Rent Stake Land (2010)
3.2 of 5 from 149 ratings
1h 34min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- Prepare for an adrenalin-fuelled journey through the ravaged states and locked down towns of a fallen America - a ruined nation where humans have become prey for feral monsters and rightwing militias rule the land.
- Actors:
- Connor Paolo, Nick Damici, Kelly McGillis, Gregory Jones, Traci Hovel, James Godwin, Tim House, Marianne Hagan, Stuart Rudin, Adam Scarimbolo, Vonia Arslanian, Michael Cerveris, Heather Robb, Danielle Harris, Eilis Cahill, Sean Nelson, Larry Fessenden, Chance Kelly, Angelique Biasutto, Jean Brassard
- Directors:
- Jim Mickle
- Producers:
- Derek Curl, Larry Fessenden, Adam Folk, Brent Kunkle, Peter Phok
- Writers:
- Nick Damici, Jim Mickle
- Studio:
- Metrodome
- Genres:
- Action & Adventure, Horror, Thrillers
- Collections:
- Best Film Quests and Adventures, Films by Genre
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 17/10/2011
- Run Time:
- 98 minutes
- Languages:
- English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
- DVD Regions:
- Region 2
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 2.35:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- Bonus:
- Commentary with Jim Mickle (writer-director), Nick Damici (writer-actor-Mister), Conor Paolo (actor – Martin), Larry Fessenden (producer) and Brent Kunkle (producer), Adam Folk (producer), Ryan Samul (director of photography), Graham Reznick (sound design), Peter Phok (producer) and Jeff Grace (original score)
- The making of Stake land – Sneak peek behind the scenes in this special hour-long documentary about creating the dark world of Stake Land
- Director's diary – Jim Mickle's pre-production plans revealed
- VFX featurette – A breakdown of some of the blood-curdling visual effects
- Webisodes – Set before the fall, these six prologues tell the story behind the story: Mister, Martin, The day I told my boyfriend, Jabediah, Sister, Willie
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Reviews (1) of Stake Land
Road movie with vampires. Of its genre, it's rather good - well worth a watch - Stake Land review by RP
It's an American 'road' movie. That means (of course) that it's clichéd - experienced older man, takes naïve young man under his wing and teaches him how to survive as they travel together toward some distant goal, having assorted adventures and avoiding hazards on the way. In 'Stake Land' vampires and religious fanatics provide the hazards and the distant goal is 'New Eden', a semi-mythical vampire-free land. Err, that's it.
I had recently seen director Jim Mickle's earlier film 'Mulberry Street' (re-titled as 'Zombie Virus on Mulberry Street' for its UK DVD release) and Mr Mickle again does a good job as both director and co-writer, with Nick Damici as co-writer and filling the 'experienced older man' role (referred to only as 'Mister') and Connor Paolo as the young man who is taught how to fight vampires. Kelly McGillis plays an older woman - a nun, referred to only as 'Sister' - they rescue on the road. I hadn't seen her for years, not since 'Top Gun' and 'Witness'. The director's sister, Beth Mickle gets a nod as Production Design Consultant - she went on to do the production design for 'Drive'. The budget for 'Stake Land' is reported to be $650k, so the director must have attracted funding well up from the miniscule $60k of 'Mulberry Street'!
There are a few nice touches - the town sign for Pottstown, Pennsylvania, at the beginning is the director's hometown. There is the necessary gore and the minor shocks expected in a vampire film but it's not overdone and while the film is clichéd the direction, the photography and acting are good. Of its genre, it's rather good and I enjoyed it.
4/5 stars, although that does seem a little generous. Well worth a watch.
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
Critic review
Stake Land review by Alyse Garner - Cinema Paradiso
Stake Land is an American indie-post apocalyptic-vampire-road movie. In America in what appears to be the present day vampires have risen and are attacking the human race, leaving them split and sparely spread. A teenage boy, Martin (Connor Paolo) is orphaned after a vampire attack kills his entire family, whilst he is rescued by a brave stranger who kills the vampires. The stranger, known only as Mister (Nick Damici) promises to take on Martin and keep him safe. The film proceeds to follow them as they cross from the Southern states ofAmerica, north towards “New Eden”, a safe part of the country seemingly untouched by vampires.
As they travel the men pick up a nun, a pregnant young woman and an ex marine, all of whom must fight to survive against the vampires they encounter on their journey. The pair also find themselves crossing paths with the Brotherhood, a violent and savage religious sect that believe the vampires were sent as a plague of punishment by God. The leader of the Brotherhood, Jebedia Loven also haunts the group on their passage across America.
Stake Land takes a really interesting twist on the normally zombie-esque post apocalypse movie, whilst much of the other traits of the genre are the same, the decision to use vampires rather than zombies or the *infected* of Brit movie 28 Days Later the film explores many of the tropes of it’s own, slightly different, genre whilst adding some interesting sub-plots and overtones along the way.
Visually the film bares the mark of its limited budget, the prosthetics for the vampires look quite over dramatic and the camera work is not perfect, yet this all adds to the films charm. It is a staple of the indie-horror diet with a distinctly classic and cult feel to it.