Exit Humanity: Surprises DO come in cheap packages

(note: Smart readers will notice this isn't a Tuesday. Sig-Other had to work late so I snuck in a little Affair time!)

Let me preface this review by stating that this movie was made with a budget of $300K Canadian. CANADIAN.

So although I was totally stoked about the combination of civil war era and Zombies (yes, please!),  knowing the budget meant that I was braced and ready for a let-down. So much so that I had an alternative movie lined up as a bail-out to watch, just in case I had to pull the rip-cord to eject at about 20-30 minutes in.

However, within the first 10 minutes I was completely hooked. Not only did director John Geddes find a way to make a good Zombie movie with his meager budget, he made a good movie. Period.

Good cinematography (which this has in spades with the western Canada backdrop filling in as the American west) tends to make up for a lot of shortcomings. But frankly the casting, acting, Zombie make-up, special effects, and story were all well done.

Speaking of Zombie make-up, the period-dress-correct Zombies were awesome!

Brian Cox's voice-over was a welcome addition, filling in some story gaps and making the occasional animated parts even better. Animation you say? Don't think "cartoon", but more like the moving illustrations that are popular in movies like the current Sherlock Holmes franchise. The style is very similar and almost could have been done by the same artist.

Okay, I'm sounding a bit like a fanboy. I better reel it in a bit.

It does get a little slow in a few parts. Truthfully the movie could have been a little shorter. With some concise editing it could easily been 90 minutes instead of 108 minutes and have better flow. There were also a few plot elements that were stolen from other iconic Zombie fair. Faithful "Walking Dead" viewers will take note of something very much like the "Sophia incident" from season two, and the military dictator-like character that pops up in several movies like "28 Days".

Understand that I am being really picky with what I stated above. I had to actually look for shortcomings to write about so this doesn't sound like a paid review!

My verdict? On a "Zombie Movie Scale of 1-10" I'd give this one an 8.

Yes, an 8.

The setting of the mid-1800's with its lack of tech and feel of isolation, combined with the high production value made me feel like THIS version of a Zombie apocalypse truly was the end of the world.

WATCH IT IF: you're looking for something different from the typical Zombie movie plot, like anything that has to do with the period around the American Civil War, or you just like beautiful scenery combined with dead folks stumbling about.

DON'T WATCH IT IF: you greatly dislike anything Canadian, like your Zombie-fighting heroes outfitted with super-high-tech weaponry accompanied by a hip-hop soundtrack, or you and your kin are still angry about that whole Civil War thing and are truly waiting for the South to rise again.

Exit Humanity is available right now on NetFlix and Amazon Prime.

More info can be found on IMDB here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1781812/.

BONUS: If you know me, you know that I'm a home-brewer and a general beer nut. I broke out the perfect beer to drink while viewing this movie: LA FIN DU MONDE ("The End of the World"). A fine triple made with spices in Quebec. It has a 9.5 ABV and goes great with bloodshed and despair. YUM!

Up next: A two-for-one review of "Brain Dead" and "Dead Snow".