‘The Dead Don’t Die’ (2019): Deadpan humor with a side of anti-capitalism (review)

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Jim Jarmusch-written and directed horror comedy “The Dead Don’t Die” features an ensemble cast led by frequent Jarmusch collaborator Bill Groundhog Day-Ghostbustin’-ass Murray, and Adam Driver. However, this quirky zombie flick is much less “Evil Dead,” and more akin to a Coen Brothers take on “Return of the Living Dead.” Chock full of campy, dry humor and a surprisingly fresh political subplot, it’s an enjoyable albeit slightly underwhelming romp in which the deadpan don’t die.Farmer Frank Miller (Steve Buscemi) lodges a complaint with Centerville Police Department about a missing chicken. Investigating accordingly, Police Chief Cliff Robertson (Murray) and Officer Ronnie Peterson (Driver) encounter oddball Hermit Bob (Tom Waits). During their drive back to town, Ronnie and Cliff begin noticing strange happenings all around them. Despite being 8 PM, it’s still light outside, and Ronnie’s watch and cellphone have mysteriously stopped functioning.

The next morning, Cliff, Ronnie, and Officer Minerva “Mindy” Morrison (Chloe Sevigny) investigate the murders of diner waitress Fern (Eszter Balint) and cleaner Lily (Rosal Colon). “What do you think did this?” Cliff asks Ronnie. “I’m thinking zombies,” Officer Peterson replies matter-of-factly. “What?” Chief Robertson replies. “You know, the undead. Ghouls.” Mimicking 70s horror flicks, the characters simply adopt the most absurd explanation without question.

“The Dead Don’t Die” pays homage to horror and sci-fi B-movies, most obviously “Night of the Living Dead” and George A. Romero flicks. Out-of-towner Zoe (Selena Gomez) drives a Pontiac Tempest, the same car Barbara drives in the 1968 classic “Night of the Living Dead,” which gas station owner Bobby Wiggins (Caleb Landry Jones) astutely notices. The pop culture-obsessed Wiggins flaunts a “Nosferatu” shirt for the entire film, and sells a slew of movie and comic book memorabilia out of his gas station. While Romero didn’t invent the zombie, he did spawn the zombie as it’s most often depicted today, a different form from its roots in voodoo culture. One of the film’s best lines is a quick reference to Ronnie’s “Star Wars” keychain which oddball undertaker Zelda Winston (Tilda Swinton) calls a great piece of fiction. Driver, who portrays Ronnie, stars as Kylo Ren in the “Star Wars” universe. However, the final act features a clever “aha” moment, lending added meaning to Zelda’s aside.

Unlike slapstick horror comedies such as “Evil Dead 2,” “The Dead Don’t Die” opts for a dry, deadpan delivery that’s gut-bustingly funny. In the wake of Ronnie decapitating a recently-turned zombie, Cliff comments “Those are some pretty good cuts. You played some minor league ball didn’t you?” to which Ronnie responds “Well, a little class a, it was a long time ago.” Humor arrives on two fronts: the extreme awkwardness of character interactions, as well as the mundane conversational topics swirling amidst a zombie apocalypse. Similarly, a few running gags find repeated dialogue such as when Ronnie, Mindy, and hardware store owner Hank (Danny Glover) each ask of Fern and Lily’s murder “What did it? A wild animal? Several wild animals?”

There’s a pleasantly surprising anti-capitalist and anti-conservative subtext. Farmer Miller wears a Make America Great Again-styled hat reading “Make America White Again,” and owns a dog named Rumsfeld, presumably after former American politician and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Moreover, the entire plot of the film is caused by polar fracking shifting the Earth off of its axis, although news reports state that energy officials deny any connection. That zombies are drawn to what they craved before death, be it Chardonnay, coffee, or Wi-Fi provides a clever commentary on capitalism. Unfortunately, it gets a bit preachy in the end when Hermit Bob belittles the audience with a breakdown of the metaphor. It’s much stronger when Jarmusch illustrates his point rather than resorting to a voiceover monologue.

Acting it top-notch. The always-on Tilda Swinton portrays kooky Zelda Winston, a Buhddist, Scottish, samuari-wielding undertaker at The Ever After funeral home. Danny Glover, undoubtedly getting too old for this zombie shit, plays hardware store owner Hank Thompson, and doesn’t get nearly enough screentime. Tom Waits steals every scene he’s in as Hermit Bob. Ironically, its star-studded cast proves a bit disappointing in spots, as characters whiz in and out seemingly without purpose. RZA pops up in a side-splittingly funny moment as a delivery driver for Wu-PS. But he’s virtually absent aside from a brief cameo.

Likewise, there’s a subplot involving Centerville Juvenile Detention Center inmates Olivia (Taliyah Whitaker), Geronimo (Jahi Winston), and Stella (Maya Delmont). However, their character arc remains siloed from the rest of the film, and they’re oddly forgotten in the third act. While plentiful cameos add an enjoyable element, much of the cast feels disappointingly underutilized. While “The Dead Don’t Die” is a loving homage to B-movies, some of its CGI is sub-SyFy Channel quality. Granted, it’s a genre lampoon in many ways, but that’s still distracting.

A particularly polarizing element is its meta moments and bizarre snippets. The Sturgill Simpson sung theme song of the same name plays nearly constantly, and its characters acknowledge being part of a film. At times, “The Dead Don’t Die” feels as though it tries too hard to maintain a quirky, strange atmosphere. It lacks the organic vibe of a Coen Bros. flick, and the slew of cameos proves confusing considering the plot which, despite a ridiculously talented roster and insane plot, is often drier than the Sahara. Still, it’s a cartoonish, campy, and shockingly thought-provoking zom com that’s subtle, uproarious, and marvelously acted project sure to please Jarmusch fans.