Re-Animator (1985)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Mike S

  
  Graphic, gory and amazingly entertaining! It's hard to imagine that a zombie movie from the 80's, with such a no-name cast, could be this absorbingly brilliant. It's kind of like a modern-day version of Frankenstein, except much more extreme and bloody. One of the… More
  Graphic, gory and amazingly entertaining! It's hard to imagine that a zombie movie from the 80's, with such a no-name cast, could be this absorbingly brilliant. It's kind of like a modern-day version of Frankenstein, except much more extreme and bloody. One of the things that makes it so great, besides the fantasic make-up and gore effects, is the excellently written script. Not only is it teeming with smart and interesting dialogue, but it's also quite funny at times with its morbid sense of humor. A surprisingly good horror treat, that I wish I had seen a lot sooner. Not for the faint of heart though, but I guess you already knew that.

• AJ V

  
  This is basically a slight twist on the Frankenstein story, so it feels very familiar, and has many of the conventions of the horror genre obviously. I didn't like that about it, it made the movie kind of boring. On the other hand, there were tons of blood and gore all over the… More
  This is basically a slight twist on the Frankenstein story, so it feels very familiar, and has many of the conventions of the horror genre obviously. I didn't like that about it, it made the movie kind of boring. On the other hand, there were tons of blood and gore all over the place on top of violence and nudity, all over the top in the 1985 fashion. I liked that part of it. Plus, it has a few laughs here and there because of the acting. I also want to note that the guy who plays Herbert looks a little like Anthony Perkins, and the theme song of this movie is a remix of the Psycho theme song, I found that interesting, but unneeded. Overall, it's a pretty good horror movie, but it could have been a lot better.

• Jeff "

  
  Aside from The Evil Dead trilogy and The Return Of The Living Dead, Stuart Gordon's Re-Animator has got to be the most wacked out zombie film that I've seen. (Not counting Lucio Fulci). Stuart Gordon's film is about a mad scientist who creates a reanimation serum that… More
  Aside from The Evil Dead trilogy and The Return Of The Living Dead, Stuart Gordon's Re-Animator has got to be the most wacked out zombie film that I've seen. (Not counting Lucio Fulci). Stuart Gordon's film is about a mad scientist who creates a reanimation serum that can reanimate dead body tissue. Do I really need to elaborate more? After an experiment gone awry, things go quickly out of hand. Re-Animator is one of the best Horror comedies that you will ever see. Director Stuart Gordon throws in a few wtf? moments in for good measure. Re-Animator is downright absurd with it's slapstick comedic elements thrown in with an equal dose of old fashioned horror. A film that you won't easily forget, Re-Animator is also one of the best horror films of the 1980's. Jeffrey Combs performance as Herbert West is one of the most memorable in any horror film, and he lights up the screen with his presence. The film has plenty of gore for the gore hounds and like I've said, at times you'll just won't believe you're eyes. Re-Animator is one crazy film, and it delivers something extremely entertaining. A terrific film and one of the greatest zombie films ever made, Re-Animator is a horror classic. Re-Animator is a fine example of a horror film that uses a simple idea to create something truly one of a kind. If you think about it, the idea is very simple, but Stuart Gordon definitely knows how to get the most out of this plot by crafting something out of the box.

• Conner R

  
  Just an amazingly crazy movie. It feels like an evil Frankenstein movie, in which all of the subjects turn on the creator. Jeffrey Combs is one of the best elements of the movie, he totally sells the crazy scientist aspect. On top of that, he has a really likeable… More
  Just an amazingly crazy movie. It feels like an evil Frankenstein movie, in which all of the subjects turn on the creator. Jeffrey Combs is one of the best elements of the movie, he totally sells the crazy scientist aspect. On top of that, he has a really likeable sarcastic-yet-charming quality to him. You can't hate this movie, it's virtually impossible. It's so fun, disturbing and silly.

• Drew S

  
  Lots of great ideas and fun gore, but it sort of falls into a liminal space as far as B-movies go. It's not quite competent enough to be a Raimi-level horror comedy, but too competent to be a kitschy camp classic. I think the fact that 2/3rds of the leads can't act (Jeffrey… More
  Lots of great ideas and fun gore, but it sort of falls into a liminal space as far as B-movies go. It's not quite competent enough to be a Raimi-level horror comedy, but too competent to be a kitschy camp classic. I think the fact that 2/3rds of the leads can't act (Jeffrey Combs is solid, but apparently it's just about all he can do) really scuttles the movie. Barbara Crampton, especially, is excruciating to watch. When an actress can't even portray helplessness convincingly, there is clearly a huge problem. All that comes across from her is wide-eyed vacuousness and breasts. Bruce Abbott is blankly handsome and perfectly boring and you forget he's even in the movie as soon as he leaves the screen. Combs, again, is the only vaguely interesting presence, except for the derisively amusing David Gale. They seem to be the only two who get the joke, which may have something to do with it. The connections to Lovecraftian mythos are as tenuous as tenuous can be but considering that movies based on his work don't turn out too well, maybe that's for the best. I don't know what makes it so difficult to film...I think perhaps it's because his stories leave a lot to the imagination. Anyway, this movie pretty much spits in the face of imagination - what you see is what you get. It's balls-to-the-wall visual, which may not have succeeded were it not for the exceptional makeup and special effects work. This is a really richly done low-budget flick. For its shortcomings, it's still a fun watch, and unique to boot.

• Anthony L

  
  Classic 80's horror with plenty of gore! Quite well acted too! Jeffrey Combs is cool.

• Arash X

  
  Pure fun & really well-made & funny and Jeffrey Combs is great in it, I just can't rate it lower than this I simply can't

• Aaron N

  
  Dan Cain: [meeting for the first time] So West, what kind of medicine are you involved in? Herbert West: Death. Now here is an entertaining horror flick from the 80s that doesn't take itself seriously, providing for the right kind of mood similar to the Evil Dead trilogy and… More
  Dan Cain: [meeting for the first time] So West, what kind of medicine are you involved in? Herbert West: Death. Now here is an entertaining horror flick from the 80s that doesn't take itself seriously, providing for the right kind of mood similar to the Evil Dead trilogy and Dead Alive. Because its neat to see where this movie goes, suffice it to say that the plot revolves around a medical school, in which one student has developed a serum which brings people back to life after their death with...mixed results. The cast is pretty standard, except for Jeffrey Combs who is basically the nerd version of Bruce Campbell. His deadpan manner and eccentricities make his character work so well for this kind of movie. Herbert West: What did you want me to do, leave a note. "Cat dead, details later." The gore factor in this movie hits to extreme points, including plenty of battles with naked re-animated corpses, and talking heads. If you are into the 80s gorey horror/comedy, then you will enjoy this movie. Dan Cain: What if we get caught? Herbert West: What'll they do? Embalm us?

• Stella D

  
  this cheesy 80's gorefest is really alot of fun! i wanna watch the sequels now!~ jeffrey coombs was fantastic in this

• Luke B

  
  Body-shock horror in league with The Thing and other brilliant monstrosities of the 80's. It has a vicious sense of humour but ultimately fails as either a horror or a comedy. There are some brilliant effects on display here and some wonderful tongue in cheek performances. The… More
  Body-shock horror in league with The Thing and other brilliant monstrosities of the 80's. It has a vicious sense of humour but ultimately fails as either a horror or a comedy. There are some brilliant effects on display here and some wonderful tongue in cheek performances. The film though is also fairly repetitive, going back and forth between a few locations and covering similar ground. A nice disturbing watch for fans of gore though and it certainly isn't a regrettable watch.

• Ken S

  
  One of my all time favorite films...best visual pun EVER!

• Curtis L

  
  This movie is great. It is really gross, but fun. I loved the end zombie fest.

• Daniel H

  
  What happens when cheesy is executed skillfully, but not as a cliched homage, but as a serious piece? You get something like the "Re-Animator." It's "Lovecraft moderne" themes, good acting, and absolutley eerie yet hilarious set pieces end up achieving a… More
  What happens when cheesy is executed skillfully, but not as a cliched homage, but as a serious piece? You get something like the "Re-Animator." It's "Lovecraft moderne" themes, good acting, and absolutley eerie yet hilarious set pieces end up achieving a hard-to-reach 50-50 balance between Humor and Horror. A must see cult classic.

• xGary X

  
  Gloriously tasteless comic schlock-horror starring the criminally overlooked Jeffrey Combs, it's worth it for the scene with the cat alone! If you liked Evil Dead 2/3 or Return of the Living Dead, you'll love this!

• Tim S

  
  The kinda splatter/naked zombie/rape/cat zombie fest that only a horror fanatic like me can love! Bob-bless you Jeffry Combs.

• Dr Blood  

  
  Seriously gory and unpleasantly funny. This near masterpiece only loses out because it has been hacked about so much (no pun intended!) by censors on both sides of the Atlantic.

• Cassandra M

  
  The astute viewer will immediately pick up on the tone of Re-Animator. The introduction (added to the film at the last minute before its release) is a glimpse of the over-the-top nature of the entire production. If one were to be frightened by this intro, he or she will be comforted… More
  The astute viewer will immediately pick up on the tone of Re-Animator. The introduction (added to the film at the last minute before its release) is a glimpse of the over-the-top nature of the entire production. If one were to be frightened by this intro, he or she will be comforted by the playful cheer of the opening title music. The score was heavily inspired by the famous Psycho score, a classic by Bernard Herrmann. The movie, inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's `Herbert West: Re-Animator', follows a simple plot. Herbert West (played to precise pitch perfection by Jeffrey Combs who, like Bruce Campbell, is a B-Movie legend) is new at Miskatonic Medical University. Immediately, Herbert clashes with Dr. Carl Hill (David Gale) on the subject of `brain death'. At the same time, Dan Cain (Bruce Abbot) is looking for a roommate. He is also dating Dean Alan Halsey's (Robert Sampson) daughter, Megan (Barbara Crampton). When Herbert West shows up at Dan's door one night during a `study' session, Megan is immediately suspicious. Why is Herbert so anxious to move in? Why is he so interested in the basement? It is not long before the cat is dead, re-animated and dead again. The early scenes of violence are disturbing and hilarious at the same time and are only a taste of what is to come. Dan tries to resist the temptation of power inherent in the re-animating fluid, but is sucked into Herbert's mad world of life giving. There is a turn of events about halfway through the film (which I would be crazy to spoil) that almost screams to the viewer, `We aren't playing by the rules here.' The storyline twists its way to the famous conclusion that, if you haven't heard of it, will leave you breathless. Even if you know what is going to happen, when you finally see it, in all of it's gory, sexual glory you understand why this classic has achieved such a status. The finale of the film is twisted in so many ways it's impossible to count. Obviously, I loved the movie. Having never been anything but a horror fan, I cannot say it will suit everyones' tastes. The film is so over-the-top that the outrageous gore becomes less and less shocking. The timid viewer may want to shy away from this masterpiece. Anyone with even the slightest curiosity should seek this movie out.

• Antony S

  
  Stuart Gordon's early horror comedy is still a triumph today, I am pleased to find. Though not the equal of Evil Dead II, the film does still capture the balance between gross-out gore and sick humour remarkably well. Essentially an update of the Frankenstein story and… More
  Stuart Gordon's early horror comedy is still a triumph today, I am pleased to find. Though not the equal of Evil Dead II, the film does still capture the balance between gross-out gore and sick humour remarkably well. Essentially an update of the Frankenstein story and Lovecraftian speculative fiction, Re-Animator examines the lives of medical students, in particular a foolishly ambitious one who tinkers with reanimating dead tissue. Though the blood does look off-colour and most of the performances are pretty wooden, the film does succeed on a near-David Cronenberg level of illustrating the inherent trepidation we all harbour with regards to autopsy. The tutor's brain surgery ("like peeling open a giant orange!") is done to creepily sick effect, and the ending is superbly ominous. Note also Gordon's clear love of the close-up-hack-and-spurting-blood effect. Nice!

• Steve B

  
  Easily the best Lovecraft adaptation ever, and a great movie in its own right. Contrary to popular belief, it's NOT a horror/comedy, but a straight up horror movie that uses comedy the way it's meant to be used.

• Andy S

  
  An entertaining, gory, over-the-top zombie film. Though completely different from Lovecraft's book, it doesn't really matter, as the sheer fun factor is hard to top.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings