The Honeycut – ‘Diary of the Dead’ was Ahead of its Time

The Outbreak 

I saw George A. Romero’s “Diary of the Dead” not long after it came out in 2008. For a long time, I remembered it being one of the scariest movies I’d ever seen. In fact, until last week, I’d put it up there with 2004’s “Dawn of the Dead.” However, after watching it for the latest episode of the “Midnight Terrors Podcast,” I came away with an entirely different take on this film. 

The Story

The found-footage zombie movie follows a group of film school students and their professor as they try to survive the initial days of the zombie outbreak. It’s pretty straightforward. Don’t overthink it. 

Honey’s Cut

This is not the frightfest I remember it being at all. In fact, the acting and effects are pretty corny. Although that is kind of by design. For the fifth installment of the zombie films, Romero wanted to get back to basics and make this one have more of a low-budget feel, especially after his previous movie, “Land of the Dead.” 

Speaking of “Land,” this movie is actually a reboot in Romero’s zombie timeline. It is a totally different outbreak than the first four movies. 

So, what did I take away from this one that was so different from my first viewing? It is way ahead of its time. When I think of the late 2000s and early 2010s, I never realize how much technology was changing back then. Smartphones were just around the corner, as was social media. The internet was now more involved in people’s everyday lives, and, as you probably know, is now essential to daily living. 

Romero made use of this emerging technology for “Diary of the Dead.” The students shoot everything on digital cameras, they check the internet for updates on the outbreak, and to see what is ‘actually’ going on. You see, Romero does this thing where the students can find footage of the zombie outbreak online that the mainstream news is not showing, which seems more relevant now than ever. 

Honey’s Final Thought

The social commentary in Romero’s zombie flicks never ceases to amaze me. While “Diary of the Dead” teeters on B-movie territory, the relevancy of its themes today is kind of prophetic. 

As I said, the students find online what the mainstream media won’t show. Fast forward 18 years to today, and does anyone fully trust what the news is showing us, or what the government tells us? It seems like most people go online to find updates on current events and come to their own conclusions. 

However, if you are someone who still fully believes in what the news says… Well. Let’s just say that I was a journalist in that industry for nearly a decade, and I would recommend you don’t.