Mutant 4K 1984

This is the film’s alternative title. The word “Mutant” on the poster was chosen purely for commercial reasons and does little to capture the film’s essence, as this is yet another take on Romero’s living dead—the good old zombies.

Brothers Josh and Mike Cameron were forced to stop for the night in a small provincial town—their car had broken down following a traffic accident. In full accordance with Stephen King’s theory that evil loves to hide in the quietest and most secluded places, this town turned out to be calm and peaceful only at first glance, for some residents are hiding skeletons in their closets and are in no hurry to bring them out into the light of day. Gradually, the situation escalates; people begin to disappear, and the town’s population rapidly dwindles, while outside the window, in the darkness of night, shadows move silently. The film’s protagonists must unravel the mystery of the horrific events unfolding here and, at the same time, try to stay alive.

The film was born in agony. At the producers’ insistence, significant changes were made to the original script (which also explains the confusion over the titles), and one director had to be replaced by another. It is all the more gratifying to see that, despite all the twists and turns and difficulties, the final version of the film turned out to be a cohesive, complete work, and the story is engaging from start to finish. The cinematography is also quite decent; the makeup artists’ efforts are evident, there are plenty of dynamic and tense scenes, and the climax—with hordes of former humans filling the city streets, from whom escape will be very difficult—is particularly well done... I’d also like to praise Richard Band’s beautiful, atmospheric score, which fits the film’s overall mood perfectly and hints at a sinister mystery literally hanging in the air of this quiet, backwater town surrounded by dense forests.

The older brother is played by Wings Hauser, a fairly well-known figure at the time. I liked his portrayal of the central character—while Josh initially comes across as a superficial, selfish, and somewhat empty-headed young man, as the plot unfolds, he reveals a different side to the audience, displaying admirable human qualities. Bo Hopkins is also good here, convincing as the local sheriff with an alcohol problem.

All in all, we have a very decent film, albeit one not without its flaws. These aren’t critical, however, and don’t in any way prevent you from enjoying the viewing experience. A solid, well-made middle-of-the-road film that perfectly immerses you in the atmosphere of the early ’80s and evokes warm memories of the VHS era. I highly recommend it to all fans of niche horror; it’s also worth checking out for fans of zombie apocalyptic themes.