The Walking Dead | A-

The horror genre is often maligned for its incoherent plots, low production value and general lack of character development. The Walking Dead aims to destroy these stereotypes with a combination of fantastic acting, expert direction and gripping screenplays.

Based on the critically acclaimed comic book series of the same name, The Walking Dead tells the story of a world overrun by the undead. Only the most resourceful and lucky (or unlucky) have managed to survive the initial outbreak of a zombie virus. Sheriff's Deputy Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln, Love Actually) awakens in a hospital about a week after the epidemic to find the entire building abandoned, save for a couple of contained "walkers." After making his way outside, Grimes rushes home to find his family missing. He then encounters two other survivors: a father and son. After being informed of the new status quo, Grimes loads up on firearms at the police station and heads for Atlanta, where he hopes to reunite with his wife and son.

The Walking Dead is everything that zombie horror could and should be. All of the actors perform phenomenally, from Lincoln in the lead role to the young and talented Adrian Kali Turner, who played the son mentioned earlier. Writer and director Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile) has done an incredible job of crafting a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Due to his skillful direction, The Walking Dead has a very cinematic feel and a sense of grand scale. The Walking Dead has an amazing screenplay as well, filled with both great characterization and zombies getting shot in the face. What more could you ask for?