Movie Review: ABED

by | Aug 14, 2012 | Reviews | 0 comments

Yes, it can be difficult to envision a film that can truly disturb considering how desensitized we have become as a society. And yes, other than AMC’s The Walking Dead, it can be hard to imagine a zombie story arc which features characters that actually have the capacity to move a viewer. The film short Abed, directed by Ryan Lieske, pulls off both of these feats with remarkable ease.  Adapted from the 1992 short story written by the versatile and ingenious Elizabeth Massie, Abed is feast for the eyes as well as the emotions. Visually striking, due in large part to its somber color scheme, the film illustrates both the physical and emotional brutality and trauma of the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse.

The film’s protagonist, Meggie (played by Rachel Finan), is held prisoner by her mother-in-law (played by Vicki Deshaw-Fairman) in a deserted desolate farmhouse. As the film opens, it appears as though “Momma” may be trying to protect Meggie from the newly awakened dangers of the world outside.  However, her motivations are not so virtuous:  Momma is protecting Meggie due to her own selfish as yet unfulfilled desires. Momma will do almost anything to have a grandchild, even though her son and the love of Meggie’s life, Quint (played by Daniel Falicki), was transformed into a zombie. Momma keeps Quint locked up (and well-feed of course), in the barn so when Meggie is ovulating, Momma might see her greatest desire come true.  To reveal much more may be too much, but the film undoubtedly delivers on graphic content (some of which this reviewer would recommend shortening because less could certainly be more in this case).  That said Abed causes the audience to have some compelling thoughts about not only the survival instinct, but about the reproductive instinct as well, especially when each is followed blindly or obsessively. Zombies typically survive by blindly relying on instinct to devour their victims and to produce new zombies. Momma’s obsession for a grandchild forces her to subject her daughter-in-law to repeated rapes by a zombie. Zombies, as reanimated corpses, have little to no brain function and willpower of their own. Momma, however, despite being somewhat debilitated by obsession, is quite in control of her facilities.  Therefore, Abed leaves us with the surprising realization that sometimes humans can be even more monstrous than so-called traditional monsters, an unsettling thought indeed.