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Zombrex: Dead Rising Sun is a small film series directed by Keiji Inafune that had an episodic release on the Xbox Live Marketplace on August 4, 2010, and on Deadrisingsun.com on August 11, 2010.

Plot[]

The movie is described as a "First Person" film seen through the eyes of a handicapped boy named George, as he and his brother Shin try to escape the zombie infection in Japan.

After being turned down by three different safehouses, the two boys try to take refuge in a warehouse for the night, but they are greeted by a group of unfriendly survivors lead by Takahashi, who rob them and proceed to kick them out of the warehouse. However, after Shin engages in combat with the group, the group decides to give Shin a major beating, later resulting in Shin's death, and George attempts to evade them. Soon George is ambushed by the goons and is repeatedly beaten by Takahashi, until a car crashes into the warehouse.

The crash has killed several people, including one of the thugs. Mary, a nurse, climbs out of the wreckage and finds George in his wheelchair. The two proceed to flee from the oncoming zombies and surviving thugs. After searching for some Zombrex, they find a safe house where Mary leaves after insulting George. George, finally seeing she is right, "gets his balls back" and makes a modified wheelchair. Mary, elsewhere is being threatened by Takahashi to tell him where George is, or he will release a zombie on her. After not complying, he releases the zombie onto her, but she quickly escapes to another floor of the warehouse, with Takahashi and Dan behind her. On the second floor, Dan and Takahashi are ambushed by zombies, with Dan being left behind, his ultimate fate unknown.

Finally catching up to Mary, Takahashi starts beating her before George arrives in a modified wheelchair. George and Takahashi battle, with George being the winner, and Takahashi dying at the hands of his now-undead girlfriend. George and Mary continue looking for Zombrex, but while distracted, George gets bitten in the arm. Continuing down a small path, they find a small group of zombies, which they are able to kill, at the cost of George's wheelchair.

Finally, they find a small room with a few boxes with Zombrex.

Outbreak and Zombrex Editions[]

The Outbreak Edition[1] and Zombrex Edition of the video has an extending ending:

After the pair find a small room with a few boxes with Zombrex, they themselves use the Zombrex. Mary dies soon after from her wounds and as George mourns her loss while a zombie waltzes in and attempts to attack George. He shambles up while using a baseball bat, and with all of his strength, walks over to the zombie and bashes its head off. He surprisingly walks away despite the fact that he is paralyzed, and shambles out of the factory.

He seems to be alright until a gunshot is heard. The camera is panned up to see George with a bullethole in his head. a second later, you see the sniper from the roof of the building saying how easy it is to kill the zombies and to just "breathe out, and pull the trigger". The sniper mistakenly took George as a zombie, due to the way he walked, not realizing he was human and paralyzed, not a zombie.

Release[]

The movie was released on Xbox Live and Deadrisingsun.com on the following dates:

DATE EPISODES LOCATION
August 4, 2010 1,2,3 Xbox Live
August 11, 2010 1,2,3 deadrisingsun.com
August 11, 2010 4,5 Xbox Live
August 18, 2010 4,5 deadrisingsun.com
August 18, 2010 6,7 Xbox Live
August 25, 2010 6,7 deadrisingsun.com
September 3, 2010 (Original Release Date)
August 25, 2010
8 Xbox Live
September 1, 2010 8 deadrisingsun.com

The movie was also included on a disc that comes with the Zombrex Edition of Dead Rising 2 in North America (Xbox version only), after its formal release.

Characters[]

Main Cast[]

Click on a link below to be brought to the page of one of the film's four main characters.

Minor Cast[]

The film has a number of minor/supporting characters. Below are those who have speaking lines/relevance to the film. Click on a link below to be brought to the page of one of the film's minor characters.

Production[]

Keiji Inafune reteamed with Dead Rising scenario editor Makoto Ikehara to create the film's story. The film was shot in Japan.[2]

Episode three includes a short documentary. Inafune explains that integrating the first-person viewpoint is his way of standing out from the crowd, making this more than just another zombie movie.[3]

Marketing[]

Faux syringes of the Zombrex serum were sent to the press to promote the film.[2]

Reception[]

Reception was mixed. Joystiq.com said the movie was "a little campy so far."[4] Neoseeker wrote, "Reminiscent of all those Cantonese movies dubbed in crappy English...the first three episodes are available for your viewing (and laughing) pleasure via the Xbox 360 online network."[5] On the other hand, Platformnation explained, "[there is a] old-style, campy horror film vibe from Zombrex — there’s definitely something to dig here."[6] 1up wrote: "it's going to get better for snide crappy-video-game-movie fans. As for Keiji Inafune: Please stick to making video games. For the love of God, please stick to that."[7] Fearnet wrote: "Unless your Xbox hard drive is positively bursting at the seams, there’s really no reason not to give Zombrex Dead Rising Sun a shot. Its micro budget, stilted dialogue, and awful dubbing all add up to be one hell of a good time."[8]

In the most detailed review, Kotaku magazine wrote:

"Dead Rising Sun is an interesting if formulaic take on the zombie movie. The first-person viewpoint and restricted movement of the camera adds a great deal of tension to the story, but the bad voiceovers and obvious plot twists lessen the impact of the mechanic considerably."[3]

Trivia[]

  • Dave is wearing a Servbot T-shirt, which is a recurring figure seen in Dead Rising and the Mega Man series.
  • In one of the flashbacks, George is seen playing Dead Rising 2. This is a sort of inward reference, as in the game world, the events of Dead Rising and Dead Rising 2 are reality while Dead Rising Sun is a film made by the producers of Zombrex; Phenotrans.
  • In another flashback, Mary is seen talking with another nurse about Terror is Reality.

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. Dead Rising 2 “Outbreak Edition” Detailed, Ripten Video Game Blog (July 13, 2010). Erroneously writes the price will be $150 USD (£ 94)
  2. a b Sinclair, Brendan. Zombrex Dead Rising Sun release dates revealed, Gamespot, (July 15, 2010).
  3. a b Zombrex Dead Rising Sun: The Story So Far, kotaku.com (August, 2010).
  4. Mitchell, Richard. PSA: Zombrex Dead Rising Sun webisodes on Xbox Live, joystiq.com, (August 4, 2010).
  5. Sung, Lydia. Capcom releases Zombrex Dead Rising Sun to Xbox LIVE, Neoseeker (August 4, 2010).
  6. McMillan, Matt. Dead Rising Movie Up For Download On Xbox Marketplace, Platform Nation, (August 4, 2010).
  7. Zombrex: Dead Rising Sun Review, 1up, (August 9, 2010).
  8. Lyon, Carl, Zombrex Dead Rising Sun' Review, Fearnet, (September 8, 2010).
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