Colin

Colin was Written, Produced, Edited, Directed and Shot by the same man. It features a cast of his friends and people he invited to join in via MySpace and Facebook. It was film using a ten-year-old camcorder. The Budget was £45.

Try and take all of that into consideration. This film is genius. Whilst most films will spend Millions trying to gloss over effects and fake looking blood, Colin revels in its obvious gore and utter lack of subtlety.

Colin follows a man, aptly named Colin, as he slowly turns into a zombie, during an undead apocalypse. As he notices things, we start to see what happened to him, how he was bitten and what he is becoming. Following the story of a single zombie is a brilliant twist on a stagnating genre, and if it had been done with a higher budget and a tad more professionally, it would be one of the best films all year.

Whilst it has moments of utter brutality, such as the opening scene where our hero manages to kill a zombie using a kitchen knife and a drawer, it also has believable shots filled with emotion. In the second half of the film, we see Colin's family argue as they realise it is impossible to reverse the disease Colin has become infected with, whilst Colin bangs at a window, eager to get out and consume their flesh.

There are a few problems I had with the film. There are a few flashbacks throughout the film, but they aren't signposted, so you can't tell when they are, until the end, when you realise that the film started halfway through Colin's story. Add to the changes of pace, and the fact that very little is explained (why did one of the gangs try and take Colin's shoes? How and when did the dead begin to roam the Earth in the first place?) and you have some glaring problems that the casual viewer will not care for and will probably not like.

Pros
It's a fantastic little film which is very unique and is invaluable to potential film makers the world over.
It may well be the first step to revitalising the Zombie genre.

Cons
Gets very confusing in places and refuses to explain things.
You can tell it was made on the cheap. The camera work is dodgy in places and the gore can be unconvincing.

Overall

This film is a must have for fans of Zombies, anyone who wants to make an independent film, and anyone who wants to see something different. Its a splash of genius ruined by low budget and lack of experience. If a major company gives the Director a lot more money and asks him to do a remake, if he sticks to his guns and keeps it emotional, it will be one of the greatest Horror films ever.