Stake Land

Directed by Jim Mickle
Starring Conner Paolo, Nick Damici, Kelly McGillis, Daniell Harris


The good old U S of A has finally gone to Hell in a hand basket in this dark nihilist apocalyptic vision of writer/director Jim Mickle and writer/ actor Nick Damici. The team of Mickle and Damici paint a bleak and desperate picture of a broken down country with no government or legal systems enforced. Society has abandoned this once great nation where the only law is kill or be killed.
The war in the Middle East is over, the East has been decimated as the result of a plague. We are not told if this is the work of biological warfare, chemical warfare or something bigger like, maybe of biblical proportions. Out from the plague, spawns an evil, vampires have taken over the country. Homes become abandoned or converted to over sized coffins for those who decide to take their own lives. Roads and highways become desolate except for the dead bodies of vamps and humans littering the road sides.
Stake Land is not the first time  Mickle and Damici have collaborated on a film. Back in 2006 the impressive Mulberry Street made it's debut as part of the 8 Films to Die For , Horror Festival. Mulberry Street shares the theme of a hostile take over but on a much smaller scale.A group of New Yorkers band together  to prevent their apartment building from being taken over by mutated rat like zombies. It's pretty scary stuff.
Stake Land will not gain any points for originality, I did see influences from Richard Matheson's I am legend to George Romero's zombie trilogy to most recently both The Road and Zombieland. But still all I can say is wow what an extraordinary piece of story telling, everything just gels making this one of my favourites of the year so far.
Teen ager Martin (Paolo) has just witnessed the slaughter of his family including a newborn infant by a nasty looking vampire, any movie  with a violent death  towards a baby and you know all bets are off, as I found myself wondering how far and what direction the film makers would take this beast.Rescued by Mister, the newly orphaned Martin is taken under the wing of the much older and experienced vampire hunter. Mister who is portrayed by co writer Nick Damici reminds me of a Charles Bronson type . One who is minimal with his actions and words but very tough and cool and doesn't tolerate any bullshit when his life is on the line. Mister teaches Martin the skills he will need to survive a world overshadowed by creatures of the night.
This is a road movie , and the two protagonists head north to New Eden as Canada is now christened. No vamps have been spotted there. Making their way north they save Sister ( McGillis ) a nun who has been beaten and  possibly raped by a pair of members of a left wing extremist religious group, The Brotherhood. This will not be the last time they will deal with this fanatic religious cult. Other members of their make shift family will include a young pregnant teen ( Harris ) and Willie a young black soldier just returning from the war in the Middle East. All these characters are brought to life by competent acting, you will  empathize with the  characters and fear for them as they challenge the situations thrown upon them. This is no stroll through an amusement park, and no teen aged girl in her right mind would want to date one of these vamps.
Given the current events in the world it's not difficult  to compare the religious extremists of the Middle East to that of the film's The Brotherhood whom brings terrorism to areas thought to be safe havens ,by dropping vamps from hovering helicopters. The scene of the two extremist beating  and potentially raping the nun could represent the religions of the East not respecting the religious ways of the West.

My Final Thoughts: Unlike Zombieland which occasionally went for the odd funny bone, Stake Land opts for the throat. It takes itself and it's subject matter dead serious. A triumph of good story telling over budget. And then there is the brilliant score by Jeff Grace.

My Rating: Five Go Go Girls Out of Five