Stake Land (2010)

By far the best horror film I've seen this year and probably going to be the contender for best horror film of 2011 just about beating Black Death. The film is full of dread, macabre, terror, pain and sadness but also filled with hope. The acting is surprisingly good for a independent, low-budget vampire/apocalypse flick with Nick Damici and Connor Paolo being the standout and to me breakthrough performances as vampire hunters on a journey to salvation. The atmosphere,vampires and unbalanced human beings doing evil deeds against one another sends chills down my spine and is terrifying and raw that makes this movie stand above the rest of its kind and raises the bar for vampire/apocalypse movies, it packs a bleak punch. The movie kind of though goes through similar territory from movies like The Road, Carriers, Daybreakers, Zombieland without the comedy aspect and a dose of Black Death but it still manages to stand on its own and it's very novel in its own right. The movie is pretty brutal throughout and doesn't hold back and is definitely not for the faint of heart or the easily offended and that's what I like about this movie because it's very bold and brave and is balls to the wall type of attitude that's rare and usually can't be found in most wide released, mainstream horror flicks and it's like a present to fans who like their vampire movies hard and mean and are sick of movies like Twilight who are giving them a bad name, so thanks for this movie it's a gem! Overall I was impressed and a movie like this deserves all the fans it can get and deserves a wide release and not shocking it doesn't because Hollywood is too dense to see a great movie even if it slaps it in the face! The ending left it open for a sequel so I really hope we get to see the light of day of Stake Land 2, bring it on geniuses. Highly recommended! 3.5 stars out of 5 stars.

Fmovies: While I did enjoy this movie, I am by no means in love with it. To me it seems a bit like a modern True Grit mixed with I Am Legend. Bear in mind that's not a bad thing. I'm just using a reference to recent movies as a context. Although I will say that I am already a bit dismayed with the whole sub-genre of "Let's get to the last piece of unspoiled humanity by killing our way through zombies/vampires/what have you".

I like to think the film is really more about the bond that holds humanity together rather than killing vampires to get to some fabled promised land. Sure, killing bad guys is fun, but it's rather meaningless without knowing why the characters protect each other. I quite like the whole "Us against the world" feel of the film. To me the plot line was only so-so, but what really got my attention was the acting. Certainly not Oscar material, but everyone is just about perfect for their part. When all is said and done, I'd definitely recommend it for what it is...I just kind of wish it didn't have to be all about vampires.

Jim Mickle has crafted a complete world of bad guys, vampires, and enough evil people to make the entire paranoid world. This is one of the most complete-feeling pictures I've seen in a long time. The characters really feel like they're in this alternate universe of Mad Max meets I Am Legend.

Also, you will learn many important tips for surviving the coming zombie/alien/vampire apocalypse. Cyclone fencing and chicken wire over your car's windows when you sleep at night. And garlic oil on your stake doesn't hurt.

There are some beautiful images in this movie too, with wonderful performances throughout. Now get out of my way, I gotta go kill some vampires...

Stake Land fmovies. After reading some of these reviews, i thought they were a bit harsh. But with that said, i respect there opinions about this movie.

I enjoyed this movie, from start to finish i was well entertain, sure it's gloomy, the story is simple, the action was good, and so was the script, there might not have been many words spoken in the movie, but it fits in well to make you feel like immerse in there gloomy Vamp filled world.

Everyone in the movie acted well yes, there is no big name actors, and i'm happy about that. You don't need big name actors to make a good movie.

Not sure what other people expected from Stake Land, but i got what i expected, survivors trying to survive, not just trying to survive against vamps, but also against human desperation and cruelness.

Decent acting, decent script, great movie, 9 out of 10

Watched this film last night and was amazed at the level of suspense kept throughout the picture. From the opening scene to the final credits it manages to keep you on edge, mostly with clever use of flicking backwards and forwards between day and night so regularly. The whole post apocalyptic world portrayed is fantastically grey and creepy and the addition of a religious fundamelist outfit takes the film to another level. The acting is solid and all of the main characters hold their own independently. Nick Damici should be proud of his writing and acting in this and also newcomer director Jim Mickle will be one to watch out for in the future. All in all if you like vamp films then this is an interesting twist on the genre, definitely a must see !

Ever since the success of 28 Days Later back in 2002, the post- apocalyptic genre of films has been a crowded market with its fair share of successes and failures. Notable releases such as The Road and Zombieland have been accompanied by such misfires as Doomsday and I Am Legend that, whilst entertaining, ultimately failed to hit their mark. Stakeland is a brave and accomplished entry in Jim Mickle's career, and although there are only a handful of original ideas throughout the film, the ideas taken from other movies are handled with enough skill that they serve only to enhance the overall viewing experience. It must be said, some of the director's own ideas are fantastic and show a great potential for the future - a future that the ragged band of survivors we follow throughout Stakeland may not be able to enjoy.

After our protagonist is saved from a disastrous situation which leaves him as the sole survivor of his family, he is taken under the wing of his rescuer; the elusive 'Mister', whose similarities to Whistler from Blade appear to be more than pure coincidence. Together,they embark on a road trip that tests them to their very limits as they encounter a whole host of dangers and struggle to survive whilst roaming throughout North America, picking up a number of travelling companions on the way.

In a storyline not too dissimilar to The Mist, some surviving factions of humans believe that God has sent the vampires to punish humanity and it is these that pose almost as much danger to our band of travellers as the dangerous breeds of vampire that stalk them. These cults are a welcome addition to the film, enhancing the aspect of danger and providing the basis for some of the film's more memorable moments in a standout scene where a supposedly safe town is assaulted from the air.

The initially nameless main character - played brilliantly by Connor Paolo (the spitting image of a young Colin Farrel) - has his life turned upside down at the start of the movie, however, we do not get to see how the whole world initially turned upside down, and the cause of the vampire's origins is rarely touched upon. His story is told through countless monologues that overlay the fantastic imagery of sparse vistas and urban decay, creating a sense of scale that is far beyond what we see on the screen. Whilst the other characters we meet do not have enough time to develop fully, they all play an essential part in the story, and although some scenes could have been far more powerful if the audience were affected by their plight, the suspense was enough to keep me on my edge of the seat throughout.

There are few scares to be found in Stakeland but the overall sense of foreboding doom and the generous helpings of violence and gore should please the majority of horror fans. Anyone with even a passing interest in post-apocalyptic films will definitely take a lot from Stakeland and although it is not quite a genre classic, it will certainly become a cult favourite in a few years time.

If you like this, you will love these:

The Road, 28 Days Later, Near Dark, The Signal