The Battery (2012) (Blu-ray Review)
Directed By: Jeremy Gardner
Starring: Jeremy Gardner, Adam Cronheim
Rated: UR/Region A/1:85/1080p/Number of Discs 1
Available from: Scream Factory
Two former baseball players, Ben (Jeremy Gardner) and Mickey (Adam Cronheim), cut an aimless path across a desolate New England. They stick to the back roads and forests to steer clear of the shambling corpses that patrol the once bustling cities and towns. In order to survive, they must overcome the stark differences in each other’s personalities: Ben embraces an increasingly feral, lawless, and nomadic lifestyle, while Mickey is unable to accept the harsh realities of the new world. Mickey refuses to engage in Ben’s violent games and longs for the creature comforts he once took for granted: a bed, a girl and a safe place to live. When the men intercept a radio transmission from a seemingly thriving, protected community, Mickey will stop at nothing to find it, even though it is made perfectly clear that he is not welcome.
We have seen many zombie themed horror films that focus more on character than the zombies, but nine times out of every ten the characters suck. That isn’t at all the case here with, The Battery. A zombie movie that might be the best zombie movie in about ten years or more, if I am to be honest with you. In this movie we follow two (now former) baseball team mates as they journy through a world with little to no other life other than flesh eating zombies. That much time with anyone can cause lots of inner problems and that is the case here. However, this is a rare case where you won’t mind the limited zombie action because the story and characters seem strong enough overall to overcome the lack of living dead for the most part.
The movie does clock in at around the one hour and forty minutes mark. That could be seen as the one downside to the film. While that is a matter of taste and opinion, I can say I didn’t mind it at all and I usually hate when films go longer than an hour and a half. I think the best way to put into words what you get with The Battery is by saying that it is a film that manages to touch on a very realistic and human tone. Horror can use more of that these days. The flick also offers up a very cool soundtrack with a portable CD player coming into play more than once. If you like an actual story that has some feeling to it, then check out The Battery as soon as you can. Here, the film’s transfer is on par with any other good looking HD indie horror film and I don’t think the clear and clean look will bother anyone. Overall, it is a great release and kudos to Scream Factory for releasing this.
- Audio Commentary
- The Making of The Battery
- Outtake Reel
- Featurette On The Music Of The Battery
- Theatrical Trailer
