GEORGE A. ROMERO'S DIARY OF THE DEAD — ** 1/2 — Michelle Morgan, Joshua Close, Scott Wentworth; rated R (violence, gore, profanity, vulgarity, brief drugs, nude art)
"George A. Romero's Diary of the Dead" proves there's still some life left in the veteran filmmaker's long-running, zombie-movie series.
Here Romero actually spoofs what he's done previously, as well as poke some fun at the whole "Blair Witch Project" concept, a phenomenon that became so self-important it definitely needed someone to skewer it.
Unfortunately, this darkly comic horror film doesn't end very convincingly — the same could also be said of Romero's last film, 2005's similarly mixed bag "Land of the Dead."
But at least this follow-up will satisfy those audiences who enjoy Romero's often nauseating blend of blood and guts and mordant humor.
Like the aforementioned "Blair Witch Project," this "Diary" employs a pseudo-documentary style. It follows a group of Pennsylvania college students and would-be filmmakers.
Jason (Joshua Close) and his crew are shooting a mummy horror movie in the woods when they see a news report about the dead returning to life and attacking the living.
So, Jason, his girlfriend, Deb (Michelle Morgan), and the others return to their somewhat deserted campus, where they find this "outbreak" may already be widespread. So they head off in an RV to find their loved ones.
As usual, there's some Romero social commentary and jabs at reality television and the news media. They're not exactly subtle.
But there are some serious jolts and scares, and some big laughs, especially from a deaf-mute, Amish zombie killer and Scott Wentworth's sarcastic, alcoholic, college-professor character, who reveals another side to the others as their travels progress.
Sharp-eared audiences may also recognize Romero's fellow filmmakers Wes Craven and Quentin Tarantino, author Stephen King and actor Simon Pegg, who provide voices in various radio and television news reports.
"George A. Romero's Diary of the Dead" is rated R for strong scenes of horror violence (zombies attacks, shootings, vehicular and explosive mayhem), graphic gore and blood, strong sexual language (profanity, crude slang and other suggestive talk), brief drug references, and glimpses of nude art (statues). Running time: 95 minutes.
E-mail: jeff@desnews.com