‘State of Emergency’ (Image Entertainment) written and directed by Turner Clay made its way around the festival circuit with screenings at the likes of the Raindance Film Festival (UK) and the Santa Cruz Film Festival. According to the press release, State of Emergency follows the story of a man named Jim trapped within a small town after an explosion at the local chemical plant turns local townsfolk into zombies…of a sort. Be warned; if you sit down to watch this movie expecting your typical shambling Night of/Day of Romero-esque undead then you may be a bit disappointed.
From what the trailer reveals, the zombies seem to have roots planted more in the soil of The Crazies (Romero too, I know). They can run, fight and tend to be more solitary creatures, but that’s not to say that State of Emergency isn’t worth a watch. The story builds intensity based upon tension and group interactions as opposed to blood and tangled entrails as Jim leads a group of survivors through the ruined remains of Montgomery County, clinging to the thin hope of a government rescue.
The few minutes available in State of Emergency’s trailer show decent, albeit limited make-up, as well as some explosions and a few sphincter-shrinking shots of infected neighbors. This may not be the typical zombie flick, but when it is released in the US in April, it may just warrant 90 minutes of your time.
Chaos consumes a small town when a chemical facility explodes releasing a deadly toxin. Moments after the leak, the town’s residents show signs of mutation, causing the military to quarantine the area leaving any survivors helpless and trapped inside. The story follows Jim, a young man isolated within the red zone, as he eludes flesh eating zombies in an attempt to win back his freedom.
