A small film crew are attempting to make a zombie film; however, after attempting over thirty takes of the final scene for their movie, this crew is exhausted. The film’s Director has an outrageous temper and leaves the main star in tears. The crew are offered a short break, and the leading stars decide to get a drink and their make-up touched up.
While touching up their makeup, the make-up artist reveals her dislike of the filming location primarily because of the urban legends, which include the Japanese army conducting various experiments attempting to bring the dead back to life. Shortly after the conversation, the film crew discover there is something sinister going on, and certain members have, in fact, turned into flesh-eating zombies! Now the cast and crew must try to escape and survive the film set while also dealing with their idiotic director, who feels it’s a great idea to keep filming as it allows him to capture realism at its best.
Final Cut is, in fact, a French remake of the successful Japanese horror-comedy One Cut of the Dead, which was released back in 2017. For the record, I must confess, I’ve yet to see One Cut of the Dead, so going into this remake, I was unfamiliar with the story and the surprising twists and turns that occur along the way.
The film hooks the audience instantly. With only a few short moments of backstory, we are thrown into the wackiness of blood and zombies. After this hectic start, I found the second act much slower than I preferred; however, the film ends with a massive rewarding bang in the third act. I felt very content and pleased that my investment in the slower parts of the feature ended up paying off with more surprises and fun.
Those who love anything surrounding films and the horror genre will appreciate this film. While attempting to be frightening and serious at times, it’s also lots of fun. Various references to filmmaking were also made, which was creative and delightful. The characters here are great and witty. Even during the silliest moments, I still liked them, especially in the third act.
Overall, if you’re a lover of all things relating to cinema and horror, this comes highly recommended. While a wacky and comedic feature, I was impressed by how smart and clever this film was, especially with its reveals by the third act. The film begins with a bang, hooking audiences in early, and while there isn’t much back story here, there’s enough. Even if things don’t make sense initially, it’s impossible to look away from everything occurring. Despite a slow second act, the investment pays off and feels deeply rewarding for viewers. I found this French remake of the Japanese horror comedy Cut of the Dead (which I haven’t seen yet!) highly enjoyable, delightful and entertaining.
7.9/10
4th March 2023
Written by Peter Walkden
WALKDEN ENTERTAINMENT
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