Indie Film Podcast Review: Tomorrow Undead

In a broken world where survival comes at a cost, Arizona mine worker Grant Franklin sacrifices his life to a rogue biotech company in exchange for a chance to secure his family’s future.

Written by Chuck Norton.

Tomorrow Undead Brings More to the Table Than Typical Dystopia

Scope. In a film, it immediately pulls the audience into the illusion on screen. Saving Private Ryan brings D-Day directly to the viewer. Moments after the prologue, Star Wars: A New Hope allows us to marvel at the sheer size of the Empire’s deadly Star Destroyer. The Lord of the Rings trilogy made J.R.R. Tolkien’s fictional universe a reality with its epic battles and scenic landscapes. Scope, the fast route to the suspension of disbelief, is, unfortunately, the most elusive aesthetic to capture on a micro-budget indie film set. It’s not uncommon for a filmmaker’s story aspirations to far exceed their balance sheet. Dale Thomas Cizmadia’s Tomorrow Undead takes place in a dystopian future, where a global infection brought the privatization of neighborhood security. The wealthy are safe from these violent contaminated individuals, while the poor fend for themselves.

Tomorrow Undead is a big idea and I’m pleased to report that in spite of its meager $8,000 budget, Cizmadia (of Film Loft Productions) and his cast and crew manage to give this desolate vision of the future SCOPE! The opening wide shot in the desert, the skillfully crafted “infected”, and the costumes and realistic weapons used by the armed guards all construct the impression that we are in Cizmadia’s world.

The film begins with Grant Franklin, stylishly played by Chris Altice, embarking on his journey to save the lives of his wife and child. In Cizmadia’s dystopia, socioeconomics determine whether an individual can live in a privately run secure zone. Those outside of these protected areas are subject to the attacks of violent infected individuals. As the cost of residency increases in these safe neighborhoods, the only solution to the financial burden is term life insurance and a clandestine route to euthanasia. Fortunately (or unfortunately) for Grant, there is still a company out there researching a cure for this deadly epidemic, and they need people to infect. Enter Pam Miller, portrayed by Erin Zipse, scientist at Frameshift Cyto Technologies. Erin does an impressive job delivering nuance to Pam’s character. This is a scientist who understands that some sacrifices are necessary for a better future, while also struggling with the difficulty of each subject's passing.

Indie Film Podcast Recommendation: Buy this film!

Most zombie horror films predict a deadly infection will cause the rapid downfall of civilization. This zombie horror film posits that if a deadly infection were to occur, then the bad actors in society would see an opportunity for profit and control. In under 20 minutes Tomorrow Undead presents some heavy themes; US healthcare disparity, widening income gaps, government ineptitude, and corporate greed to name a few. If you’re a post-apocalyptic zombie horror fan, you’ll appreciate the dystopia on display in this film and I can’t recommend enough that you give it a purchase the moment it becomes available on streaming.

Keep up on all of Dale Thomas Cizmadia's upcoming works on the Film Loft Productions YouTube Channel.