Biohazardous

Damn, it feels like almost a lifetime ago when we first started getting pitched about Michael J Hein's low budget genetic undead flick called 'Biohazardous' - being keen supporters of independent film makers we had kept a keen eye of anticipation on the films progress, but after quite a lengthy wait would the long overdue DVD debut meet zombie fans expectations…

A high security genetic science facility opens in small-town New Jersey to mixed reaction from the local community, whilst activist preacher Father Morris and his fanatical followers venomously oppose its presence some locals welcome the influx of business and employment. That said the only job of note taken up by a local is by a widowed father as gate security man. As the film opens we meet said father as he berates his teen daughter about her friends partying outside the perimeter fence of his new employers facility. Not paying a blind bit of attention to her fathers words of warning (and in true traditional horror movie style) the young folk gather there once again armed with beer and dope (but not until after they indulge in that other eighties teen movie tradition of whacking mail boxes with a baseball bat from their car). The youngsters whooping and hollering fun is soon broke up by a passing police patrol but as the police notice that the facility seems ominously quite they decide to investigate and of course in true Scooby Doo stylee the kids soon follow. Unknown to either the young folk or the police not only has the local irate preacher and his loyal entourage snuck into the facility to cause a disruption but that even they are too late to do that as the reason for the foreboding silence is because there has been a chemical breach which has not simply killed the buildings inhabitants but turned them into flesh eating living dead zombies (hooray!)

As you can imagine, the film then spends the bulk of its remaining running time indulging in that horror fans staple favourite of who will die and who will live (if anyone) as the zombies (quite rightly) wreak gory mayhem around all and sundry (with of course the most meager of plots to try explain why its all happening). Now crucially, you'll be wondering if this is a welcome foray into the zombie genre or just another no budget cash in on genre fans loyalty to this particular genre. Well, whilst 'Biohazardous' is not going to change the face of the genre (or even for that matter make a particularly big dent on it) it's still a very satisfying and admirable slice of genre fun that will be welcome viewing for fans of the zombie movie scene and those (like myself) that enjoy checking out what new low budget film makers are bursting onto the scene with.

Sure the film is by no means perfect, the plot is wafer thin (but hey it's a zombie movie) and the acting at times is amusingly wooden but in perspective of its budgetary origins you can appreciate what writer/director Michael Hein has delivered. The direction throughout is impressive and similarly the films pacing doesn't slow or lose your attention. Perhaps importantly for fans of the undead, the zombie action is generally entertaining - the zombie make ups are first rate, the flesh eating is good and gory (if perhaps a little lackluster in originality of execution) and amusingly the victims seem less than concerned about being torn to pieces and put up little fight when nabbed by the lumbering zombies (but is that such a bad thing?) So perhaps the two most important facts about 'Biohazardous' are that director Michael Hien is another class act to keep an eye on (especially so if he gets funding to make a big budget zombie opus) and if you're a fan of low budget zombie gore fests then 'Biohazardous' is a film you really should have in your collection.

As you can imagine, being a recent production the presentation here is very much faultless - the matted widescreen image is sharp and colourful, similarly the audio is clearly audible throughout also. Moving onto the extras there's a decent (if perhaps slightly disorganised) cast and crew audio commentary, a cool lengthy trailer for the film and a stills gallery of actor PR head shots and on set production photos backed by some old school rock.

Plotwise 'Biohazardous' is not unlike such undead big bucks affairs as 'Resident Evil', but perhaps importantly for horror fans 'Biohazardous' is far more packed full of blood and flesh eating gore (and most likely cost less than 'Resident Evil's catering budget alone). An impressive if perhaps brainless slice of undead fun and a solid enough presentation too - check it out!

Review by Alan Simpson

'Biohazardous' can be ordered direct from Eclectic DVD by clicking here.