The Battery (2012)
June 8, 2023 8:14 PM - Subscribe
In rural Connecticut, baseball players Ben and Mickey are trying to survive a zombie plague.
They are forced to form a battery: a catcher and a pitcher who work together to outwit the batter, the one who hits the ball. And the batter in this case just happens to be a zombie. Tough Ben and gentle Mickey frequently disagree on the best way to go about the situation. Then they suddenly hear a human voice through their walkie-talkies. Is salvation nearby, like Mickey thinks, or is Ben's suspicion justified?
Written, directed, and starring Jeremy Gardner.
They are forced to form a battery: a catcher and a pitcher who work together to outwit the batter, the one who hits the ball. And the batter in this case just happens to be a zombie. Tough Ben and gentle Mickey frequently disagree on the best way to go about the situation. Then they suddenly hear a human voice through their walkie-talkies. Is salvation nearby, like Mickey thinks, or is Ben's suspicion justified?
Written, directed, and starring Jeremy Gardner.
Honestly I know nothing about baseball. I got the description from Letterboxd.
posted by miss-lapin at 9:20 AM on June 9, 2023
posted by miss-lapin at 9:20 AM on June 9, 2023
I really, REALLY want to know exactly where in Connecticut they filmed; it sounds like there is a nonzero chance they were in my old neck of the woods.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:37 AM on June 9, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:37 AM on June 9, 2023 [1 favorite]
I saw this years ago, and it sticks in my mind enough to make a comment. I liked it. It is super low-budget and within those limitations does a good job. Movie actually thinks about what would happen if you had to hole up in an apartment for six months (CW: in talking, they mention briefly and with sadness that they eventually were forced to eat their dog.)
Also, a kind of fresh look at just the basics of living-- thoughts about how their car is packed, what they do when one has to leave the other for scavenging, and so on.
The plot proceeds from basic human weakness, incompatible personalities forced to live and work together, and dumb decisions driven by loneliness. Leans into the zombie trope that it is the other humans that are the real danger. Completely sensible and utterly shocking third act twist that I won't spoil-- but it couldn't happen any other way.
A long extended scene of a person stuck in a car surrounded for zombies for multiple hours is handled with some interesting takes and camera angle, subtle and not subtle changes in the interior show the passage of time. No matter the common theme, the people that made this were good film makers.
Like I said, ten years later I still remember it fondly.
As for locations, the pair wisely spend time in rural Connecticut, staying away from the hordes, and great use is made of a really lovely looking abandoned summer camp.
posted by seasparrow at 5:17 PM on June 9, 2023 [3 favorites]
Also, a kind of fresh look at just the basics of living-- thoughts about how their car is packed, what they do when one has to leave the other for scavenging, and so on.
The plot proceeds from basic human weakness, incompatible personalities forced to live and work together, and dumb decisions driven by loneliness. Leans into the zombie trope that it is the other humans that are the real danger. Completely sensible and utterly shocking third act twist that I won't spoil-- but it couldn't happen any other way.
A long extended scene of a person stuck in a car surrounded for zombies for multiple hours is handled with some interesting takes and camera angle, subtle and not subtle changes in the interior show the passage of time. No matter the common theme, the people that made this were good film makers.
Like I said, ten years later I still remember it fondly.
As for locations, the pair wisely spend time in rural Connecticut, staying away from the hordes, and great use is made of a really lovely looking abandoned summer camp.
posted by seasparrow at 5:17 PM on June 9, 2023 [3 favorites]
As for locations, the pair wisely spend time in rural Connecticut, staying away from the hordes, and great use is made of a really lovely looking abandoned summer camp.
I have found that "rural Connecticut" means Kent, Connecticut; and the abandoned summer camp was also used in one of the FRIDAY THE 13TH films.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:56 AM on June 10, 2023 [3 favorites]
I have found that "rural Connecticut" means Kent, Connecticut; and the abandoned summer camp was also used in one of the FRIDAY THE 13TH films.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:56 AM on June 10, 2023 [3 favorites]
Saw this last year and agree with seasparrow; it's definitely worth a watch and some scenes definitely stay with you.
I didn't miss anything that a bigger budget would have added, and the writing was better than I expected, once I accepted one character's odd decision to never again sleep inside after being holed up for so long.
A long extended scene of a person stuck in a car surrounded for zombies for multiple hours is handled with some interesting takes and camera angle, subtle and not subtle changes in the interior show the passage of time. No matter the common theme, the people that made this were good film makers.
That scene was so intense, probably only 10 minutes in viewing time but you really feel the hours pass. And the way it ends, yow. Nicely done indie horror.
posted by mediareport at 5:48 AM on June 10, 2023 [2 favorites]
I didn't miss anything that a bigger budget would have added, and the writing was better than I expected, once I accepted one character's odd decision to never again sleep inside after being holed up for so long.
A long extended scene of a person stuck in a car surrounded for zombies for multiple hours is handled with some interesting takes and camera angle, subtle and not subtle changes in the interior show the passage of time. No matter the common theme, the people that made this were good film makers.
That scene was so intense, probably only 10 minutes in viewing time but you really feel the hours pass. And the way it ends, yow. Nicely done indie horror.
posted by mediareport at 5:48 AM on June 10, 2023 [2 favorites]
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From Wikipedia - which I must have seen as an excerpt:
"constantly isolates himself by listening to his CD player with headphones, burning through batteries."
Your description makes so much more sense, moving it upwards in my queue - thanks!
posted by rozcakj at 8:57 AM on June 9, 2023 [1 favorite]