Much Better Than I Expected
S William Shaw | The Nether | 09/28/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The Vanguard is the story of civilization in the near future; a world where governments have collapsed, and "Biosyn" zombies roam the world, outnumbering surviving humans.
The movie focuses on Max (played by Ray Bullock Jr.), a deaf survivor who is holed up in the middle of the woods. We are treated to the manner and lengths Max must go to survive. Ray soon stumbles into a corporation soldier and two resistance fighters. It is here that the story takes off.
For a lower budget flick, The Vanguard features a very immersive and fresh story. The acting is very good, and Ray Bullock Jr. is a real pleasure to watch. He carries the film well for the first thirty minutes, creating a very believable character and a very believable predicament. Emma Choy also adds a sturdy performance as Rachael.
The action is fierce and enjoyable, with flashes of gore. But, with that said, the gore is not overdone to the extreme. You will find plenty of blood, and plenty of satisfying battles with the zombies, but nothing that causes you to turn your head away from the film.
Despite all The Vanguard's good points, it does have several minor flaws, preventing it from being as good as it could have been. The story lulls a bit at times, but not so much that you want to give up on the film. The story also can be unclear at times, but I didn't find this to be too annoying. After all, the film is set in the future; a future where many things have changed and there is much we must be informed about.
Fans of horror, action and zombie flicks should definitely check out this movie. It is a film with some very memorable scenes, and a movie that just might be better the second time around."
Very good film, assuming the viewer isn't a moron
Mike Bartlett | Chatham, Kent United Kingdom | 10/09/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"THE VANGUARD, Matthew Hope's feature debut, is a very enjoyable and highly original film. It's good to see other directors out there at least trying to make original and fresh films, and who have distinctive voices in the genre.
If you like slow paced, cerebral films like Martin and the original The Vanishing then this film will appeal to you. However there is a fairly sizeable chunk of horror fans out there who will just say the film is boring and unoriginal, mainly because their A.D.D. minds are unable to see the depth of the script below the surface level; thus they walk away thinking it's a bunch of zombies in the woods, and believe me it is so much more than that. If you're one of these people you won't enjoy the film - my advice would be to go watch one of those pathetic '8 films to die for' after dark movies - they would be right up your street.
For the rest of us, who can spot a good movie when we see one - THE VANGUARD is a great piece of Post Apocalyptic entertainment. Well done Matthew Hope and team. I look forward to seeing your next film.
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