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Cast: Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Laurie Holden, Sarah Wayne Callies, Emma Bell
After waking from a coma in an abandoned hospital, police officer Rick Grimes finds the world he knew gone - ravaged by a zombie epidemic of apocalyptic proportions. Nearby, on the outskirts of Atlanta, a small encampment struggles to survive as 'the dead' stalk them at every turn. Can Rick and the others hold onto their humanity as they fight to live in this terrifying new world? And, amidst dire conditions and personal rivalries, will they ultimately survive one another?
I never read Robert Kirkman's "The Walking Dead" graphic novels but I have heard a lot about them so when I heard AMC was producing a series basic off those classic novels I was both excited and a little leary since there has been so maybe zombie films made in recent years, most of which were nothing to write home about. AMC ordered only six episodes to start with since it was a new show and I am sure they wanted to make sure the public would take to it first which is understandable. Like I said I never read the novels but I do know they were more about human survival than zombies and I am happy to say the series follows them perfectly. Now don't get me wrong the series contains plenty of the flesh-eating creatures but they do take a back seat to the lives of the characters. The drama is engaging and realistic, the story deals with friendship, loyalty and sacrificing one's self for family and friends. All of this occurring within a zombie apocalypse makes for an incredible and interesting story.
The cast is excellent from top to bottom but it's the leads, Andrew Lincoln as Rick and Jon Bernthal as Shane that are the show's backbone at least through the first six episodes. I can't bring up the cast without mentioning Michael Rooker, he is fantastic in the few episodes he's in and I hope is character is going to be in season two. You might be wondering what the zombies are like here since it is about them as well, all I can say is fan's are going to love the blood and guts and the effects are terrific. The productions values are magnificent all around and Director, Frank Darabont did an amazing job adapting the novels and bringing all the elements of the story to life. Like I said "The Walking Dead" is more a character driven story but there is a perfect mix of both drama and horror here. Both the DVD set and Blu-ray contain some terrific extras that include:
Inside THE WALKING DEAD Episodes 1-6
A Sneak Peek with Robert Kirkman
Behind the Scenes Zombie Make-Up Tips
Convention Panel with Producers
THE WALKING DEAD Trailer
Season two begins this fall and I for one cannot wait, I was totally hooked after the first episode and by the end of the sixth I was left wanting more. For those of you that have seen the series I don't have to tell you how great it is but for those that might of missed it I highly recommend picking it now that it is available on home video. You can order the Blu-ray HERE and the DVD HERE.
Released by Anchor Bay Entertainment
***** Out Of *****