Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies (2012)

Sadly Over-hyped

Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

.Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

Director Richard Schenkman, working from his own original script, brings to the screen a unique alternate history of the Civil War and the role of the Great Emancipator in the Union victory. The amazing concept of Abraham Lincoln having to engage in battle with the walking dead in order to, not only preserve the Union, but to purge the Confederacy of evil, is astounding on its face. However, this film is so well conceived and beautifully realized with outstanding production values that the audience is quickly caught up in this dark struggle between Lincoln and the zombies. Bill Oberst, Jr. gives a superb performance as Lincoln and it is much more than a caricature. Oberst's Lincoln is a tortured soul looking unblinkingly into the eyes of evil incarnate and it's an amazing portrayal. Debra Crittenden is simply excellent and deeply moving as the troubled Mary Todd Lincoln, loyal wife but unstable ally to the president. At times horrific, with unforgettable imagery and stunning action sequences, this is a film that will please genre fans and historical scholars alike.

After a decapitating introduction, we switch to what we later learn is young Abraham Lincoln. The future US President is chopping wood. Next, he chops off his mother's head. This is because Mrs. Lincoln has become a snarling zombie, with a very long tongue. Quite likely, she wants to eat young Abe. You did not know this, but when he was a mere boy of nine in Indiana, President Lincoln battled zombies. Many years later, during the American Civil War, zombies are infecting both United and Confederate State citizens. Grown up and knowledgeable about the zombie affliction, President Bill Oberst Jr. (as Abraham "Abe" Lincoln) must sharpen his blade...This looks like writer-director Richard Schenkman and his producers caught the buzz surrounding the attention-getting "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" (2012) and rushed this similarly-titled story out to scare unsuspecting viewers. It's frighteningly bad. In the leading role, Mr. Oberst often reads his lines with the tones necessary to maintain some dignity. Sometimes, he seems like the rest of the cast; confused about what their characters are supposed to be doing from line to line, and from scene to scene. Jason Vail has the most interesting part. Presidential girlfriend Baby Norman (as Mary Owens) and her likewise sexy daughter look laughably anachronistic.** Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies (5/29/12) Richard Schenkman ~ Bill Oberst Jr., Baby Norman, Jason Vail, Don McGraw

Prologue: Story line and Actors were nice. but the concept was not. Like sometime you will feel that children are playing Zombie game in yard. Truth: When they coming inside the one order to open the main gate all zombies are standing outside like skeleton. When they fire on ZOMBIE like a cartoon hold the gun for 2-3 second then give chance to zombie to attack. Sometime i wonder what are they waiting for why they don't shoot. And when the rifle is out of ammo they just leave it with zombie they don't try to hit it on it. Music: Coming to sound fx and music. SFX was good but sound is like old Charlie Chaplin movie one track music in all movie is repeated again and again. Simply like a newbie edit home video with a single soundtrack.The scene concept sight was wonderfulI have watched and i like zombie movies but this one was awful. Sorry to say.

This was one of the first recommendations I got from the Cinema Snob website based on his review of the film and his interview with Bill Oberst Jr. I wasn't expecting much since its an asylum film, but I honestly enjoyed it. I found myself drawn to some of the characters being portrayed and Bill Oberst did an excellent job as Abraham Lincoln and its a completely serviceable zombie film. Of course it has its problems. The CGI effects are incredibly cheap looking (duh, its The Asylum, get over it) and the plot is fairly simplistic. Its basically a standard zombie film which includes historical figures. If you can overlook that, then you should be able to enjoy the film without much difficulty.