth is arguably the best, with Vincent Price perfectly suited to the role of a desperate survivor clinging on to every last strand of hope against increasingly dangerous odds. Both The Omega Man and I am Legend make for fun viewing but move too far away from the source material to deliver the powerful impact Matheson was aiming for with his book.

Pontypool

This intelligent horror takes place in a single location; a compact radio station whose inhabitants soon become the target of those infected by a deadly virus. Claustrophobic and creepy, Pontypool is an impressive low budget picture that adds a new twist to the zombie genre whilst still retaining the element of terror as the protagonists escape routes become overrun by the plague-ridden population of Ontario.

The Road

Although this adapation of Cormac McCarthy's superb novel does not feature the living dead, the ravaged survivors of a global catastrophe face dangers equally as imposing. A frail man and his young boy head towards a warmer South in the hope of escaping the cruel and merciless gangs who have turned to cannabalism due to the lack of food, whilst the world around them crumbles. Haunting scenes in a dank basement will satisfy The Walking Dead fans as will the desolate landscapes that provide a fitting backdrop to this arresting post apocalyptic drama.

Mulberry Street

Another entry from Jim Mickle - the promising young director behind Stake Land - Mulberry Street depicts a similar struggle for survival, as an infection breaks out in Manhattan with blood-thirsty creatures that can only be described as part rat, part human, terrorising the streets and sewers. As ridiculous as the premise sounds, this is a taut low-budget horror that deserves to be seen by a wider audience.

28 Days Later

Many refer to 28 Days Later as the film that kick-started the surge in popularity of the post apocalyptic genre; not only did Danny Boyle unleash running zombies upon the world (much to the annoyance of Romero purists) but his haunting sequences of a desolate London can easily rival the chilling shots of a ravaged Atlanta in The Walking Dead. This is masterful film-making and 28 Days Later's unfliching portrayal of the hardships suffered by the survivors of a nationwide catastrophe manages to exceed The Walking Dead in terms of sheer horror and brutality despite the stories sharing an eerily similar beginning.

Zombieland

Too much downbeat horror and not enough entertainment? Then kick back with Zombieland which is arguably the most entertaining zombie comedy out there although Shaun of the Dead fans may disagree. Woody Harrelson is pitch perfect as the larger than life tough guy, Tallahassee, who partners up with shy student Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) to help find his family in Ohio. A refreshing take on a relatively crowded genre, Zombieland has a charm all of its own, and decapitating zombies has never been presented in such a fun way.

Day of the Dead

Romero's final part of the dead trilogy features a group of soldiers and scientists who have taken shelter in an underground bunker, and are trying to stave off the constant onslaught of zombies. Far gorier than his previous entries and less serious in its approach, Day of the Dead still packs a powerful punch. Fans of The Walking Dead should seek out the entire trilogy, but I imagine this is the one that may be enjoyed the most.

Right at your Door

Chris Gorak's name may be tarnished after the release of the unfairly maligned The Darkest Hour but his debut feature, Right at your Door, was a chilling low budget picture that focuses on the after effects of a dirty bomb in Los Angeles. It deals with the immediate after effects of the bomb and whilst the small scale of the disaster could possibly warrant this film's exclusion from a list of post-apocalyptic films, the desparation of an isolated survivor has rarely been so compelling

Further Recommended Post Apocalpytic/Virus Outbreak viewing:

Children of Men
Juan of the Dead
28 Weeks Later
Return of the Living Dead
The Road Warrior
The Andromeda Strain
[REC]
Delicatessen
Le Dernier Combat
Fido

New Release - Stake Land

Ever since the success of 28 Days Later back in 2003, the post-apocalyptic genre of films has been a crowded market with its fair share of successes and failures. Notable releases such as The Road and Zombieland have been accompanied by such misfires as Doomsday and I Am Legend that, whilst entertaining, ultimately failed to hit their mark. Stakeland is a brave and accomplished entry in Jim Mickle's career, and although there are only a handful of original ideas throughout the film, the ideas taken from other movies are handled with enough skill that they serve only to enhance the overall viewing experience. It must be said, some of the director's own ideas are fantastic and show a great potential for the future - a future that the ragged band of survivors we follow throughout Stakeland may not be able to enjoy.

After our protagonist is saved from a disastrous situation which leaves him as the sole survivor of his family, he is taken under the wing of his rescuer; the elusive ‘Mister’, whose similarities to Whistler from Blade appear to be more than pure coincidence. Together,they embark on a road trip that tests them to their very limits as they encounter a whole host of dangers and struggle to survive whilst roaming throughout North America, picking up a number of travelling companions on the way.

In a storyline not too dissimilar to The Mist, some surviving factions of humans believe that God has sent the vampires to punish humanity and it is these that pose almost as much danger to our band of travellers as the dangerous breeds of vampire that stalk them. These cults are a welcome addition to the film, enhancing the aspect of danger and providing the basis for some of the film's more memorable moments in a standout scene where a supposedly safe town is assaulted from the air.

The initially nameless main character - played brilliantly by Connor Paolo (the spitting image of a young Colin Farrel) - has his life turned upside down at the start of the movie, however, we do not get to see how the whole world initially turned upside down, and the cause of the vampire's origins is rarely touched upon. His story is told through countless monologues that overlay the fantastic imagery of sparse vistas and urban decay, creating a sense of scale that is far beyond what we see on the screen. Whilst the other characters we meet do not have enough time to develop fully, they all play an essential part in the story, and although some scenes could have been far more powerful if the audience were affected by their plight, the suspense was enough to keep me on my edge of the seat throughout.


There are few scares to be found in Stakeland but the overall sense of foreboding doom and the generous helpings of violence and gore should please the majority of horror fans. Anyone with even a passing interest in post-apocalyptic films will definitely take a lot from Stakeland and although it is not quite a genre classic, it will certainly become a cult favourite in a few years time.

If you like this, you will love these:

The Road

Zombieland

28 Days Later

Near Dark