The Zombie Diaries

The latest in a string of British zombie titles combines the dramatic urgency of 28 Days Later with the video verité of The Blair Witch Project. In Zombie Diaries, three groups of survivors, each with a camera, depict the end of humanity after a global virus creates flesh-eating ghouls. A young cast of stateside unknowns is convincing enough amid the surprisingly low-key mayhem, and Stephen Hoper’s truly eerie synthesizer soundtrack holds the splintered story together. True-blood gorehounds might be disappointed by the lack of entrails, but the kill shots to the head are plentiful.

Shelf Talk: The fine tradition of indie zombie movies continues in this fitfully amusing offering. Though horror buffs will stagger to it quickly, it’s hardly a breakout title. Still, Britain’s 28 Days zombie series and Shaun of the Dead have been embraced by a hungry audience long after street date, so get Zombie Diaries on the shelf for undead fans, who are probably aware of the title via its strong presence on horror Web sites.