Horror Movie Review: Dead and Rotting (2002)

Dead and Rotting is one of those movies you’d stick on when you just want to have something on in the background. However, as it plays you might find yourself drawn in more then you expect. It’s no stone cold classic but it is better than you’d expect. Provided you can overlook the cheapness of it.

The story sees three men anger a local witch, so much so that she transforms herself into a beautiful woman. The plan? To seduce them, kill them and make them her slaves. Easy to do when her younger self is Debbie Rochon. A genre favourite, she is as awesome as always but credit also has to go to the witch-hag, Barbra Katz-Norrod who does well.

The trio of men who suffer the wrath of the witch are all competent even if their characters are a little too gross to get behind. The movie has a lot of sex in it but it’s hardly erotic when they’re taking turns to sleep with the delectable looking witch.

The small-town locale and well-paced script keeps Dead and Rotting ticking along nicely. It reminds me of Pumpkinhead because of the sleepy town story and the wrath of a witch. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t look as good.

That is always going to the biggest takeaway from the movie, just how it looks like it was filmed on a damaged 90’s camcorder. It’s a shame because with a little more budget this could have been really good. It still manages to hold together though with some decent music and a set of creepy looking ghouls. The poem they recite is particularly effective.

If you’re looking for an entertaining low budget indie horror with plenty of Debbie Rochon then Dead and Rotting will provide.