Genre: Horror

Director: Colin Minihan

Cast: Brittany Allen, Juan Riedinger, and Merwin Mondesir

Studio: Dark Sky Films

Runtime: 92 minutes

Release Date: On VOD and blu-ray September 26, 2017

Rated: Not Rated

Rating ★★★★★

I must admit, I’m growing wearisome of zombies. I still love them; however, when it comes to movies, television shows, or video games it seems the market is oversaturated with walking corpses. So whenever a new zombie flick comes out, my first thought is “how is this one different?”

It Stains the Sands Red, directed by Colin Minihan, takes place in the midst of an apocalypse overrun with flesh-eating undead creatures. The story follows Molly (Brittany Allen) who is left stranded and forced to traverse the Nevada desert, but she’s not alone. Following her is a bloodthirsty zombie (Juan Riedinger) that seems hell-bent on devouring her.

The biggest praise I can give It Stains the Sands Red is that it’s the most original zombie film I’ve seen in years. It forgoes the traditional walking dead tropes to deliver a film with a heavy emphasis on survival rather than horror. While there are some chinks in the armor, the overall viewing experience is still an enjoyable one.

The film does start off on the wrong foot with a cartoony opening act with Molly and her boyfriend Nick (Merwin Mondesir). Yes, while it does set up how she ends up in desert by herself, the chain of events that cause her solidarity feels incredibly forced and almost laughable. Thankfully, once the pieces are set in motion, the movie gains focus, picking up momentum in the second act.

What makes It Stains the Sands Red work so well is how minimal it is. The film focuses not just on Molly squaring off with the zombie but against nature as well. Carrying only a handful of supplies, and a harsh desert ahead of her, most of the thrills comes from figuring her out how to survive the environment for another day.

This suspense is elevated by one dedicated performance by Allen who carries the film. She portrays Molly as tough, skilled, and although she makes some questionable decisions, (who wastes water willingly when they’re stuck in the hot desert), she’s still empathetic and likeable.

Surprisingly Riedinger is equally entertaining as the zombie. His make-up does need a bit of work, but his performance shines as he physically gives it his all. Despite having no lines of dialogue, except snarls and growls, he shares a weird chemistry with Allen that somehow works.

It Stands the Sands Red however starts to lose steam in its last act. It loses the survival feel conveyed throughout the majority of the film and opts instead or a more clichéd action-horror route. It almost felt as though Minihan and co-writer Stuart Ortiz wrote themselves into a corner and said “screw it,” and came up with an ending that defies logic.

This leads to another issue which is the inconsistency with the writing. It Stains the Sands Red juggles a variety of tones, going from thrilling to darkly comedic which clash at times, especially during a scene when Molly comes across other survivors midway through the film that leads to a sequence which feels exploitive with no sense of purpose for the story.

Overall, It Stains the Sands Red is a solid zombie flick. Those who are fans of the genre and are looking for something different than what The Walking Dead has been offering will be entertained.

For more on this film visit Dark Sky Films
http://darkskyfilms.com/stains-sands-red/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itstainsthesandsred/

Twitter @darkskyfilms #ItStainstheSandsRed

All Photos: ©2017 Dark Sky Films. All Rights Reserved.

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