Zombie Flesh Eaters

Zombie Flesh Eaters, also known as Zombi 2, is a 1979 Italian horror movie directed by Lucio Fulci. The film follows Susan Barrett (Tisa Farrow), the daughter of a scientist who disappears on a remote Caribbean island. Accompanied by journalist Peter West (Ian McCulloch), Susan sets out to find her dad and discovers a horrifying secret connected to the island's voodoo rituals and the undead.

The movie opens with a mysterious yacht sailing into New York City without any passengers, but with a zombie on board. The police investigate and discover that the ship belongs to a famous scientist, Dr. David Menard (Richard Johnson), who was doing research on a remote island. Soon after, Susan, the scientist's daughter, arrives in New York to inquire about her father's disappearance. Menard's assistant, Dr. Bowles, explains to Susan that Menard went to the Caribbean island of Matul, where the dead are said to come back to life.

Despite the danger, Susan decides to travel to Matul to investigate her father's disappearance with the help of Peter, a journalist she meets along the way. They first visit the local authorities seeking information about the doctor but are met with no luck. Instead, they are advised to leave the area immediately. They ignore this advice and head out to the remote island.

Upon arriving on the island, they notice that the locals are spooked and the atmosphere is tense. They meet a couple, Brian and Susan, who are at the island for vacation reasons but offer to help. However, soon after, they also discover the horror of the undead.

As Peter and Susan continue their search on the island, they encounter violent zombies on their path. The zombies are not the slow-moving ‘horrors’ of the popular modern-day depiction, but instead, they are fast and highly aggressive - adding to the film's level of horror. Peter and Susan will realize they mustn't stay on the island, although the place seems to have a force that won't let them stay gone.

Fulci’s zombie movie instills fear and chaos as the undead begins to appear in large numbers, acting as cannibals with a vicious and outright brutal nature. The zombies are grotesque, and their victims are left mutilated and at times dismembered, making the film not recommended for the faint-hearted.

The movie's biggest highlight comes in its infamous gore scenes. The bloody special effects make the film stand out in the zombie horror genre, such as graphic decapitations and eye gouging scenes. It’s not only the gore that sets it apart but also the underlying spiritual connection. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the zombies are a product of the voodoo witchcraft practiced on the island, which portrays a nasty side of the religion.

Zombi 2 is set in the mid-70s, and the setting is brought to life with a timeless soundtrack of disco and heavy metal-inspired music. The alignment of the music with the scenes intensifies the overall atmosphere by creating a feeling of required acceptance of the ‘70s classics in a horror movie.

The film's direction is masterly, from the eerie music to the camera angles, Fulci’s approach is the only way a horror movie can truly stick with its audience. The film's cinematic and grainy look adds to the authenticity of the setting and events.

In conclusion, Zombie Flesh Eaters is an impressive horror film masterpiece that redefined the horror genre. With a perfect blend of zombie horror, gore, and voodoo elements, Lucio Fulci made a profound impact on the horror movie scene. It is still regarded by many horror enthusiasts as the standard for the zombie genre.