Episode 144: Uwe Boll’s House of the Dead (2003)
Rotten Tomato Score: 3%
A horror movie can be loud, dumb, and still be fun, but House Of The Dead (2003) dares you to find the line. We grab the “worst film of its year” pick for Screams and Streams and try to make sense of how a video game zombie movie with a 3% Rotten Tomatoes score ended up stuffed with endless gunfire, awkward dialogue, and choices no real person would make.
We start with the setup: college kids chase a rave on a notorious island, ignore every warning sign, and walk straight into a zombie outbreak. From there we run it through our usual categories and we don’t hold back. We debate first impressions, the early-2000s vibe, the acting, the effects, and the action scenes that feel like they never end. We also dig into the movie’s biggest gimmick: repeated clips from the original House Of The Dead arcade game, plus spin shots and bullet cam moments that turn tension into visual noise.
Along the way, we mix a themed sinister sip, Dead Man’s Island, and it might honestly be the best thing we take away from the night. We call out the tropes, the plot holes, the music choices, and the rare moments that almost stand the test of time, before locking in our watchability scores.
Sinister Sips
Dead Man’s Island
From: Difford’s Guide
Recipe:
2 oz Spiced rum
1 oz Licor 43 Original liqueur
3 oz Pineapple juice
1 oz Lime juice (freshly squeezed)
1 dash Chocolate bitters
1/3 oz Monin Vanilla Syrup
Add all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Shake vigorously until chilled.
Strain into an ice-filled highball or rocks glass.
Garnish with a pineapple wedge or a slice of fresh lime
Plot Summary:
A group of college students travels to a mysterious island to attend a rave, which is soon taken over by bloodthirsty zombies. (Taken from IMDb)
Watchability Scale
Mike and Chad gave the film a 1. Sam liked it a teensy bit more and gave it a 2. We placed the film at 1.5 on the Watchability Scale.
Links
Movie Trivia (TV Tropes)