Don’t Get Eaten review
A zombie comedy for the whole family.
New movie reviews will not contain spoilers.
Don’t Get Eaten
Directed by George Simon and Joseph Simon
Written by George Simon and Joseph Simon
Starring Justin Daniel Kilduff, Melinda Rose, Reese Ravencraft, Dale Dobson, Elizabeth Simon, Claire Simon and Grace Simon
Don’t Get Eaten Review
We’ve talked a lot about gateway horror movies on this website in the last two and a half years. The Monster Squad and Gremlins are near sure fire ways to get a young viewer interested in monsters and scary movies. Don’t Get Eaten isn’t exactly aiming for that distinction…it’s more of a family comedy than in invitation to explore the macabre. It does, however, use zombies and the fun aspects of their films in a way that young viewers may find intriguing. I’m not saying they’ll be rushing to check out Romero’s filmography after watching…but they may just be ready to dive into The Monster Squad and Gremlins.
The Mickelberg family finds themselves at a crossroads. Matriarch Rose (Melinda Rose) has been spending a lot of time at work…trying to provide for the family. She feels like she’s losing out on time and connection with her three daughters. Her husband Noah (Justin Daniel Kilduff) spends all day watching (and playing with) the kids…when he’s not running his zombie prepper YouTube channel. When Noah blows an important opportunity for Rose…their therapist (Reese Ravencraft) suggests a family getaway to a cabin in the woods…removed from technology and anything else getting in the way of communicating. Then actual zombies show up at the cabin.
Don’t Get Eaten is a family affair in front of and behind the camera. The surname Simon appears repeatedly among the listed cast and crew. That’s either a wild coincidence…or this was a labor of love from the Simon clan. It certainly feels like one. There’s a positive energy and lighthearted tone throughout the purposely silly story. It’s not beating life lessons over viewers’ heads…instead choosing to celebrate the positivity of family. Mostly though…Don’t Get Eaten just wants to have fun.
Most of that silliness stems from Noah’s dad who never grew up character. While Rose has the weight of the world on her shoulders…and the regret of losing time with her children, Noah is a deeply unserious person. Rose has developed a piece of technology called KidShield…the success of which would allow her to step away from her time-consuming job. Noah blows up her opportunity with his childish ways. Ways that continue throughout Don’t Get Even. He doesn’t listen to his wife when the car is low on gas…and they end up walking through the woods. He doesn’t listen to his therapist to leave technology at home and secretly live streams to his zombie survivalist channel whenever he gets a chance.
At this point you’d assume the moral of Don’t Get Even will involve Noah learning to grow up. It isn’t. In fact, his absurdities turn into resources when he encounters an actual zombie outside of the cabin. He tries to keep it from Rose for as long as possible…live streaming his experience to a throng of quickly growing viewers. He is unable to keep it a secret from his three daughters…leading to some funny moments. After managing to wrangle the zombie into a shed…more zombies arrive on the scene. Watching Noah navigate his family time with zombie duties is entertaining.
Don’t Get Eaten could have rested on its breezy, lighthearted, family-friendly nature and coasted to an easy watch recommendation. It goes a step further by providing a nice little narrative twist to set up the film’s climax. Though Don’t Get Eaten prioritizes fun over danger…it takes a satisfying step up in its final act. Capping a story that has something for members of the whole family.
The performances match the overall tone of the movie. Fun is being had on camera…and it can be felt through the screen. Noah’s shenanigans take up most of the screen time in Don’t Get Eaten. Justin Daniel Kilduff is clearly having a blast. He manages to walk the line between being almost completely irresponsible yet remains completely likable. Melinda Rose doesn’t get to have as many flashy moments with her role. She’s the grounded character that keeps the story as anchored as it can be. You do feel for Rose’s situation…which means the performance is successful. There’s even some quality kid acting here…which is tough to get sometimes. They provide many of the film’s funniest moments.
As a family film, Don’t Get Eaten is a fun one…and surprisingly light on morals and lessons. You can argue that Noah learns very little, and things work out almost accidentally. That’s not a nitpick. It’s representative of the movie’s desire to deliver fun over all else. It’s a small piece of what makes Don’t Get Eaten succeed where so many family comedies fail. The use of zombies gives it an appeal to very young viewers interested in some safe horror concepts.
Scare Value
All told, Don’t Get Eaten is a breezy, lighthearted family comedy. It keeps a fun energy throughout while touching on believable family drama. The zombies here are used to comedic affect…not for scaring the young viewers it hopes to capture. Good performances, a fun concept and some funny moments make Don’t Get Eaten something the whole family can enjoy.
3/5
Don’t Get Eaten Links
Rent/Buy on VOD from Fandango at Home and Amazon
