I’ve ranted about the manga (final rant about it will come as soon as it ends, almost there), now I’ll rant about the film.
As usual my rant is just a bunch of disjointed points and opinions.
One of the first things I noticed was that unfortunately, due to the obvious time limits of film, the story couldn’t have a start as slow as the manga.
Nothing too worrying, since the film stands pretty well on it’s own.
But with the lack of the slow start you also miss Hideo’s paranoia, his delusions, his cynicism and many other things.
We never get his crazy yet strangely hilarious monologue… *cough cough* I mean, his conversation with Yajima at home from chapter 1. Which includes his delusions of faces under his bed and outside his door.
His use of his shotgun as a charm against his insecurities. (this part is kinda shown in the film shortly after the taxi ride)
tl;dr: in the film you don’t start by learning that Hideo is a insecure guy with a few screws loose.
Mitani-san also dies a different way…come on, the airplane to the head was epic, to change it should be prison worthy.
I know that feel bro. But I didn’t need a zombie apocalypse.
Another thing that is missing that in my opinion helps characterize Hideo in the beginning is his compulsion to always pay for everything, as a good citizen should, even in the most chaotic and crazy situations. (as seen in the manga after the taxi ride in Vol.3 and a few other places).
The movie vaguely covers from the beginning until they leave the mall in the car. About half the movie is before the mall, the other half is the mall.
The people on the mall roof have a strangely nice life in the movie, other than food which was in short supply. (note to self: learn a bit of gardening before the zombie apocalypse)
Oda didn’t have short hair nor is she blonde.
Hiro’s delusions were adapted pretty well to film. He sees himself doing whatever, just like a real hero, and then…he’s just Hideo, an average guy with substandard courage.
I also disliked the final shooting scene…it looked like Rambo with a shotgun; inf. ammo + no reload.
Quite the opposite of the manga.
So, as a zombie film: 6/10.
As “I am a hero”: 4/10.
My final rant on the manga will be coming soon.