If you're a fan of the new breed of zombie flicks from the likes of Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead) or Danny Boyle (28 Days Later), or even AMC's Walking Dead, then you ought to be paying attention to the upcoming April 22nd release of the small independent horror film Stake Land. Set against a post-apocalyptic US wilderness, Stake Land follows a band of survivors making their way to a promised safe haven in a country that has become overrun by very zombie-like vampires. "Ugh, they made vampires into zombies?" Yes and no, it's definitely not your typical Dracula flick and its tone is much closer to a zombie film, but at the same time it restores the good name of vampires that has been sullied by Goth/emo kids, Twilight (I'm sorry, sunlight kills them, end of story), and a slew of really bad vampire flicks that have come out in the past 6 years (Let the Right One In and Let Me In being rare exceptions; 30 Days of Night being a perpetrator).
Check out the official trailer, some prequel vids, a poster, and some thoughts on the film as a precursor to our formal review, all after the jump.
Here's the official synopsis:
America is a lost nation. When an epidemic of vampirism strikes, humans find themselves on the run from vicious, feral beasts. Cities are tombs and survivors cling together in rural pockets, fearful of nightfall. When his family is slaughtered, young Martin (Paolo) is taken under the wing of a grizzled, wayward hunter (Damici) whose new prey are the undead. Simply known as Mister, the vampire stalker takes Martin on a journey through the locked-down towns of America's heartland, searching for a better place while taking down any bloodsuckers that cross their path. Along the way they recruit fellow travellers, including a nun McGillis) who is caught in a crisis of faith when her followers turn into ravenous beasts.
I saw the screening for this two months back and I can guarantee it will restore your faith in vampires as things that inspire fear and not just lust (Twilight, True Blood) or laughter (also Twilight). Directed by Jim Mickle and co-written by him and Nick Damici (In the Cut), Stake Land (aka Conner) stars Damici, Danielle Harris (Hatchet II, Hatchet III), Kelly McGillis, Sean Nelson, Connor Paolo (Gossip Girl), and Michael Cerveris (Fringe) in a film that will remind you why vampires used to be horror icons. Stake Land is truly one of those indy horror flicks to be sought out, even if you have to take a bit of a drive to do it. Horror fans will especially love it, and even the casual observer will find it enthralling. Trust me, I'm not a horror fan myself - but this is fantastic.
Below is the trailer, and if you're curious, jump on over to the film's trailer headquarters to check out some of the recently launched character prequels (more are being added as the release date nears).
And here's the poster artwork.
