This film was decent at best, but it could have been so much better. The concept tries to be unique, but in reality most zombie movies toy with the idea that there are people who have to put aside their differences to survive zombies. Nothing extraordinary, they just put "crooked" cops and gangsters into a large apartment complex. I say "crooked" because that's how they are described in every synopsis I've read for this film, but they never really show why they're crooked. They show up for vengeance and are then quickly disarmed, which is really interesting because later the cops fight zombies hand to hand and become expert marksmen.
The Horde wastes zero time jumping right into the action, which is good because aside from a few interactions between the characters there is nothing but zombie killing. Most of the characters are throw aways, save for a few and most fit into archetypes we've all seen in zombie films. You have the principal actors who get some characterization and then zombie meat. In all honesty I don't remember most of the characters names.
Now, this movie is a solid zombie film, except for one thing. The female lead in the film, Aurore, is atrociously unlikeable. There is nothing about her that makes you want her to survive. She seems to be trying to channel Sigourney Weaver in Aliens, Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2 and Milla Jovovich in Resident Evil and it just doesn't work. I felt myself rooting for the murderous, drug-dealing gangsters more than her. And this is a film that does not shy away from knocking off characters brutally and quickly. But for some reason this woman not only survives, but is constantly annoying. Aside from that there is an old guy who provides quasi-comic relief who turns out to be the most compelling character.
If you are trying to decide if you want to watch this film, know this. There is a scene at the end that is one of the best death scenes for a character in a zombie movie. Though it is the cliché sort of "save the others" sort of death, it is filmed well and it kills off one of the film's best characters in spectacular fashion.
The Horde wastes zero time jumping right into the action, which is good because aside from a few interactions between the characters there is nothing but zombie killing. Most of the characters are throw aways, save for a few and most fit into archetypes we've all seen in zombie films. You have the principal actors who get some characterization and then zombie meat. In all honesty I don't remember most of the characters names.
Now, this movie is a solid zombie film, except for one thing. The female lead in the film, Aurore, is atrociously unlikeable. There is nothing about her that makes you want her to survive. She seems to be trying to channel Sigourney Weaver in Aliens, Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2 and Milla Jovovich in Resident Evil and it just doesn't work. I felt myself rooting for the murderous, drug-dealing gangsters more than her. And this is a film that does not shy away from knocking off characters brutally and quickly. But for some reason this woman not only survives, but is constantly annoying. Aside from that there is an old guy who provides quasi-comic relief who turns out to be the most compelling character.
If you are trying to decide if you want to watch this film, know this. There is a scene at the end that is one of the best death scenes for a character in a zombie movie. Though it is the cliché sort of "save the others" sort of death, it is filmed well and it kills off one of the film's best characters in spectacular fashion.