Bridge of the Doomed

A zombie outbreak is taking place and the United States Armed Forces are fighting back.

In this horror film, a virus is infecting people and turning them into flesh-eating zombies. The story takes place in the U.S., where a team of soldiers are sent to defend an isolated bridge that goes over a river, as it is the only way the undead can reach the other side. The platoon must fight off the hostiles and at the same time try to deal with a group of survivors that they encounter in the countryside.

This is a low-budget zombie movie that tells a story about an outbreak through the eyes of the military. The screenplay does not waste any time bringing the audience into the mayhem, by beginning with an army base being attacked. There are plenty of elements that are almost always present in zombie films, such as a lot of zombies, a lot of killings, a lot of gore and a lot of shooting. The plot is basically a fight for survival, with the soldiers defending the bridge, while having other problems that include running out of food and getting into confrontations with the band of civilians, who are led by the stubborn Big Jim Bill (Connor).

The main character is Hernandez (Watson), a tough, no-nonsense sergeant who turns out to be a great fighter and makes a good heroine. Other notable characters include General Vasquez (LaSardo), who sends the soldiers to the bridge, Big Jim Bill and Susan (French).

The zombies look the way they often do: rotting, covered in blood and moving awkwardly. There are plenty of scenes where the undead do what they do best: devouring people. A lot of praise goes to the zombie makeup and the makeup for the injuries, which are usually accompanied by gruesome sounds when they are inflicted.

Clint Carney and Ted Phelps worked on the music and do an interesting job, creating a score that is tense and also sounds electonic at times. It is worth mentioning that the song What Doesn't Kill Me (Had Better Start Running) by Psycho Synner was a great choice.

This soldiers-versus-zombies horror feature is not memorable, yet the action and slayings are worth the viewing. The acting is poor and so is the script and there is an attempted rape scene that is quite unsettling. Nevertheless, fans of the zombie genre should give this one a go.