Larry’s review published on Letterboxd:
Film Number 23 on PinHeadLarry145's 30 Days 30 Countries Film Challenge!
Cuba, 2011
As I sit here in Florida, staring out at the ocean, I find myself reflecting on lots of things. But I also think about the country that is a few hour boat ride away from here.
Cuba.
Of course this country has had its fair share of difficulties and unsavory history. Today Cuba is still a lot different than many societies which makes films like these very easy to enjoy. It's almost like they made this film so everyone could heave a big sigh of relief and confirm that Cuba is slowly but surely moving away from its hostile reputation. Juan of the Dead is basically (if you couldn't tell) a Cuban Shaun of the Dead. Its a great blend of horror/comedy and surprisingly the whole zombie fad doesn't seem to annoy the piss out of me here. I guess when its a film that focuses on fun and its not some melodramatic cash grab with an inflated budget (I'm looking at you, World War Z) I'm more inclined to have a better time. While this film doesn't quite reach the same comedic and emotional heights as its London born cousin, its still a very enjoyable film on its own that still deserves the attention of anyone looking for a good laugh.
Juan of the Dead does take some different directions from the typical "survive the night" or "get to the pub" plot setup. This one takes some amusing turns and even includes Juan running a service where he kills your zombified loved ones. The film also has some commentaries on Cubas past and often finds itself bordering on satire. The shtick starts to run thin and the films comedic power and charismatic leads started to run out of steam. But maybe that was just me? Most likely.
This film was a great little distraction movie and was an amusing take on both the comedy/horror and zombie genres. It comes from a country who could've used a good laugh at certain points in its long history.
I doubt it would've singlehandedly diffused the Cuban Missile Crisis, but people still could've used a laugh.
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