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View Full Version : What You Liked About Diary. (Spoilers)


3pidemiC
18-Feb-2008, 03:13 AM
Well, after some of the dust has settled and whomever was lucky enough to see Diary during it's opening weekend already has, so let's discuss it. For the most part, we've seen a majority of positive reviews from the community so far. So what did you like about it?



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I really liked the overall pacing of the film. It was slow, but in a really good way. It wasn't like...INFECTION STARTS and ALL HELL COMPLETELY BREAKS LOOSE ON SCREEN! Now, I realize that all hell did break loose, but we really didn't seen much of it. Granted, I love to see **** go down but I really though it was smart to keep it on a really small scale and just see it sort of trickle down into the rural areas of the country. A few zombies here and there, with some small hoards around.


I also liked to see the aftermath of certain areas. The hospital scenes were really nice because it was very eerie to see it abandoned. Also, when they went to the town where the "renegades" were the only ones left. Although you didn't see much, you could tell that it was literally a "dead" city.


The idea of the obsessed filmmaker was also done very well. I remember hearing about people complaining that the Jason character not doing anything to help and only worried about filming. But it was good that they kept hammering home the idea that in times of crisis, certain people take it upon themselves to film it and feel that it is their duty to do so.


The social commentary was also really well done. Yes, it was way more in-your-face than any of Romero's other films, but it was done it a smart way. I think because most of us can relate to it so well in these times. Online news, blogs, youtube, corrupt news organizations....it all really hits home and is something that everyone is a part of or knows about.


Seeing the zombies stored in the pool at the end was such a cool idea. I don't know why, but it just reminded me of the Zombie Survival Guide.


Oh, also....I am REALLY glad that the camera wasn't a shaky as Cloverfield was. As some of you may know, I had to walk out during that film because I felt sick. But Diary allowed me to enjoy what I was watching and didn't do too much to my head (although I did get a little headache) near the end.
CapnRhodes
18-Feb-2008, 05:27 AM
I loved the movie. It did seem a little slow, but in a good way. I really liked the characters, especially Tracy, she was beautiful.

If I had to say only one thing about the film, I would say that it is the return of the TRUE Romero zombie movie.
Moon Knight
18-Feb-2008, 07:19 AM
Mummy Zombie creeping around at the end was awesome. :D

Many other things were really cool, gotta digest it a bit more to write it out, but the mummy/pool scene was sweet.
DubiousComforts
18-Feb-2008, 05:24 PM
I'm just amazed that the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive.

I expected more division among the living. :D
mista_mo
18-Feb-2008, 05:56 PM
for some reason the rotten tomatoes site isn't loading for me, but so far it's only sitting at 56%

*edit* working now, so heres the link.

http://beta.rottentomatoes.com/m/diary_of_the_dead/


i would hardly say overwhelmingly positive.
3pidemiC
18-Feb-2008, 06:37 PM
I meant amoung the community, not lame reviewers.
DubiousComforts
18-Feb-2008, 07:25 PM
i would hardly say overwhelmingly positive.
I meant among Romero fans on this message board.

I couldn't care less what the critics, the press, Rotten Tomatoes or the smug idiots at AICN have to say about anything.
mista_mo
19-Feb-2008, 04:02 AM
why are the reviewers lame? Because they didn't like the movie? Thats what a review is, a written or verbal statement on someones opinion of a media item they viewed.

I never understood that kind of mentality amoung people. They'll praise a movie for being awesome, but as soon as a reviewer states his dislike about the film, they get lambasted for being "lame, or smug".

I don't mean to turn this thread off topic, but that kind of mentality is pretty much lame or smug in itself.
San Jose Shark
19-Feb-2008, 06:14 AM
Just wanted to say i loved the movie. Today was my third time seeing it in San Jose and it just gets better and better each time. Some of the zombie kills in this movie rank up with the best in all of Romero's dead films and i actually found some parts pretty scary (i didn't have that with Land) and alot of parts hilarious, just what you should expect from a Romero of the Dead film. Now i can't wait for the unrated dvd, it's going to be amazing.
DeadCentral
19-Feb-2008, 11:45 AM
why are the reviewers lame? Because they didn't like the movie? Thats what a review is, a written or verbal statement on someones opinion of a media item they viewed.

I never understood that kind of mentality amoung people. They'll praise a movie for being awesome, but as soon as a reviewer states his dislike about the film, they get lambasted for being "lame, or smug".

I don't mean to turn this thread off topic, but that kind of mentality is pretty much lame or smug in itself.


Well to offer up an opinion here MistaMo, a lot of these reviewers are younger more "hip" types that base their critiques on trend rather than love of film. If they don't feel it fits into todays view as "cool", they bomb a film rather than looking at the message & the traits that most serious film makers put forth in their work. They'd rather watch some popcorn flick with more action, poor plotlines and based their judgements on that perspective than look at the fact that the film is a type of statement that also tells us a story.
If it has any sort of political or life view, well to them...thats not entertaining...

just my opinion... and who am I anyhow.
3pidemiC
19-Feb-2008, 05:36 PM
/agreed

Let's continue with the real purpose of this thread?
DeadCentral
20-Feb-2008, 12:10 AM
Sounds good to me 3pidemiC !!

Personally I love the fact that the camera WASN"T as shaky as CLOVERFIELD, it reminded me constantly that I was watching a movie of some one making a movie. Great effect. I also liked when there were 2 camera's (hospital scene) therefore 2 different perspectives... really cool, it brought the film-maker into the film, even though he wanted to stay on the outside of the situation.
The professor was a weird but interesting addition to the cast because it gave an older view of things , and his eccentricity added to the commentary that he made throughout the film. He oddly enough reminded me of a modern Peter O'toole, with his drunken witt and sarcastic view of life, and of course how it was all coming to an end...as if he knew it would eventually happen and "alas it's now upon us,how ironic". Very interesting character.
DubiousComforts
20-Feb-2008, 04:34 AM
The professor was a weird but interesting addition to the cast because it gave an older view of things , and his eccentricity added to the commentary that he made throughout the film. He oddly enough reminded me of a modern Peter O'toole, with his drunken witt and sarcastic view of life, and of course how it was all coming to an end...as if he knew it would eventually happen and "alas it's now upon us,how ironic". Very interesting character.
IMO, the professor is George--the old wise guy hanging around with the kids.
DeadCentral
20-Feb-2008, 05:09 AM
Yeah I kind of got that impression too...
Moon Knight
20-Feb-2008, 08:23 AM
He was awesome.
Yojimbo
21-Feb-2008, 01:48 AM
IMO, the professor is George--the old wise guy hanging around with the kids.


Agreed. That speech about mirrors and old men seemed to be a GAR soliliquy.