Based on the book by Wade Davis, this story has some of its roots in truth as Bill Pulmann's character "Dennis Alan" is very loosely based on Davis himself. He was an ethnobotanist who traveled third world countries to explore and research local "medicine".
I see this movie in the same way it expresses the ultimate goals and depth of its characters: the white, the gray and the black. Dennis and Lucienne represent the white. The gray is presented in shades by Christophe and Louis. The Black, and to quote another movie "how much more black can this be? and the answer is none, none more black!", is represented by Dargent.
To watch this movie and not at some point feel the chills it goes for is almost impossible. Voodoo is real and is practiced today much as it is shown in this movie. The pageantry of the parades into the jungles, to locate the holy springs happens to this very day. The graves of the dead rise from the hills surrounding many of the populated areas. The slums where faith in something, even something like voodoo is all many possess.
It is in these locations that we meet Christophe, a zombie. he has been given "the powder" and returned from the dead. Conrad Roberts gives Christophe a real haunting feel, as we truly seem to see the eyes of the dead. He has lost control of his soul due to his unyielding belief in Voodoo. Louis Mozart played by Brent Jennings is the true medicine man, he has the secrets but parts with them only because his lighter gray side is honorable. Luciene Celine given an o.k. portrayal by Paul Winfield, seems to help only because of the means to an end of Dargent.
As Dargent, Zakes Mokaes turn as the voodoo priest/police chief is delightedly diabolical. His contorted expressions and graveled voice lend perfectly to the character. He continues to possess the souls of his creations in clay jars, so he can control them. His acting is so believable in this role you can see where he could. As he tourtures Dennis, you trust that this man would, could, and will do it for real.
It is in Dargent that we see the evil, the possesion and the physical violence brought onto the Hatian people by the ruthless and real Tonton Macoutes, secret police. Their name is taken from the creole hatian language and means Uncle Boogeyman. It gives a depth many don't realize to Dargent and his men. To view this and not see that the people fear the Tonton, more than just as police is to miss one of the main theme. The torture rooms and underground cells were a real fact of life in Haiti, under the rule of Papa Doc and Baby Doc Duvalier. Together they put to death an estimated 60,000 people.
The line "I want to hear you scream..." delivered by any other actor would not elicit the response in the audience that it does from Zakes. He revels in the character, and brings out an evil mans soul. He shows the dark voodoo magic, and vile underground that kept the hatian people in check for decades. He is not The Rainbow.
This movie is at times dark and brooding and at others scary and in your face. It has enough light hearted banter, and colorful scenery to push through a few slow areas. It is not a shock and awe terror flick, or a blood sprayed gore fest. It is a cerebral, fear inducing and at one point leg crossing, good old fashioned "monster" movie, and the zombie may not be the monster.
Guest Blog by XXLMedium
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