THE UNDYING (2009)

Directed by Steven Peros
Written by David M. Flynn & Steven Peros
Starring Robin Weigert, Anthony Carrigan, Jay O. Sanders, Wes Studi

Though capably acted and shot, I can’t recommend this Lifetime Movie of the Week-style ghost story. DEADWOOD’s Calamity Jane aka Robin Weigert does a decent job as a weepy doctor widow, pining for her lost love and trying to start fresh in a new town. Wes Studi also does a capable job as a dedicated and superstitious detective investigating the reappearance of a thought-dead man, and Jay O’ Sanders amps up the smarm as a creepy doctor who doesn’t like to take no for an answer, especially where his nurses are concerned. But all of the well acted performances won’t put any edge on this watered down horror yarn.

Goofy horror movie logic allows the ghost of a Civil War soldier to enter the body of a recently deceased abusive husband Weigert’s character is treating at the hospital. The desperate woman decides to steal the dead body and smuggle it home so that the ghost can take over the corpse. Soon, the Civil War vet possesses the body and it’s like ENCINO MAN as he marvels at the moving pictures on the television and modern amenities such as the radio. A third act revelation that the abusive husband side of the corpse is still in the body as well makes for a quick conflict shake of the ant farm, but it’s a bit late to spice up this burrito at that point.

The main reason even to seek out THE UNDYING is to see BARRY’s NoHo Hank (Anthony Carrigan) pre-alopecia with a full head of hair in the lead role of the reanimated soldier. Light on scares and blood, apart from the ghost aspect, it’s hard to categorize this as horror. Lacking in the bite usually preferred by readers of this column, I doubt it will satisfy, but the decent acting at least kept me watching until the end. THE UNDYING is just too tame to make it as horror.

Check out the trailer here!!