All
Souls Day: Dia de los Muertos 
What
we have here is definite proof that the Sci-Fi channel needs to go back to classic
horror movies and Science Fiction films and leave the direct to video market
alone. All Souls Day as presented just a few months ago on the cable channel
was a difficult to watch mish-mash of wasted time and electricity. The stars were wasted, the film was cut so bad that the script and plot made little sense and in general, the film stank.
Now, compare that to the DVD that went on sale this week. As it turns out this was a fairly decent script without the editing and immensely watchable.
I must admit, from the opening segment I had thought and hoped that this was going to be a very different type of Zombie film then we have been seeing springing up lately. But it went into your typical, late teen age, college kids on a holiday film that we are all familiar with.
Made for an estimated budget of just over a $1,000,000 and mixing up several styles, from thriller to western to zombie, All Souls Day does it's best to pull out all the stops when it comes to being a good zombie film. Unfortunately, it does not succeed completely.
Oh, there was gore and a good deal of it. Not enough for me, perhaps. But still a good amount of paint and makeup was used, both on the victims and on the humans as well. And one of the more entertaining scenes dealt with David Keith expounding on one of his favorite things to eat. That was chopped clean out of the Sci Fi channel presentation, as I remember.
I think part of the problem was that it failed to keep the suspense up throughout the film. From a good start with Jeffery Combs as the head of a 1950's vacationing family who get trapped in the town of Santo Bonita, Mexico it begins to slip into a deep hole that it is difficult for it to climb out of.
As the story goes, back in 1892, Vargas Diaz (Danny Trejo), the owner of the local mine, looted an Aztec tomb belonging to the goddess of death. He had promised to share the treasure with the townspeople but instead sent them all to their deaths.
Now the dead can't rest in Santa Bonita and every year on the Day of the Dead a human sacrifice must be made to keep the dead away.
Years after Combs and his family stop in the town a young couple named Joss (Travis Webster) and his girlfriend Alicia (Marisa Ramirez) are traveling to her parents to introduce Joss to them. They arrive in Santa Bonita during a funeral procession and promptly cause havoc by running into the men carrying the coffin.
Inside
the coffin is a young naked named body of Esmerelda (Danielle Burgio) who has
had her tongue cut out. She is to be the latest sacrifice. The sheriff (David Keith) takes her away for her safety and suggests that Joss and Alicia stay in the town's hotel. When they get there, they are welcomed by Marta, (Laura Harring) but soon find the place a bit uncomfortable. That is another word for "Jesus Christ I'm scared. Let's get the heck out of here!!"
Putting in a call to their friends Tyler (Laz Alonzo) and Erica (Nicole Hiltz) they sit back and wait for the two of them to arrive.
What happens next sets off a chain of events that brings back the dead who attack the hotel where they are hiding.
This is not a completely bad film. It is just different enough to give a change of flavor while retaining enough of the old style Zombie horror and humor that is so prevalent in them to keep you interested.
Something else that might hold viewers back is the low body count. There just were not enough potential victims for the zombies to chase in the movie. And there is almost no explanation for how Erica suddenly has these gymnastic skills, which allow her to somersault over the Zombies several times while running to her car.
I guess this can be explained by the writer, Mark A. Altman. If you remember he is the guy who wrote House of the Dead. That should explain all the problems.
Oh, and you remember the 'rules' for Zombie films? Don't hang out in graveyards next to chemical plants, things like that?
Here's another one for you…. When the living dead are attacking the hotel you are in and your girlfriend escapes, gets to your car and drives practically up to the front door of your hideout, get in the car via the nearest door.
Don't run around the car to the side where the zombies are standing patiently waiting for a victim. Fat as I am, I could have climbed in a window. And second, when you have just watched you boyfriend get butchered by the zombies and you are safe, still alive with two friends alive in the hotel, don't stop to get the dead guy. HE'S DEAD. Mourn later.
Usually it is tough to miss with a plot like this; I mean ancient curses, Goddess of the Dead, stupid American kids, creepy sheriffs and bizarre humor is generally a good set of ideas for a film. And in many ways, Day of the Dead could have turned into one of the better "B" movies out there.
As it is, it turns into one of those horror films that you wind up laughing at instead of with.
But if the only version you have seen is the one on Sci Fi, do yourself a favor and watch the DVD. It is ten times better then the TV version, and it does have David Keith telling Esmerelda about his favorite subject.
The DVD includes Raising the Undead: The Making of "All Souls Day;" Faces Of Death: The Make-up effects of "All Souls Day;" Jailhouse Rock: The Stunts of "All Souls Day", which tries to explain Erica's jumping ability. There is also audio commentary by Jeremy Kasten and Producer Mark Altman; deleted scene; extended Scene; the trailer; a storyboard gallery. The DVD-ROM has the screenplay but you need Adobe Reader to see it. Adobe Reader is free to download.