Stake Land (Jim Mickle 2010): USA

Reviewed by Sanni Frostenson at the Santa Barbara Film Festival 2011.

Want to see a witty, only somewhat scary mixture between a classical zombie movie, and a modern  form of a vampire movie? Then go and see Stake Land.  I think anyone who liked Zombieland will enjoy this film. Sure it is not as fun, but compensate in other ways.

Martin is a young boy who would be all alone in the world. If it wasn’t for a a very talented man called Mister. So what is Misters talent, well slaughter vampires has made him very well known. And he has managed to keep himself and Martin alive in a time where most people can’t.

There is vampires also called blood suckers all over. They does not look like we are used to see them in movies. As in the picture above they resembles zombies more than anything. But they do have the typical features like pointy vampire teeth, and eyes glistening from night vision. These mutate vampires are sensitive to sunlight, and dies only from a stake run through their heart. But they don’t seem to take any harm from crosses, or have any kind of intelligence and charm as we are used to see them.

Mister are trying to take Martin with him to New Eden. A place in Canada where there supposedly are no bloodsuckers. But on the way other dangers are awaiting the two.  One of them is a crazy Christian cult who believes that the vampires are a blessing from God. They also run into a nun, a young girl who is singing at bars, and an ex U.S solider on their path there. And they bring these people with them on their exciting journey.

As mention before Stake Land resembles much of Zombieland in structure and plot. But it still has unexpected parts. I also saw a lot of resemblance to certain Zombie movies like 28 Days and such. These kind of films are all about making a journey for the sake of survival. At last this film also have slight things in common with The Last Exorcist, and other movies where a cult is in focus. The one in this movie made me think about Ku Klux Klan or any other band of organized madness.

I really enjoyed watching this very mixed movie. And horror is totally my genre, even though I would not exactly call this a typical horror movie. At least I didn’t jump more than once, but maybe I’m harden by all horror movies in the past. But a little notification that Stake Land has some blood, death and other possibly gross part in it.

I like this kind of movies, because they triggers my lust to try out my survival instinct for real.  Only the most equipped would survive. In any case I found this movie very interesting, and if you already like any of the movies mentioned above you should see this one. Or if you are just fascinated about the dark side of man.