One Cut of the Dead focuses on a film crew shooting their own zombie film of the same name. The director, Takayuki Higurashi, played by Takayuki Hamatsu, is an egomaniac who argues with his actors, demanding perfection, and eventually abandons them in the warehouse in which they’re filming. However, as the actors wait for him to return, a real zombie apocalypse breaks out, and now the small group remaining inside have to do what they can to survive.
In today’s entertainment, there are probably two pieces of subject matter that audiences may find to be a bit tiring: Superheroes and zombies. And it’s getting to the point where there are so many entries in both genres where some are going to simply fly under the radar. One Cut of the Dead is actually one of three zombie comedies released this year, along with The Dead Don’t Die and Zombieland: Double Tap. And while this may seem like “just another zombie movie,” and is probably the least-watched of all three of those movies, it’s by far the best of the three.
The film at first feels a bit like the zombie version of Tropic Thunder, where a group of actors shooting a war movie actually get dropped in a war-ridden jungle, along with an insane director. The setup will feel a bit familiar, and while it tries getting to the point, it does move just a bit too slow. Parts of the film are meant to look as if it’s being filmed in one take. And because of that, there are some long sequences of an actor running away that go on for too long and could have gotten to the point quicker.
Though once the film hits the hallway point, that’s where it really takes off, and is where it really finds its groove. Despite its seemingly-standard zombie premise, this is actually a very well-written movie with a sheer sense of originality. And because of that, it leads to actually quite a few plot developments that are genuinely shocking and make this a really fun movie to watch. And it’s also a movie that benefits from knowing as little as possible about it going into it, as the developments become quite a treat to experience.
Once it hits a certain point, the laughs come pretty quickly, thanks to both its writing, as well as its brilliant performances. Takayuki Hamatsu is by far the best thing about this movie as the over-the-top director. He brings with him an exceptional energy that, despite its slow start, gets it moving in the right direction. A lot of what makes this film so laugh-out-loud hilarious at times is the way in which he plays off the other actors, which leads to some great exchanges and some great moments of physical humor.
One Cut of the Dead is one of the year’s most original movies, and is one that benefits from knowing as little about it as possible going into it. Despite getting off to a slightly slow start, the payoff is worth it, filled with excellent moments of physical humor and intriguing plot twists. Anchored by a great performance from Takayuki Hamatsu, this film won’t be seen by many, but it’s easily the year’s best zombie movie.
Recommendation: Watch It
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