Coming to DVD and Digital HD tomorrow (September 1, 2015) is the horror film Extinction.
Extinction stars Matthew Fox (TV’s “Lost”), Jeffrey Donovan (TV’s “Burn Notice”), Quinn McColgan and Clara Logo.
Extinction doesn’t waste much time getting started. The movie opens with survivors from a zombie apocalypse being bused by the military to a safe location. On board the bus are best friends Patrick (Fox) and Jack (Donvan), along with Patrick’s wife Emma and their infant daughter Lu (played by McColgan as a child).
When the bus comes under siege from a mass of zombies, everyone takes off running. During the chaos Patrick loses sight of his wife and daughter. They are eventually found, but it’s too late. Thankfully Lu survived.
Fast forward nine years. Both men live side by side in houses in the middle of a barren, frozen landscape. Even though it’s pretty much the end of the world, the two men do not speak to one another.
Patrick spends his days going into the city to look for food and supplies, and his nights on a radio transmitter trying to find other survivors. He also has an obvious drinking problem.
Jack is now raising Lu as his own daughter (the reason why comes to light about half way through the film). He is fiercely protective of Lu and keeps her under lock and key inside the house to protect her. Lu has no idea that Patrick is her real father.
One of of his visits into the city Patrick makes a startling discovery – the zombies are back and they have found at way to survive the harsh, freezing temperatures. They are also blind and ghostly white.
Patrick gets away from the zombie (barely) and races back to his home to warm Jack and Lu.
Will Patrick make it back in time? Are there more of these strange zombies lurking about? Will humanity survive? To find out you need to pick up a copy (or download) Extinction available where movies are sold (or downloaded) tomorrow, September 1, 2015.
I’m a huge fan of horror movies and I have liked zombie films since the original Dawn of the Dead (1978). Over the years there have been more zombie movies than I can count. I’d have to say that at least 75% of them (if not more) are duds. I was pleasantly surprised by Extinction.
The film was not very scary (at least for me) but for the easily squeamish you’ll find yourself jumping out of your seat a lot. There are plenty of scenes where things pop out at you when you least expect it.
The zombies are pretty cool in this film, although they seem more like alien creatures than a zombie. They are freakishly all white (like snow white), blind, have fangs and have strange ears that are alien-like. They also don’t move like zombies. Typical zombies either walk slowly (as if they are in a trance) or in the case of World War Z, they are super fast and ravenous. The zombies in this film do not strike me as zombies.
It was weird seeing Matthew Fox in this film. He’s normally such a handsome man (thinking back to his “Lost” days). In this film he seems very gaunt and sickly. I guess he intentionally looks that way for this movie role. However Jeffrey Donovan looks just like he does in other film’s he’s been in. If they made Matthew Fox intentionally “sickly” looking, why wouldn’t they do the same for Donvan?
The young actress who played the role of Lu, Quinn McColgan, did very well. Surprisingly she looked very healthy and like a normal child in this film even though there was a lack of food and basic necessities. She was also a very brave girl. Where most kids would have totally lost it, Lu was able to handle being attacked by zombies bravely. Not me! If I was under attack, or even knew they were around, I would lock myself away some where. LOL!
I was surprised that I really liked this film. I was thinking it could have been a dud since it was “straight to DVD,” but let’s face it, movies that do make it into theaters can be even worse – case in point – Oujia and all the Insidious films. This film was actually pretty good. I enjoyed it. I just wish it had a better ending.
Extinction will available on DVD tomorrow (September 1, 2015). Look for the film where ever movies are sold.
Below is the trailer for your entertainment.
Kimberly
*I received a free screener copy in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.
Kari says
My teenagers always like a good zombie movie. Definitely adding this to my Netflix list. Thanks!