RetarDead

RetarDead is a 2008 horror-comedy film directed by Dan West and Rick Popko that set out to blur the line between outright silliness and dark-themed horror. The trio, Rick Popko, Tony Adams, and Michael Allen, are the leading actors in the film, accompanied by Shamika Baker.

At its heart, RetarDead is a zombified version of the classic mad scientist story. It follows the ambitious but morally corrupt Dr. Stern, portrayed by Dan Burr, who harnesses the power of science for nefarious purposes. Dr. Stern works at the "Butte County Institute of Special Education" where he is researching a groundbreaking serum intended to increase human intelligence. Initially, his intentions seem noble, intending to use this breakthrough to better educate the intellectually disabled students of his institute.

However, his experiment goes awry, and instead of creating a group of intellectually enhanced individuals, Dr. Stern inadvertently creates a horde of ravenous, flesh-eating zombies. As the serum spreads, the situation spirals out of control and soon all Hell breaks loose in Butte County. It is left to a pair of intrepid detectives, played by Popko and West themselves, to try and halt the zombies before they can wipe out the entire county.

Rick Popko, who plays the bumbling Detective McGoogle, brings a sense of slapstick humor to balance the gruesome scenes, while Tony Adams, as the insane Dr. Stern, adds an extra dimension of unpredictability to the narrative. Michael Allen, as Detective O'Malley, is the straight man to Popko's comic character, grounding the film with sincere performances. Shamika Baker appears throughout the film as one of Dr. Stern's assistants, becoming intertwined in the plot in unanticipated ways.

RetarDead is filled with copious amounts of gore, yet much of it is presented in a deliberately over-the-top fashion that distinguishes it from the typical tone of other, more serious horror films. The creative zombie makeup and effects set against the low-budget backdrop of the film only enhances its cult appeal.

Juxtaposed to this grotesque transformation of Butte County is an overbearing comedic element. The movie is punctuated by a plethora of slapstick humor, gross-out jokes, and frequent parody elements – a mix that has proved divisive among audiences. While the humor is definitely not for everyone, RetarDead is a film that carves out an unconventional niche of its own somewhere between horror spoof and old-school gore-fest.

RetarDead has a distinctive place in the B-Movie universe, largely due to its unique brand of gory, juvenile humor blended with horror. It’s unconventional, off-kilter, and crass at times. However, it is these very elements, coupled with the utterly surprising plot twists and wacky personalities of the characters, that set it apart from the mainstream horror-comedy genre.

Do not expect a typical zombie movie from RetarDead. Instead, brace yourself for a surprisingly enjoyable journey of dark comedy stitched together with laugh-out-loud moments, balanced with grim instances of horror, add to that an array of outlandish characters who are as unpredictable as the plot itself.

Although not a cinematic masterpiece, RetarDead has all the traits of a cult classic. It pays homage to the splatter films of the 70s and 80s while infusing its unique brand of humor and absurdity. If you're looking for a low-budget, independent horror-comedy that doesn't take itself too seriously, RetarDead might just hit the spot. So, if over-the-top gore and borderline absurd comedy with a fair serving of zombies are your cup of tea, then RetarDead is a movie that's worth checking out.