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13 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :- Cool, fun stuff, and sort of an "old school" mentality, 15 June 2008 Author: TheatreX from Louisville, KY
I guess you could not call "Hell's Ground" a true, modern-day film, it's more of a throwback to the 70's style of horror, and a mix of Bollywood & Lollywood meets Dawn of the Dead and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. There is rather a nasty killing right at the beginning but that's merely a teaser. There is a group of young people (rich & spoiled, for the most part) who have conspired to attend some kind of a concert 5 hours away from where they live, and of course they've lied about where they'll be so their parents don't know. The have procured a "stylin" van, with lots of lurid murals on the side, something that most of them don't want to even be seen in, for the trip. Of course, their trip is anything but smooth & they become lost in a remote area, while trying to find a short-cut. And they happen across an area where the locals have been transformed into flesh-eating zombies by polluted water. But, they do manage to leave that area and find something even worse. One young girl has stumbled across an old shack which is apparently something along the lines of the local butcher shop, which you know has to be bad news. She has told the old woman she's found there that there's a crazy man wearing a "burqa" running around killing people but the old woman says "that's silly, men don't wear "burqas"". ?!? So it's a WOMAN? Aiee! This seems to be an loving homage to horror films of old, and not just "copying". The director, Omar Ali Khan, is the owner of an ice cream shop in Islambad. He also has the awesome "Hot Spot Online" which features many fine reviews of Bollywood & Lollywood films (as well as films from elsewhere). At one point during "Zibahkhana", one character (OJ) is watching "Zinda Laash" (The Living Corpse), which is Pakistan's first horror film from 1967. Later, at a tea shop, he tells an old man that he knows he was the actor from that film, who played "Dracula"...the old man denies it but I did look it and and lo and behold, it IS Rehan, who did play that role. Of course, OJ's friends just think he smoked too much hash.Anyway, I liked this a lot, and you have to enjoy this in the spirit in which it was made. Fun stuff, 8 out of 10.
9 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :- Oh man, I never expected this out of Pakistan., 15 May 2007 Author: Hammad Khan from Pakistan
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
OK, firstly, I'm from Pakistan. Lived here all my life. Grew up here watching some horrible & crappy films with the same retarded actors like Shaan, Babar and all of them has-been's, and I'm so glad something like this came long, even if it took it about 20 years too long.I made my way into the screening room hoping to see something different, and damn, did I enjoy myself or what? Here's what the film basically contains...Serious amount of bloodletting, Intestines, Headless Corpses, More intestines, Zombies eating people, A dwarf zombie feasting on intestines, A main villain twice as insane as Leatherface & carrying a spinning spiked-ball, A damsel in distress getting her head snapped 360, More bloodletting, A doper zombie spitting out blood at the sight of people trying to embrace, A magician being all grim & then after a second asking for water and crying, A tea-man being sadistically cult, and of course, The BEST ending.All this & more. I found myself laughing hysterically at the amount of gore they presented & the stupid gags in between. It was easily the best thing to come out of Pakistan, and will until Omar's next movie, whenever that happens.Be sure to check it out if you can. Trust me, you'll love it if you have an eye for extreme violence, zombies & Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :- Hell's Ground, 24 March 2009 Author: Scarecrow-88 from United States
Omar Ali Khan's "Hell's Ground" is essentially a fan film using familiar horror genre staples audiences are accustomed to, such as taking the dreaded short cut which is a detour into terror, cell phones that don't work, a van which will soon run out of gas, a family of psychos who chop up passersby using their meat to supply demand, and polluted water supply that contaminates the citizens turning those who drink it into gut-munching zombies. And, your final girl is virtuous, forgiving, kind-hearted, and soft-spoken. I thought the film is a Pakistani reworking of THE Texas CHAINSAW MASSACRE with a little NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD to stir the pot a little. Admittedly, like a lot of horror buffs, I was drawn to the fact that this seems to be Pakistan's "first gore film", after seeing a trailer preview on another movie's DVD. It seems Khan is heavily reliant on a fish-eye lens distorting the frame, creating a disorienting atmosphere for the cast of city kids whose parents have no idea that they have snuck out to go to a concert...a trait in horror that always works, the fear that you are out there in an unfamiliar territory and your loved ones don't know where you are. Certainly the image of a flail wielding madman in a burqa(..his demented eye peering through a cut away hole as he swings it with a ferocity ready to plant it's spikes into the skull of a frightened, fleeing victim)isn't easy to forget and the idea that you are on the receiving end of a head crushing increases the suspense of the situation..the flail is pretty much a terrifying tool replacing Leatherface's chainsaw, the burqa in the same vein as the human-skin or hockey mask.The Pakistani characters aren't too different than an American group being stalked by predators, you have Roxy(Rubya Chaundhry), a rich, opinionated snob, or OJ(Osman Khalid Butt), the pothead horror geek. Rooshanie Ejaz is the virginal innocent, Ayesha, who will obviously withstand the horrors until the end. Haider Raza is Simon, a male mirror equivalent to Ayesha, a smart kid from a poor family with wealthy friends(..his dad is a "poop sweeper" for the rich with a disdain for his son who hangs around the crowd he doesn't belong to). OJ is bitten by an infected local and slowly succumbs over time to the plague sweeping across the land. The group encounter zombies which attempt to get in their van and a religious nut who temporarily "bums a ride" promising to guide them to their destination. Lots of enthusiastic set-pieces, particularly the chase scenes where the burqa psycho follows close behind those running for their lives, and we get an old-fashioned flesh-eating session which should bring a grin to the faces of Italian zombie fans. Khan injects a healthy dose of blood splatter when weapons hit the desired targets of our maniac, and the pace is full throttle, with a camera that moves throughout, rarely staying still not allowing the viewer to settle down at almost any point. I'm guessing, judging by how spirited the whole film feels, that this was a dream come true for director Khan. Nothing at all content-wise is original, but the setting is unique, and Khan is aiming to please the target audience. I think zombie fans will feel a little disappointed that Khan shifts focus from the plague sweeping across the people to the predator chasing the lost sheep in the wilderness, but it seems that Khan wanted to get in as much as possible in regards to the films that influenced him the most..homages here and there. My favorite image might just be the opening attack where the moon becomes engulfed in blood.
4 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :- Campy, Cheesy and HELL of Fun but all Purposely should be Deliberately, 14 May 2007 Author: Syed Ali Faheem Naqvi (naqvifaheem@hotmail.com) from Pakistan
First of All I'm huge MOVIE FANS means got 1600+ DVDs/VHS and of all Genre. One of the biggest Horror Fan and Zombie / Masked Killer type of Films are in my beloved league... (NOTLD, TCM my all time favorite) Well this is my own country's first ever effort in gore / splatter kind of genre and naturally since I first heard of this movie, I was Mad like hell to watch it... and my dearest wish come true last night in LUMS Premiere of this movie I must say It was Fun experience, means what we were promised in the trailer in lots of different discussions in many site ( I Read almost all Zibahkahan related Blogs) is all what we get. The movie as per director himself is not Bollywood piece of commercialism, nor its Iranian directors piece of artwork.. I was campy fun ride and was beautifully done... BUT .. If you just think on my line in summary that its its all purposely and it should be deliberately... I mean this is good effort we appreciate but according to me in these type of films usually cheesy and campy stuffs are deliberately placed.. and its viewer who spot them and than CULT FOLLOWING comes.. but in the movie I got a feeling that Placement of such material was forced and there was clear purpose behind them to get noticed.. for example... Deewana Character.. first we got DVD Cover than 1 min clip of Zinda Lash.. some shots of that actor as Dracula... than during Tea Stall scene O.J even asked him aren't you the same guy who play Dracula..... seee....instead of let the audience guess it or let the reviewer write it in trivia section.. director just make it clear to everyone what he is intending to do... I hope you get what I was trying to say....but thats nothing what you will see in this 90 Min's films is very entertaining stuff... my only disappointment was they start of with so much footage of protest, contaminated water, than zombie attack.. but somehow left the plot to ignorance.. mean I know movie switched to Slasher /Masked Killer/ Psycho genre but it will be kool if its like Team of teens stuck in middle of nowhere with family of psycho and surrounded by Zombie... even O.J as zombie VS Burqa MAN (realllly ;-0) kind of scene can be different , funny or even hilarious (thats campy) Also For God sake.. I hate Uwe Boll for this .. don't use same footage repeatedly again and again.. we spotted spider in web, hanging crows, cock /hen leg, dolls pieces , full moon all were perfectly visible in first spot.... (sooryy but its teasing....but its First effort to note this for next time...) On bright side.. gr8 movie score, gore, some very kool moments, kool depiction, shocking and overall good movie...I tried to disclose very few spoilers , will not discuss about standard of movie making etc.. as its Weldon.. keeping in mind first ever effort in Pakistan and to begin this is actually very good movie.. I know its easy to criticize and hard to actually make things .. thats why I will appreciate everyone involve in making this film.. keeping in mind the fantastic response its getting everywhere its screened .. great job everyone .. but always make sure.. there is always room for improvement.. hopefully things will improve with other ventures....
2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :- You are on the road to Hell my children., 14 March 2009 Author: lastliberal from Florida
As we get ready for another Fantastic Fest in Austin and the worldwide release of Lesbian Vampire Killers, we explore the film that won Best Gore at last year's Fest - a Pakistani zombie flick! We won't need to talk about actors, as we have not likely seen any of them, so we will focus on the story. Suffice it to say that three young men and two women lied to their parents to travel to a concert.Just as you are a fool to leave the highways in Texas and travel the back roads, you need to avoid shortcuts in Pakistan. This Lollywood zombie flick is a throwback to the way zombies are supposed to be - very slow, and munching on brains and guts after a kill. It featured gut munching that would fit well in any cannibal flick.Of course our travellers don't know that their friend O.J. (Osman Khalid Butt) who was bitten will change. The film just keeps getting freakier and freakier.The film switches from zombies to Texas Chainsaw Massacre as a slasher in a burka appears. Poor Vicky (Kunwar Ali Roshan); he is now being dismembered and blood is flowing everywhere. Roxy (Rubya Chaudhry) wanders in and is now being chased by the burka-wearing killer, who doesn't have a chainsaw, and has to use a spiked ball on a chain.That ball sure made a mess of Simon's (Haider Raza) face; now only the girls are left. It appears the local villagers will have lots of meat on the table for a while.It appears no one will survive these woods.The gore was good and one hopes for more from Omar Khan
2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :- Good gory fun, with a few chuckles, to boot!, 1 November 2008 Author: ajji-2 from Lahore, Pakistan
One thing was very clear to me even before I saw the film: this was an ultra-low-budget production, made by a non-professional. Therefore, I wasn't expecting much, and that's exactly what I got. I also knew that the director, Omar Khan, was an enthusiast of cult, horror, and trash cinema, as evidenced by his loving attention to obscure Indian and Pakistani films on his website. Zibahkhana works well enough insofar as an amateur homage/reworking of some of the most famous horror staples, albeit with some local color and at least one ingenious touch (a burqa-clad slasher? Sweet!). It would be fair enough to sum this up as a cross between Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Hostel, set in Pakistan, with a dash of zombies for good measure. I just wish the writers could've developed the screenplay a little beyond the gleeful regurgitation of clichés that we get, because this could've been so much better (a case in point is the zombie subplot which is abandoned soon after the gut- munchers appear…more's the pity, because these guys looked awesome).Anyway, let's move on beyond the script. There are some technical flaws, but one can overlook those as it was obviously shot on the cheap, using digital cameras. Still, the interior of the van at night was way over-lit, which could've been remedied without much hassle. The look of the film is fine, enhanced by a ubiquitous wide-angle lens. The acting by the young cast of protagonists isn't anything to write home about, either, but then they didn't really have good material to work with. What Khan does get right is an atmosphere of creepiness, and what he excels in is the level of violence and gore in the film. Yes sir, he really lets loose with the red stuff. Gore hounds won't have much to complain about here. And since that seems to have been the focus of Khan's energies, it may have been a wise decision to keep the running time short (78min approx), because clearly, the 'exposition' scenes were not going to keep audience interest levels up. Another nice touch is the soundtrack which is littered with retro Lollywood music. A clip from Zinda Lash (The Living Corpse) makes an appearance and the actor who played the vampire in that film, Rehan, is also featured in a bit part, where he hams it up hilariously.So if like me, you go into the film with low expectations, you're likely to enjoy it for what it is: a gory, lurid and fast-paced pastiche of better known horror films, made by fans and for fans (with the novelty value of being a Pakistani gore film…really, how many of those do you see around?). If, however, you want something more substantial than that, you might be let down. Me, I had a pretty good time. Here's hoping Khan's next project improves upon his debut.
1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :- Relies heavily on Hollywood, still well made, 4 November 2008 Author: Souvik Chatterjee from India
The main purpose of writing this review is to give my honest opinion about Zibahkhana. What prompted me to write this review is the fact that most reviewers here seem to be oblivious of mainstream Hollywood gore/horror flicks. But, let me start by congratulating Mr. Khan for directing a very well made movie. As I watched it I could very well make out that the resources available for this film were very very limited. Even then the special effects, lights and the camera work was amazing. It definitely does not feel like a first time venture. But the main reason for my disappointment for this movie is the fact that it won the Best Gore flick at Austin. When I started watching this movie I was expecting something new, something fresh. Sadly, the only thing fresh in this movie are the actors. That's about it. Rooshanie, Haider and Osman deserves special mention. Why, I even almost fell in love with Rooshanie. She is a cutie and very good at expressions. I am not mentioning Rubya because she is supposed to be a veteran and hence good acting is expected. That brings me to the negatives. The primary disappointment is the Music. Its hilarious to say the least! Listen to the background score and you'll know what I mean. Come on. Mr. Khan you could have done much better than this! At least you, as the director, should know that the music is the main ingredient behind creating a truly creepy atmosphere. The other negative part is this movie relies heavily on Gore classics like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Night of the Living Dead and Haute Tension. The beginning is clearly Night of the Living dead, Middle is Texas Chainsaw Massacre and the End is almost Haute Tension! Anyone who watched these three do not bother to expect anything original. I'm aware that this is your first venture Mr. Khan and also of the limited resources and budget you had. Still you made quite an impression by merging these three films together and doing a very good job at that. But changing the background music and twisting the story a little bit more could not have hurt the budget I'm sure. Expectations from you have now increased Mr. Khan. I'm sure you'll do much better in your next venture. Kudos for a job well done. Cheers!
2 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :- A very solid enjoyable "B" experience, 7 July 2008 Author: larry.launders from Texas
Saw this just two nights ago and the experience produced a fair amount of discussion.First off, not the sort of thing I'd have expected from Pakistan, or that part of the world. That in itself makes the movie a nice surprise! And I want to thank this movie for knowing when to leave something off-screen! There were parts where others could have made a half-hearted (HEH!) attempt to have something on screen, then it would have looked REALLY bad. Instead, there is a key moment where the action is left off screen, and you only get to see the result.For the gore fans, no worries! There's plenty of graphic gore to come! However the soundtrack...where did they ever dig that up from?? It reminded me of Grindhouse and the type of music I'd have expected from something anywhere from the mid-60's to early 70's.This movie was easy to watch. We never found ourselves in a lull where we were checking our watches or itching to fast-forward a bit, it is well paced.*** SPOILERS AHEAD *** The plot is simplistic, which is okay as there were no high expectations. The characters were fairly well set, for what parts the different character traits come into play, which isn't much.However, we saw two movies in this. The first part having to do with the disease and zombies and pollution, the second having to do with a psycho slasher. The two lines do not seem to have...ANYTHING...to do with one another! And again, that's OK depending on what your expectations are.The language was interesting...I don't know how many different languages may have been in this movie, but it was interesting to have the characters' dialog switch from 'native' (Farsi?) to English WITHIN THE SAME SENTENCE! Just seemed odd. And the English they did speak had a small variety of accents (we counted Jamaican, British and possibly German).Watch, and enjoy!
4 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :- Leatherface meets Moula Jatt!, 4 August 2007 Author: maha_nyc from United States
okay,loll this movie is hilarious if you have like 78 minutes that you want to spend enjoying an amateur somewhat funny and yet very predictable movie than watch hells ground, i actually liked the actor's since they are not professionals but kids from local colleges and high school, they did pretty well considering they had no prior background in acting.Also the gore is the bloodiest and freshest i have ever seen! all in all it's a typical Desi horror production with a 70's flare,hint of political issues and lots of funny and gory scenes,also it's a first attempt by Omar khan (director) and the movie is made with a very limited budget. yet it has all the elements of a regular zombie teenage flick. I enjoyed watching it ,and i say go for it!
1 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :- A bunch of Pakistani teenagers end up encountering every horror cinema scenario, 14 November 2008 Author: aquamarine_19 from Tokelau
This film makes interesting viewing, primarily for its novelty value of a horror film coming out of Islamabad. The story, as you would have read in the numerous other reviews is about a group of teenagers who on their way to a rock concert lose their way and end up encountering zombies and being chased by a mace wielding freak. The gore factor in the film put me off, there's plenty of raw flesh and blood at display here, some of the shots would cringe any sane, humane individual. Apparently, the director takes great pride in this disgusting quality of the film. However, to instill fear in the audience requires much more than probing, poking and twisting of human flesh, intestines etc. And thats where the film doesn't work -- it grosses you out rather than actually scaring you.However, the film does hold your attention in parts, and the acting by the ensemble overall is pretty good. The actor playing the Christian kid and Roshanie Ejaz deserve special mention. Rubiya Chaudry is clearly playing herself here and her comfort level shows on screen. Some of the photography is pretty decent too. However, there was no need for the theatrical vignettes into the family lives of the characters. Towards the end, you do root and feel for Roshanie's character and the credit for that goes entirely to the actor's performance and screen presence as the screen writing here is rank amateurish. Well, the makers probably didn't feel the need to have a taught script given most of Zibahkhana is a zombie-attack or an extended chase sequence.On the whole, this isn't bad if you enjoy watching dead corpses, rotting remains of animals and take pleasure in the more disgusting aspects of this world. Next time, we hope that OAK would use a decent scriptwriter, many of which are to be found in the underutilized Pakistan showbiz scene. And yeah, we need to see more of Rubya and Roshanie.
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