More Than a Remake: a French Zombie Bloodbath

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MOVIE REVIEW
Final Cut (Coupez!)
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Genre: Horror, Comedy
Year Released: 2022, 2023 Kino Lorber Blu-ray
Runtime: 1h 52m
Director(s): Michel Hazanavicius
Writer(s): Michel Hazanavicius, Shin'ichirô Ueda, Ryoichi Wada
Cast: Romain Duris, Bérénice Bejo, Grégory Gadebois
Where to Watch: available on Blu-ray and DVD from Kino Lorber. Order here www.kinolorber.com or www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: Take two… action! The 2017 Japanese cult hit ONE CUT OF THE DEAD is faithfully resurrected in the fantastic French remake, FINAL CUT. This blood-soaked zombie romp nears being a shot-for-shot remake at times but truly sets itself apart enough to stand on its own!

Back in 2017 when ONE CUT OF THE DEAD was released the audiences that saw it knew that it was something incredibly special. Telling the story of a tired director who is seemingly content with being average, he takes on a project unlike any other. A live, one-shot, thirty-minute zombie film. This daunting and seemingly impossible task was a real sink-or-swim moment for him and his cast and crew. Fast-forward to 2022 and Michel Hazanavivius takes the director’s helm in a remake of the cult hit.

Calling FINAL CUT a remake, however, is a bit of a misnomer because even though the story follows along the same plotline, it is actually technically a sequel. All of the events that happened in the original film happened in the same world as FINAL CUT. The main character Rémi actually gets pitched the idea based on the success of the original Japanese film. Japanese actress Yoshiko Takehara even reprises her role as Matsuda, an executive from the film's fictional “Z” Network. There are also scenes where it shows characters reading about the original film, which show pictures of the original cast, and a scene where Rémi is watching the original film. These nuances between the two films are what really help to set FINAL CUT’s cannon out of the shadow of its older brother and make it more of a… requel as opposed to a remake or straight sequel.

The direction and story of both of these films are great and to be honest I don’t think that either takes away from the other. Both are humorous, bloody, and entertaining as can be. After viewing both films back-to-back I am of the opinion that it really isn’t going to matter much which one you watch first, as long as you watch them! FINAL CUT does probably feel a bit better after watching the original because the audience is keyed into the meta of the overarching world that has been built, but that really only adds to the experience, and missing it likely won’t detract from it.

Something that really got to me after watching FINAL CUT that I didn’t put much thought into during my reflection on the first film was the wildly impressive acting. Something to consider is that the actors who are in these films play two characters. On one hand, they’re characters in a really God-awful, B-rate zombie movie. On the other hand, they’re playing actors who are playing characters in a God-awful B-rate zombie movie but are actually in a heartwarming and fairly light-hearted comedy movie. It’s really all so brilliant and impressive! Each set of characters differs between the films as well. They share similar personality traits, but the actors really go above and beyond to make the characters their own.

I feel like at the end of the day both of these films are a fantastic addition to any zombie film fanatic’s shelf. They both achieve exactly what they set out to do. One final thing that I think is important to note here. ONE CUT OF THE DEAD doesn’t feel like a typical Japanese film and FINAL CUT doesn’t feel like a typical French film. In FINAL CUT, Rémi takes issue with the fact that the Japanese writers won’t allow him to change the script to adapt to French audiences. This is a point of contention between him and Matsuda, but that contention serves as a way to key the real-life audience in on the fact that the cultural differences between these films don’t matter. These movies can and should be enjoyed by all audiences because the lighthearted messages of teamwork and perseverance are blind to culture. So, no matter how you can get your hands on these two films, go watch them because they’re both THAT good.

[photo courtesy of KINO LORBER]

MY SAG-AFTRA/WGA STRIKE STATEMENT:
As an advocate for creators, actors, and writers, I firmly stand with SAG-AFTRA and the WGA in their current strike. The entertainment industry is built on these individuals' extraordinary talents, and their contributions must be appropriately recognized and rewarded. They deserve fair compensation, sensible work hours, and respect for their creative rights. I believe in the power of unity and collective action, and I'm steadfast in my support for their fight for better working conditions and fair remuneration. Together, we can shape a more equitable future in the entertainment world.

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