DVD Reviews

Stake Land – DVD Review

By Jeff Swindoll Jul 29, 2011, 15:41 GMT

America has fallen. A vampiric scourge sweeps the nation, turning brother on brother and parent on child as the blood-hungry beasts take deeper and deeper hold upon the land. It s hard for the survivors to know whether to be more afraid of the creatures themselves or the violent religious groups that have sprung up in response, but there is clearly only one choice: fight or die. Connor Paolo (GOSSIP GIRL) ...more

The quick pitch was probably “The Road… with vampires!”  It might sound like a comedy routine punchline (a similar bit showed up in a parody of a Harry met Sally sequel), but perhaps an apt description.  What happens is that the film is revealed to be a gritty, stake striking powerhouse that makes much of its small budget. 

The United States has fallen.  It wasn’t a debt crisis, but a vampirism plague that brought chaos to the land of the free.  It is still the home of the brave since you have to have buckets of it to venture out in this landscape strewn with bloodsucking beasts. 

Martin (Connor Paolo) finds himself an orphan in this horrifying new world, but he is in the company of “Mister” (Nick Damici), a bad-ass vampire hunter.  Mister is training Martin in the ways of vampire eradication, but the two are also going north to find a fabled “New Eden” that is free of the nightwalkers. 

Along the way they will encounter nun “Sister” (Kelly McGillis), the pregnant Belle (Danielle Harris), ex-military Willie (Sean Nelson), and form a rag-tag family.  They also run afoul of fundamentalist wack-job Jebedia Loven (Michael Cerveris) who swears revenge against Mister and those in his company.

Stake Land doesn’t get it all right, but it gets enough done with its low budget to make it stand out from the crowd of vampire films.  I know I had a helluva time.  I referenced The Road earlier and this film does share a stylistic kinship to that movie/novel in that we have two characters searching for a fabled better land. 

A better comparison may be the Will Smith I am Legend where there’s imagined a vampire-free zone that some characters are striving for.  Stake Land seems to focus on the character bits instead of going for the action/adventure spectacle.  That may have to do with the lack of funds, but it seems to work in the film’s favor. 

For example, our voiceover narration tells us that cities are deathtraps therefore our characters stay away from them.  Good for them, but it also doesn’t have the film crew having to get permits or clear off city streets. 

I think that Nick Damici did a great job with the enigmatic “Mister,” a true man with no name that even resembles Clint Eastwood crossed with Robert Duvall.  His striking performance elevates the film.  So does the turn by Connor Paolo, who is just trying to make heads or tails of this sanguinary upside down world or just keep his neck from getting some fangs in it. 

Trying to be a teenager, but keeping from dying keeps him from doing so.  There are enough moments between these two to make them memorable.  Everyone gets some nice character moments.  Not everything hits it on target, maybe just a little off. 

For example, one character shows up for the finale that I saw that coming even though we were led to believe otherwise.  Also, Danielle, you’re beautiful babe but please stop arching that eyebrow.  Okay, I arch too much as well.  Anybody know of a support group… formed by Leonard Nimoy? 

Some of the vampire makeup works better than others as well.  I can forgive all those things since the rest was some compelling and better than other vampire films of late… you know who you are you sparkly ones.    

Stake Land is presented in widescreen (2.35:1) and is enhanced for 16x9 televisions.  Special features include two commentaries: one from writer/director Jim Mickle, writer/actor Nick Damici, Connor Paolo, and producers Larry Fessenden and Brent Kunkle and the second from Mickle, producers Peter Phok & Adam Folk, director of photography Ryan Samul, sound designer Graham Reznick, and composer Jeff Grace and the 2 minute trailer. 

Stake Land surprises and delights (as much as an “end of the world” film can) in an age of PG-13 dumbing down and sequels (ironically, I’d go see Stake Land 2… such a hypocrite!  Well, unless they screw it up).  I greatly enjoyed “Mister” and how the production used their budget to the best of their ability.  Bravo.

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