Dead good fun

Zombie movies are a genre that has been done to death (pun definitely intended) but I can think of no better setting to explore the relationship between characters who have nothing in common yet are bound together by circumstance.

Films of this nature have been set all over the world, from Africa to the US and Europe. However, this is the first zombie movie set in the Middle East and, more specifically, Bahrain.

Shot across several recognisable locations on the island including the BIC, 338 Adliya and Sitra Mall, the film follows a unique band of misfits as they share their struggles in the wake of an undead rising.

The opening sequence sets the tone for the rest of the film. It follows a young girl as she comes home from the supermarket, listening to the radio where a doctor is trying to warn people of the dangers of a mysterious illness sweeping the country.

As she makes her way into the house, she tries to find her brother, who is nowhere to be seen. She calls him as she wanders through the house and tries to explain she’s brought him some food.

She eventually finds him dead in the bathroom and as she turns to find her phone and call an ambulance, he rises up and well, let’s just say, she shouldn’t have wasted her money on the food.

As the film progresses, the audience is introduced to the characters who make up the band of survivours. There’s Samara (Miraya Varma), a superficial party girl with an attitude, May (Senay Dincsoy), a bereaved young woman in the wrong place at the wrong time, Wolf ( Mohammed Buidrees), a big man with a no nonsense attitude, TJ, (Ahmed Zayani), a wayward soul with a love of George A Romero and Reem (Heba Hashim) a young, aspiring musician.

Sooner or later they all find themselves at an event at 338 Adliya, which is surprisingly empty, aside from a few stragglers.

As is the case with zombie movies, someone gets bitten, they bite someone-else, then eventually it’s chaos and only a small group remain.

They seek refuge in a mall where things go from bad to worse as they encounter other survivors who are, shall we say, less than accommodating.

The best parts of the movie come from the interaction between the contrasting characters and the idea that they’re stuck together regardless of whether they like it.

Samara was a good character to have in this movie and because of her attitude, the group seemed to have more hatred for her than the hoard of undead chasing them, no small feat.

Although the movie tries hard to have a serious fear element, there are also light-hearted moments of comedy. The best example of this is when the survivors are sitting around describing who they are and what they do. Eventually, badass-looking Wolf’s turn comes around and he announces he’s a hair dresser ... genius!

My favourite part of the movie came in the form of a cameo appearance by my friend, Bara Abudulla. Although he was playing himself, the funny man really nailed the part and brought a much-needed sense of reality to the movie.

Also worth noting is the soundtrack, which is comprised of songs by local Bahrain bands, further highlighting the talent in the kingdom.

The film was clearly made on a modest budget and some of the actors’ performances are far from Oscar-worthy but Dead Sands still manages to show the potential Bahrain has to make a unique contribution to global cinema.
 
For a first effort, this movie wasn’t bad and I think with a bigger budget and slightly more experienced actors, there’s definitely potential for another Bahrain-based movie to be a hit, this looks like just the tip of the iceberg ... or, more aptly, sand dune.

All proceeds made from the box office and home video sales will benefit The Bahrain Red Crescent Society.