Zeram

I enjoy watching movies that I have never heard of. It gives me an opportunity to watch something with fresh eyes and no history to make me feel that I should enjoy or hate something. Couple of days ago, I did something I haven't done in over 5 years and that's hooking up my VCR. It still works and I miss VHS tapes. I know they are not meant to last and it will eventually go but I grew up with them and they hold a place in my life (and I want to restock my Disney collection and I am not paying over 15 dollars for an old Disney movie). With my VCR working I combed through my VHS collection. I found some old stuff like '89 Batman, Holy Grail, and other timeless movies. One movie I remember buying at a clearance sale was a movie from Japan called Zeram. It looked cheesy enough and it was only 50 cents. I figured what the hell and I bought it. I never opened it up and it was just collecting dust for 5 years...until today when I found it, opened it up, popped it in and sat back and watched some early 90's Japanese monster/sci-fi movie. So, is it a hidden gem or does it belong in the obscure and forgotten? Today, we'll go over the plot, the sci-fi elements (costume, science stuff, etc) and entertainment value. Let's sit back, prepare to go to ludicrous speed as we review Zeram.

The opening shot we meet Zeram; an alien creature who has a hat with a Zoh (like a kabuki mask with different expressions on it) in the middle of it. Zeram is in darkness with only back light showing his frame. He murders bunch of guards and escapes and sets his course to Earth. Meanwhile, we have two power utility men and they meet a woman who has been illegally taping power from the grid. Through some freak accidents, they get transported into an alternate dimension along with Zeram. The only way to escape is through the computer AI named “Bob” and by capturing or killing Zeram. The woman leaves the world early and through a string of unfortunate mishaps, the two guys are trapped in an alternate dimension with a murderous alien with a taste for organic matter (flesh and organs). The plot of the story is actually nice. You have this bad ass woman Kamen Rider knock off fighting an alien and the heroes end up being the bumbling humans. The good thing of the movie is that the humans actually do get hurt and suffer some pain, so, its not like they use silly tricks to avoid injury. One of the guys gets a chunk of flesh ripped off his arm by the Noh face (when it extends from the body, it reminds me of a Xenomorph attack). When the guys try to escape, Zeram is your typical 80's horror movie monster when it be Jason or Michael Myers. He has this slow pace stalking approach and somehow always finds the prey. The plot was easy to follow after the first twenty minutes. Before that, we have some backstories that don't really get resolved and exposition that wasn't necessary.

The sci-fi elements were alright for the movie. They had your cheesy trans mats sounds and lights when they get beamed into the other dimension. The woman putting on her suit of armor to fight was your Kamen Rider, Ultraman transformation sequence. It was nicely done but it is kind of silly watching the sequence even though it wasn't very long. The extent of the suit wasn't anything special. I was hoping for some over the top power ranger esq suit but I was let down and the overall look had a resemblance to plaster or plastic on her to represent the armor. The computer AI was alright as well. For a computer AI, it's interesting he is cold and calculating but yet worries about being arrested and showing emotion as well. Bob was all over the place whenever he had any kind of dialogue with his boss.

When we actually see what Zeram looks like, it is a hodgepodge of so many different elements. I think the art team was trying to show us that he has absorbed so many different creatures throughout his existence that he is a combo of everything. I couldn't really describe him except by quoting Rick and Morty and say “Cronenberg.” When I see Zeram, that is all I can come up with. A mixture of the clown from spawn with a Xenomorph, with Predator, with The Thing. Zeram was one of the cooler elements of the movie with its unique look as well as its artillery of different weapons including guns, swords and it can even make its own Saibaman! (without any kamikaze ones though). I want to know more about Zeram but the information we got, it was fine for the movie.

The entertainment value of the movie is solely based on the viewer. The first twenty minutes of the movie with characters, exposition and no ideas for why we should care and what their purposes are makes for the movie to go at a snails pace. It's only when the two guys are left alone in the world when the movie becomes interesting and they have to use their coy, their natural surroundings and a whole lot of luck just to survive and get out of the dimension before it collapses on them or Zeram murders or eats them. I do enjoy the explosions, the ingenuity of the guys and how messed up Zeram looks like. For me, its a cheesy sci-fi movie with okay effects and some decent ideas. The execution wasn't always the best and some of the dialogue is lame (bad dubbing) and they don't really understand the dire of their situation half the time. If they took it more serious and try to not be so campy with the way they talk, it could've been a cult favorite for some deserving fans of this genre. Overall, if you like cheesy science fiction movies with a Cronenberg monster and explosions, then this movie might be up your alley. If none of that sounds appealing, then I will say this is not the movie you're looking for.

I give this movie 2.5 alternate dimensions out of 5.