31 Horror Movies in 31 Days: Stake Land

Stake Land (2010)

Directed by Jim Mickle

Starring Nick Damici, Connor Paolo, Michael Cerveris, Sean Nelson, Kelly McGillis, & Danielle Harris

A vampiric plague has ravaged the world, leaving only a handful of non-infected survivors. A young man named Martin is taken under the tutelage of a man only called Mister. Mister kills vampires better than anyone, matching their savagery and trumping them with ingenuity.  As they make their way through the changed world, Mister and Martin come meet all sorts of people trying to survive. They meet a nun who tries to maintain her faith in these dark times, a woman about to be a mother, and a man building an army using faith and violence. It’s through this journey that Mister guides Martin from scared boy to capable survivor.

Stake Land is the latest feature film from the pair of writer/director Jim Mickle and writer/actor Nick Damici. Their debut was the surprisingly strong rat mutation/zombie movie Mulberry Street. The creative team made a very interesting world that sets up a good post apocalypse story with elements of westerns and road movies. As such, Stake Land is more about the journey than it is the destination. You will probably know how the movie is generally going to end, but the way to that destination is entertaining and scary.

There are some story points that simply don’t make fit. The zealots show up in a helicopter at one point to toss vampires out of it and into a secure town of uninfected. Sure, it looks cool and the sequence is really well choreographed. You just also wonder why the vampires aren’t immediately eating the chopper crew or how the zealots have maintained a chopper this far into the apocalypse without discernible resources or technical skills.

The bit of nonsense comes in the third act, as suddenly one vampire becomes extraordinarily intelligent. Like, clear linguistic communication and battle tactics. The movie never addresses the how this anomaly comes to be; only that this one is special for the purposes of the story and it will never be revisited again.

The makeup and gore effects are strong. Vampires look like they’re half way through turning into something else while simultaneously decomposing. The artistic design also looks quite good in a bleak, desolate way. Everything is dirty, broken, and generally well worn. The makeshift vampire proofing of Mister looks clever in how ramshackle it is. For a film that’s all about the end of the world, it looks pretty good and certainly authentic.

Nick Damici is an underrated talent and a fantastic actor. His Mister isn’t a Clint Eastwood knockoff, he actually shows subtle emotions through his body language and the slightest facial twitches. Given that he co-wrote the script, Damici probably knows exactly what the character is supposed to be doing. Connor Paolo does fine as Martin, looking like someone trying to piece themselves back together in the midst of a trauma. His narration alternates between being sleepy and sounding melodramatic, but it’s not enough to kill the enjoyment. Kelly McGillis and Danielle Harris are both good in their supporting roles. Michael Cerveris is creepy and menacing as Jebedia Loven, cult leader and mass murderer. The performances are all around good.

Stake Land is an interesting, enjoyable, and cool vampire movie. give it a chance and you’ll find a pleasantly spooky surprise.

8 out of 10