[Blu-ray Review] “The Walking Dead: Season 2″, ‘The Raid,’ ‘The Hunger Games,’ and ‘A Little Bit Zombie’!

Movies
Posted by Mike Pereira on September 01, 2012 @ 12:04pm
Category: Movies / Home Video

THE WALKING DEAD: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON

I’m a late-comer in all things concerning The Walking Dead. I own the first thirty or so issues of this post-apocalyptic zombie comic book series but for some reason or another, I didn’t get the opportunity to go through them all. I’m so behind in the game that I’ve decided to just pick up the trade paperbacks from now on. Things aren’t much different concerning AMC’s television series adaptation. I just recently caught up to the first season and really dug it. The six-episode run established the gritty, unflinching, unpredictable tone of Robert Kirkman’s comics. Like everyone else, I was supremely worried going into season two since Executive Producer, Frank Darabont (The Mist, The Shawshank Redemption) left the show. Glen Mazzara (The Shield) took over the reins and thankfully sticks to the sturdy template left behind.

It’s good to see that the tough budget cuts forced upon by AMC hasn’t hurt the show in any obvious way. The writers have worked around this obstacle by narrowing the scope considerably. The second season leads the characters to an old farmhouse and stays confined there for the entire thirteen episodes. The action-packed, breakneck pace of its predecessor has been replaced with a slower, more character-driven tempo. While this frustrated some, I actually believe this added a much darker, more tension-filled feel to the show. It stays true to what I love about The Walking Dead. The trials and tribulations of these very human, flawed characters are now further explored. Since there are a lot less action beats, doesn’t mean they lose their effect. Actually the opposite happens. Stakes feel much higher. KNB’s FX work is still first rate stuff and the performances by the ensemble is some of the best I’ve ever seen on television. READ MORE