The American Zombie War

“Henry, war is a bloody, killing business. You’ve got to crack their skulls wide open or they will eat yours. Smash their brains. Chop off their heads. When the undead are all around you and you wipe the dirt off your face and realize that instead of dirt it’s the blood and guts of what once was your best friend, you’ll know what to do!”

And such is the introduction to zombie warfare by the mother of Henry Fleming, a young soldier caught up the American Zombie War who is motivated, not by the unselfish heroism of conventional war stories, but by fear, cowardice, and finally, his own self-importance. In Henry’s struggle with reality amid the nightmarish chaos of war against the undead, the young soldier also discovers courage, humility, and finally, wisdom. This mash-up is based on the classic novel, “The Red Badge of Courage” by American author Stephen Crane.  Its uncanny re-creation of the sights, sounds, and sense of actual combat still ring true, no matter if the enemy is living or undead.