Rise of the Zombies | 2012
"Rise of the Zombies" (also known as "Dead Walking") is a 2012 American zombie horror film. It was produced by The Asylum and directed by Nick Lyon. The screenplay was written by Keith Allan and Delondra Williams, and the film was originally known as "Dead Walking" but was later changed to "Rise of the Zombies." The film stars Mariel Hemingway, Chad Lindberg, LeVar Burton, and Heather Hemmens, and it aired on the Syfy channel on October 27, 2012.
The film begins with a waterborne virus spreading throughout San Francisco, leading to a widespread zombie outbreak. A group of survivors, including Dr. Lynn Snyder (played by Mariel Hemingway), seeks refuge on Alcatraz Island. Dr. Snyder is working on developing a cure for the virus, continuing her research through communication with Dr. Arnold. Meanwhile, Dr. Daniel Halper (played by LeVar Burton) is studying zombie corpses but is unable to make significant progress due to only zombies being able to approach the bodies. His research is disrupted when the survivors, led by Caspian (Danny Trejo), burn zombie corpses on the island.
As a horde of zombies rushes to the island, chaos breaks out at the camp, and many survivors are killed. Two of them are infected by the virus, including Dr. Halper's daughter, Julie (played by Cherish Henderson). The survivors decide to leave the island and head back to the mainland, but Dr. Halper decides to stay behind to continue his research. In the film’s final act, Dr. Halper kills his infected daughter and ends his life by detonating a grenade.
The group that makes it to the mainland becomes divided due to differing goals. Dr. Snyder wants to find Dr. Arnold, while Caspian’s group seeks supplies and aims to reach a supposed safe zone. However, they discover that the safe zone has already been overrun by zombies, and escaping seems impossible. While the group siphons gas from cars, Ashley commits suicide and crashes into a bus.
The remaining survivors, Snyder, Kyle (played by Chad Lindberg), and Marshall (played by Ethan Suplee), eventually discover Dr. Arnold’s refuge in a water treatment plant. Dr. Arnold reveals that he has developed a cure for the virus through animal testing, and the group attempts to escape via helicopter from the roof of the plant. During the escape, Kyle and Marshall are attacked by zombies, but thanks to Dr. Arnold’s vaccine, they are saved. Ultimately, the group escapes the city, and Dr. Arnold expresses hope by requesting a laboratory to continue producing the cure.
"Rise of the Zombies" aired on October 27, 2012, and was watched by 1.28 million viewers. The New York Daily News compared the film to "The Walking Dead," calling it "more gruesome and horrifying," noting that the film makes "The Walking Dead" seem like "Dora the Explorer." They commented on the film’s "pretty good cast" and wrote that "the dialogue isn't Shakespeare, but at least most of it is in line with the spirit of characters being chopped in half or eaten alive."
Mike Hale of The New York Times called the film "a long-standing tradition of horror films" and said that "The Walking Dead" was "relatively tame." He praised the film for having "reliable action scenes" and noted that the script "has flashes of small wit." James R. Lukesford of National called it "a B-movie through and through," adding that "the plot and dialogue will only appeal to gore-hungry zombie fans."
