This is the first Cuban film I have seen, and one of my new favorite Zombie comedies. With the modern horror genera over saturated with underwhelming living dead films they have become easy to ignore. Pictures are produced cheaper these days with high definition video and consumer grade CGI. I have seen countless cookie cutter films on this production level that are nothing more than bored actors reciting a terrible script. Juan De Los Muertos has everything these movies lack, most important of which is heart.The comedy ranges from Three Stooges slapstick to Kevin Smith toilet humor. Nothing is sacred. If not for the fact that this film presents nothing in a serious manner, it would be downright offensive. Possessing a morbid sense of humor does help, but it is not a necessity.Each character is quirky, unique, and fun. Even the most psychologically damaged are still likable. A few of them are sh!tty people who you still want to survive. I would liken it to throwing the characters of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, or East Bound and Down's Kenny Powers into a zombie apocalypse. The practical effects are fantastic, and reminiscent of classic zombie films. The CGI, however, ranges from OK to terrible. Though, since the film's primary goal is to illicit laughter rather than dazzle you with special effects, the digital shortcomings of Juan De Los Muertos are of little consequence. There are some inventive sight gags at work that are not only original, but so damn funny that the cheesiness of the CGI does no harm. In fact, at times it ramps up the comedy, kicks seriousness in the pants, and keeps the tone ever fun.This review was intentionally spoiler free. That was hard, because I really want to spread word of all the amazing things to be had in this film. However, I would do more justice to the film, and potential fans by not ruining anything. There are some awesome surprises. I mean it. I would highly recommend this film to anyone who loved Shaun of the Dead, Biozombie, or Peter Jackson's Dead Alive/Brain Dead. Viva Juan De Los Muertos!!!

It is rare that a film combines, satire, parody, thrills, scary zombies, and deadpan humor. Such is the film Juan of the Dead.Plot is simple. Zombies try to take over Cuba. But the government says they are "dissidents" created by the Americans to undermine Cuba. In a very clever film, the director, Alejandro Bruques, takes us on a fantasy ride of zombie threats and humor with many political points along the way.Several island residents form a motley crew of a trans gurl, a muscle bound dude, a hot babe and a guy named "California", is just the beginning of zombie mayhem.They even open a business, "we kill your loved one" to earn a few extra bucks off the zombies...Cuban style.The budget is not mentioned in the film overview, but I bet they really made a very low budge stretch quite a bit. From the beginning to end credits it is a delight. Every film student should see this movie to see what you can do with imagination and not the fancy cameras profiled in American media.Their first kill has a harpoon go through a zombie to kill an old lady standing right behind the zombie. Ooops! A wooden oar weapon is so decrepit that we would never use it as an oar. There is also the famous car/boat that many refuges use to flee Cuba used to escape the onslaught of zombies. In one scene, an attack by numerous zombies is thwarted by a single harpoon and a "rally around the flag pole". Heh, heh.A slow motion arrow is an tick toward Matrix.The film introduces a stereo type American and since the crew does not speak English, Juan introduces himself by saying "My name is Juan". Get it. It beginning Spanish class the first thing you learn is "Yo me llamo Juan". Very funny.They spoof Bruce Lee with a freeze frame at the end. Ending credits are terrific. There are subtitles so get ready and just read them.The ending credits are really inventive as is the entire film. I have never seen it in a bargain bin, so I will try and make my own copy from a TV showing. I recommend this highly as a very funny, highly inventive, well shot film about the zombie Apocalypse.

When a man notices that a zombie epidemic has overrun his Cuban home-town, he joins forces with his friends to start an eradication service to dispose of them only to realize the inevitable and tries to get them out of the country alive.This turned out to be one of the more flat-out enjoyable zombie efforts around in the last few years with some absolutely great work to this one when it came down to it. The comedy here is the biggest plus, as this seems to be done in the right way with a group of funny people at the center of the storyline rather than just trying to shoehorn the jokes and gags into the proceedings, and there's a lot of fun with the great comedy that comes from both the verbal and physical areas, yet is still smart enough to keep the creatures as true threats and something to be dealt with in a serious matter. This allows for a lot of great gore to come through with some pretty innovative kills and copious bloodletting during the zombie massacres, even though the low-budget shines through and it resorts to clever and ingenious but still cop-out methods of hiding the biggest gore scenes. As well, the fact that the scatter-shot story seems to go all over the place at times is a little problematic, but overall this was a pretty entertaining and enjoyable zombie epic.Rated R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language and Brief Nudity.

I was bored and looking for something new to watch. Nothing on Netflix caught my interest. I searched for video on demand and saw this title on HBO. The title immediately reminded me of Shaun of the dead. I was slightly surprised when the film began and I saw the subtitles. The zombie craze has made its way to Cuba? Fortunately I am bilingual and having worked with Cuban refugees I know a lot about the political climate in that country. It does turn out that the country and its conditions play a major part in what makes this film what it is. However even if you are not that familiar just sit back and be educated. You wont be disappointed. Juan is a loser who surrounds himself with others much like himself. They are all completely clueless as to the cause of the zombie uprising and instead believe what the government is telling them. That the cause of the trouble is merely US interference and that the trouble makers are thus all dissidents. Word to the wise, never believe what your government tells you. Things digress from here. The "dissidents" appear to be gaining ground. Juan and his band of merry miscreants are forced to deal with the new society. This has to be one of the best zombie movies ever. It deserves to be watched by as many as possible. I really hope Hollyweird doesn't decide to make an American version like they do for so many other movies. It's setting are intricate to the plot.