It's been a while since I've updated this blog, but it doesn't mean I've stopped watching zombie movies.
This movie was ranked #24 in the list of Best Zombie Movies of all time in Zombie Movies: The Ultimate Guide by Glenn Kay. It was described as "The Shaft of zombie flicks, effectively combining a blaxploitation crime plotline with traditional zombie lore" (Kay, 303). That short sentence describes this movie perfectly.
The movie follows Diana "Sugar" Hill (played by Marki Bey). Early in the movie, her boyfriend (a club owner) is killed by the local mob (headed by the nefarious Morgan). Sugar goes to Mama Maitresse, a local voodoo woman, to help her get her revenge on Morgan and his crew. They go to see Baron Zamedi, the Lord of the Dead, to help her in her quest for revenge. He raises an army of the undead. With her army behind her, Sugar Hill kills her way through the local mob, which eventually leads her to Morgan.
Baron Zamebi loves to kill
The zombies in this movie are not of the flesh eating variety. Rather, it takes its cue from the zombies of voodoo lore. These zombies are not out for flesh; these zombies exist only to follow the wishes of their zombie master. They don't kill by attacking and biting; they attack by whatever means the zombie master wishes. In one instance, they kill by chopping up a man with swords, eventually decapitating him. In another, they throw a man into a pen of hungry pigs.
The look of the zombies is pretty cool. They have silver eyes which reflect the light to a fairly creepy effect. They walk around covered in cobwebs.
The acting wasn't great (Marki Bey, in particular, varied from very good to incredibly wooden), but it was good enough. The plot worked off a pretty standard revenge story, but it worked very well. The zombies looked great, and the scenery was terrific. I loved Baron Zamebi...he would show up at random times during the movie, and, when he did, you knew the zombies would be attacking soon.
This isn't your standard zombie movie, but I really liked it. One of the better zombie movies I've seen in a while. If you're looking for something kind of different from your standard zombie movie, check this one out.
Marki Bey demands that you watch this movie
