Dead Air | 2009
DEAD AIR
Dead Air is a 2009 American science fiction-horror film directed by Corbin Bernsen, featuring Bill Moseley and Patricia Tallman. The story revolves around a radio station warning its listeners after a zombie outbreak occurs in Los Angeles due to an explosion. Screenwriter Kenny Yakkel explained before the film's release that the "undead" are not actual zombies, stating, "It's like a PCP zombie movie. They aren't really dead."
The epidemic manifests as a toxic gas released during major sporting events across the United States. This gas instantly transforms victims into a "frenzy of madness and violence." Controversial Los Angeles talk show host Logan Burnhardt and his production team find themselves trapped in the chaos. They begin receiving reports about the rioters just blocks away from the explosion site, while listeners continue to call in with their experiences. In addition to the infected individuals, there are terrorists behind the attacks, led by Abir, who aim to kill anyone on their way to Logan's studio.
Dead Air began filming in Los Angeles in March 2007 and completed production by the end of April 2007. The film is described as a meeting of 28 Days Later and talk radio, stating, "But this is not about cannibal zombies; it's about the paranoia after 9/11." Bill Moseley and Patricia Tallman co-star as Lucy, having previously worked together in Tom Savini's remake of Night of the Living Dead. This film marks Tallman's return to the genre, and she mentions that it is her first significant work since her time on TV's Babylon 5. The budget was under $500,000.
Originally scheduled for a theatrical release in winter 2007, Dead Air was released on DVD on October 27, 2009. Paul Mount rated it 6 out of 10 in Starburst, calling it a "delightfully cheesy experience" and noted that despite its derivative nature, it managed to overcome it. Garrett Jones rated it 2 out of 5 in Dread Central, stating that the scenes lack "any sense of tension or threat." Dustin Hall from Brutal as Hell remarked that while the film is "not particularly scary," it "makes you think." Scholar Peter Dendle noted in The Zombie Movie Encyclopedia, Volume 2 that the film is often compared to Pontypool, but it is different due to its political and social messages.
