I'll give director Pericles Lewnes some credit; he created a shot on video film that challenges the very conceptions of what bad means. "Redneck Zombies" is such an abominable, wretched project that it soils even Troma's reputation. Imagine, if you dare, a bunch of soldiers hauling a drum of toxic waste through the backwoods of some southern state in a jeep (Yep, a jeep. The Army now hauls dangerous radiation in a jeep. Sigh.). Predictably, the drum falls out of the truck and breaks open. A trio of brain dead moonshiners discovers the drum and decides to mix up a batch of special liquor in it. The firewater mixes with the residual traces of the radiation, resulting in an oddly colored drink that knocks the socks off the local imbibers. It also turns anyone who drinks it into flesh eating, overall wearing zombies. Over the next hour and a half-it feels like infinity-most of the residents in the area drink this nasty brew and suffer the consequences. There's a bit of gore here as some of the infected residents make quick work of those who didn't drink the glowing liquor. The real fun starts later.

A group of campers unfortunately picked this exact time to hike around the backwoods for a few days. The group, largely and thankfully forgettable as actors, is the most moronic group of campers I've seen in a horror film. I would just try and accept them for what they are-victims-and move on. Only one guy stands out of the crowd, a real doozy of a fellow who does nothing except stand around drinking liquor and laughing. Trouble starts slowly at first as some of the campers stumble on the still that made the toxic moonshine. Predictably, oh so predictably, a couple of the hicks stumble out of the woods and quickly make mincemeat out of a couple of the campers. When the others discover the bodies, and realize how much trouble they are in, the fun starts in earnest. A mad scramble ensues as the rapidly diminishing group attempts to clear out of the area. The problem with this chaotic plan comes in the form of packs of zombified hicks lurching around the forests and plains, ripping and tearing their way through the terrified humans. A central question emerges as the film comes to a close: who is stupider, the campers slumming in the backwoods or the zombie hicks? If you find the answer, please let me know.

Did I mention this movie is a strictly shot on video project with a budget of approximately seventy pesos? Lewnes tries to trick the movie up by routinely employing video camera effects and gimcracks that even a high school student working on a video yearbook wouldn't use. Hence, you get a lot of color trails, pictures within a picture, and the like. It's neat stuff if you've spent your entire life in North Korea, but quite amateurish and gaudy to the rest of us. Not to beat a dead horse here, but the photographic techniques used in this movie are to the modern world of cinema what Pong is to modern day videogames. What does work on occasion is the extreme gore at the end of the film. Some of the carnage unfolding onscreen is quite unpleasant, and sporadically effective, for a zero budget production. If the viewer didn't have to wait so long to see the sauce, "Redneck Zombies" might have merited a more positive response.

You might think Lewnes could compare with Peter Jackson of "Bad Taste" and "Dead Alive" fame since both men cut their teeth on extremely low budget horror. You would be wrong. Jackson's films were excitingly creative, gross, and humorous affairs that will leave a lasting imprint on the world of low budget horror. Pericles Lewnes, on the other hand, only leaves behind blight. As far as I know, he never made another movie. Typical of Troma Studios, the DVD release has plenty of cheesy extras. The usual trailers and shameless Troma self-promotion are here, as is an interview with Lewnes and another guy associated with this travesty. Save yourself a few hours of your life and avoid this clunker at all costs. And hey, don't worry-there's no need to thank me for warning you in advance.

If you want to see a good troma release, try Terror Firmer, Tromeo and Juliet, Toxic Avenger, Killer Condom, Cannibal the Musical, or even Kabuki Man. Don't waste your time with this. You'll be sorry.