Zombie Watch! Part 4
Dead Set
If you like zombie movies or even horror movies in general and haven’t yet seen this British mini-series, you really really oughta check it out.
Dead Set is intense and is probably one of the scariest zombie stories I’ve seen, with impeccable horror timing and writing that blends dark and cynical humor with social critique and a genuine love for the characters. Yes, Dead Set has fast zombies, a point of contention with some, and it also goes for the graphic and grotesque when it comes to some of the zombie feasting scenes so this is not a zombie movie for the weak of stomach. However, these elements work as part of a very disturbing whole and aren’t thrown in as mere window dressing.
In short, Dead Set takes place in and around the Big Brother house and begins on eviction night when there are massive live crowds surrounding the house. Of course those crowds become food and vectors for the zombies, but the people in the Big Brother house have no idea what is happening, cocooned away within their complex. The protagonist is a young production assistant played by Jaime Winstone who gets into the house and warns the Big Brother contestants about what is happening. Winstone manages a really wonderful mix of strength and fear, fragility and toughness that gives the character of Kelly a great deal of depth. She is an easy protagonist to both root for and identify with.
Of course no matter how secure, no matter how well defended, the zombies always manage to get in. Dead Set, like many of the Romero films, is explicit in showing that when the living start fighting each other, the zombies always benefit.
I won’t give away much about the story because you should just rent the video and watch it. Dead Set is definitely at the top of the list for freaky and frightening zombie experiences.