The Place For The Latest Movie Reviews
Cast: Josh Grote, Parker Quinn, Liesel Kopp, Maria Olsen
Ken (Josh Grote) is a wandering and unassuming serial killer who enters a forsaken and empty diner during the graveyard shift. After a long conversation with the diner’s lone waitress Rose, (Maria Olsen) Ken kills her and promptly delivers the same fate to the diner’s cook Fred (Jorge Montalvo). As Ken cleans up the bloody mess and deposits Rose and Fred in the walk-in freezer, company arrives. A young, unhappy married couple Rob (Parker Quinn) and Kathy (Liesel Kopp) stop by the diner only to be followed by the arrival of Sheriff Duke Purdett (Larry Purtell). Ken now finds himself in the middle of a rousing game of cat and mouse which he manages well until the unthinkable happens. Back from the dead, Rose and Fred emerge from the freezer and start walking around! Once an unflappable serial killer, Ken now holds the young couple and wounded sheriff captive, trying frantically to escape the zombie predators!
DIEner could of easily been one of those films that just fails on every level, one of those that takes and borrows so much from other films that it comes up empty but with some good writing and off-the-wall characters it instead becomes a gem of a horror/comedy all on it's own. The story is about Ken, a man who just wanders from town to town doing what he does best, killing people. Ken is a serial killer and a good one at that, when he walks into to an empty diner late one night he takes his time talking to the waitress Rose which ends in her doom and then Ken quickly delivers the same fate to the diner's cook, Fred. After a quick clean-up he puts the bodies in a walk-in freezer and assumes the job behind the counter right in time for new customers including a married couple and Sheriff Duke. Soon after everyone including Ken are surprised to find Rose and Fred undead and the mayhem and laughs begin. I will not argue the comparison to "Zombieland" here but be careful in comparing the film to any other like it because DIEner brings it's on brand of gore and dark humor and it is fresh and hilarious. The film is set inside the diner the whole time but it works well and the cast did a terrific job playing these delicious characters. If you like your horror a little nasty with a dose of humor tossed in then I have to recommend checking this one out. The production values were pretty high considering the budget here, the effects were well done and the camera work and lighting were perfect. DIEner really isn't a film that needs to be set-up much as far as story goes, all you need is to dim the lights, grab your favorite beverage and kick back and enjoy the ride. Sure some will compare this to others like it but after watching it I found DIEner to be funny, gory, clever, different and original enough to be a blast all on it's own.
The DVD comes with special features that include:
Behind The Scenes Footage
Photo Gallery
Trailer
You can order DIEner at Osiris Entertainment's web site HERE.
Released by Osiris Entertainment
**** Out Of *****