Dead Alive

So, this is carnage, total carnage and nothing but carnage. I didn't have quite the fun I was expecting from some of the reviews, but I can say for sure that if there are any films that can be described as exceptional, unforgettable or unrepeatable, one of them is the disgusting, but in its own way terribly charming and captivating Braindead. Peter Jackson wasn't afraid of anything at the beginning of his career, and where other horror directors would put the brakes on and tease the viewer's imagination, he, on the contrary, stomps on the gas with all his might, perhaps teasing the viewer's stomach juices. His Braindead is simply an indescribable spectacle, with a well-developed humorous side, which, combined with a likeable main character, runs like clockwork from the beginning, and with an absolutely incredible last act that completely rewrote the history of all brutal and bloody films and raised the bar to an unsurpassed level in this respect. Blood spurts, limbs fly and ribcages are torn from bodies, but the viewer laughs, laughs and keeps laughing... How does Jackson do it? 4.5* (09/26/2012)

There was a time when I was in love with Peter Jackson and had great fun with Braindead, but when I put it on again today it failed to match my flawless memories. It is very bloody and insane, with a lot of memorable funny scenes, but the overall impression… I don’t know, it’s like an amusement park. Over-the-top characters, over-the-top action, all intentional, of course, but I’ve already learned to like different stuff. I’m bringing the original five stars down, and I’m not sure whether four or three. (05/16/2008)

This is simply a legend. For me, the best horror comedy I have ever seen. Every time I watch it, I am thrilled. This is simply something unforgettable. When I saw it for the first time a while ago, it imprinted on my memory so deeply that I still can't forget it. And it will never happen. Peter Jackson was still indulging in stop motion animation at that time. Where are those times? And the dark humor... Simply magnificent. This is worth always remembering. I don't understand how this movie couldn't have been chosen for the book 101 Horrors You Must See Before You Die. (01/05/2014)

At times really unreal butchery, often even maybe 10 minutes without a break just insane carnage, blood, slime, and other streams of filth of various kinds.)) However, the style is undeniable, as well as some really funny moments (the scene at the table comes to mind right now – mom vs. kids :)) and I especially admire Peter Jackson for being able to film it like that and having the courage to let it out like that. And until recently I thought Raimi was the biggest pervert in this genre :)))) (02/11/2010)

An old fortune teller's magical talisman carves its way through the protagonist's mother's belly, where she has trapped her son so he won't run off with his immigrant love. Freud takes it on the ass in a big way at the end, and rightly so. For a story that was no doubt originally intended to be just a thread through an incredible compilation of death and mutilation, it really goes the distance. And I suspect Frank Walsh's writing hand behind it, adding a certain mischievous woman's touch to the scripts of this enthusiastic nutcase. Just as it was the first time as a young adolescent, and still is now, the greatest satisfaction for me is not the lawnmower dance, but the very final gasp after the protagonist is free of the reins of a basement full of corpses and the emotional blackmail of his rotting mother. I also kept falling under my seat laughing during the scene at the children's park. (06/22/2020)