Zombie films are getting pretty played out. So are dinosaur films. This, of course, is a sure sign that we needed a zombie/dinosaur mashup. And so THE JURASSIC DEAD, (ZOMBIESAURUS in the UK) came to be. An insanely plotted mashup of multiple genres, is it any good? Is it at least better than the director’s last film TSUNAMBEE?

Dr. Wojick Borge (Cooper Elliott) is having career issues. His theories, experiments, and general ineptitude have gotten him fired from the US government and a university teaching gig and then presumably dying in a parking lot.

Currently, we have a team of five bad-ass mercenaries, led by Duque (professional bodybuilder Andy Haman) is heading towards a secret bunker to commit some secret mayhem. However, the EMP blast resulting from an asteroid hitting the Earth, (apparently a certain mad scientist was the only one who saw this coming), strands four vacationing college students there with them.

And what’s in the bunker? Dr. Borge and his weapon of revenge on the “ungrateful nation” that mocked him. A zombie T-Rex whose victims come back as zombies as well. Can the Earth survive the attack of THE JURASSIC DEAD?

I’m not sure where to even begin with this film. THE JURASSIC DEAD was filmed in Colorado where recreational pot use is legal. And I have to believe lots of it were involved in the writing of this script. There are so many ideas thrown against the wall, and so many huge plot holes I can’t think of another explanation. Unless maybe this is some ultra artsy exercise in surrealism. And even then, drugs were probably involved.

The beginning and ending feel grafted on from different films, which might explain why there are two directors credited, Milko Davis and Thomas Martwick (co-director) as well as two writers Milko Davis (story and additional screenplay) and Michele Pacitto (lead screenwriter).

The middle section, the part in the bunker, is enjoyable cheese. Haman can’t act but his Duque is a spot-on recreation of Duke Nukem. He even gets to punch out a dinosaur at one point. The CGI is awful, but the T-Rex (it’s more raptor sized actually), is a lot better than the budget deserves.

Lacking the serious tone of Martwick’s biblically influenced TSUNAMBEE which also made little sense, (and didn’t have a tsunami), THE JURASSIC DEAD should be fun for those who like SyFy Originals and/or are heavily self-medicated. Its total lack of regard for plotting or logic is a wonder to behold.  And watch for the scene hidden in the end credits, it makes things even weirder.

THE JURASSIC DEAD is available on VOD and DVD from Wild Eye Releasing.