I am quite surprised how most of the reviews I have read are concentrating on the political, provocative and homosexual themes in this movie. But I think these aren't really in the spotlight in this movie. In my opinion, the movie is in essence a tragic presentation of a how main character's life has been affected by schizophrenia and of all the movies I have watched, this has been the most authentic and medically realistic movie regarding this disease. There are tens of clues that lead us to suspects of Otto's disease - and this is also worded by Medeia and Otto's ex-boyfriend at the end of the movie (speaking about his mental disease, not specifically mentioning schizophrenia, but still the diagnosis seems to be obvious if we observe the major symptoms presented in the movie: he hears noises all of the time, he sees people laughing at him on the train, his social alienation is apparent, emotional apathy, also the delusion that he is dead is a strong sign of schizophrenia). Otto is not really a zombie - this is only his delusion as a part of his disease. Really tragic is to see how he is isolated now - his boyfriend has left him when he was diagnosed, he is beaten, alone, wandering alone the empty road, not even recognising his own father. This movie has really touched me, although i wasn't particularly amused with bloody scenes. But I could easily forget these and the only thing that really stayed on my mind after the movie was Otto and his life, which has been superiorly presented in this movie.
Review of Otto; or, Up with Dead People
