THE REVENANT Mini-Review [Fantastic Fest '09]

Written and Directed by D. Kerry Prior, 2009

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There is a good movie buried within THE REVENANT, but unfortunately the film is still a few edits away from unearthing it.  It’s got a solid horror-comedy skeleton to it in the form of a plot about an Iraqi war veteran who returns home, only to re-animate as a shade of his former self that can only exist if sustained by a diet of fresh human.  His best friend is in out, however, and completely game for not only finding ways to keep his best friend alive, but to exploit his new undying powers.  Zaniness follows.

There are two big obstacles Prior fails to overcome.  The first is that the film clocks in at nearly two hours long but lacks enough substance to sustain energy throughout its run time; but again, editing can fix that right up.  The second obstacle can’t be saved in post-production, however.  Chris Wylde is perpetually annoying throughout the entire film, cramping what is an otherwise welcome spin on buddy comedies.  Maybe I’m just not a fan of Wylde’s, but it felt like watching a movie with one of the McPoyles from “IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY” as a lead character, and if you know the McPoyles, you know just how skeevy that prospect is.

The rest of the actors help compensate, however, and the script does have a blast with its special breed of zombism, but at the length THE REVENANT currently runs, most of it is too little, too late.

Tags: D. Kerry Prior, THE REVENANT