Just so we’re clear this isn’t the 2014 movie that is very similar but was pretty much panned and rejected by a lot of people for various reasons that I won’t go into. The Dead Lands however is the story of a man that has been brought back to life in order to find out what has gone wrong with his world and how the link between the living and the dead can be put back into balance. Waka, which is a name I’ve not heard since playing Final Fantasy X, is one of the two main protagonists while Mehe is the young woman that will join him on this quest to discover just how to make the world right again and what it will take to find those that can tell them or aid them in the endeavor. Thus far the trailer makes the show look as though it could be seriously enticing since the action, fantasy, and of course the overall gore factor have the look of another zombie thriller. Where this one differs however is that thanks to the infusion of Maori culture we’ll be seeing something quite different, and as Chris Morse of Dead Entertainment states it sounds as though we’ll even see Mau Rakau, a form of Maori martial arts that looks to be quite enticing if you ever get the notion to look it up.
There might be some that will claim that the fact that the show is being filmed in English and not Maori might be an issue, but overall it could help to market to a bigger crowd and possibly increase the show’s influence throughout different countries. Apart from that it’s common knowledge that any show that does manage to gain the needed attention will typically be dubbed or offer subtitles in various countries since there’s not much of an impediment to letting people enjoy stories that are intriguing as well as entertaining. This one looks to be a new take on the zombie shows that have come about in the last decade and more but with a more supernatural twist that could possibly satisfy people that love zombie shows but want something a little extra. The idea of not modernizing the show and keeping it rooted within an earlier era is also great since it eliminates a lot of aspects that people might worry over and nitpick about. Not that there won’t be anyone that will neglect to say anything and everything they can about the show, that’s kind of a given. But the idea that people will try to tear this show apart for one detail or another is laughable despite the fact that there are likely to be a few errors in there that some folks will pick up on immediately. John Squires of BloodyDisgusting has more to say on the show in his own words.
Polynesian cultures in the movies and on TV have seen an up and down kind of progression throughout the years that have utilized various parts of different cultures while at times lumping them all into the same general pot from which to pick. The Maori culture is quite different from a lot of others but without checking to see how it’s easy to see how a number of people could think that it’s the same as many of the other cultures that identify as Polynesian. The Maori however have their own rich history and culture to pull from and a little bit of reading before watching the show might actual do a person some good since the Maori culture is quite interesting if you really get into it. A lot of shows depict the Maori as fierce warriors but throughout their history they’ve been much more as well since they did create a civilization and did take to Western influence after a while. At some point the Maori way of life did begin to die out, but the traditions are still held pretty firm to this day by many people.
While The Dead Lands might not be an accurate look into Maori culture it still looks like an enticing show that’s bound to keep people on the edge of their seat and almost act as another means of getting people over the cancellation or discontinuation of some shows given that it looks as though it’s packed with action and will be able to hold our attention from start to finish. The fantasy aspect of it looks great since the supernatural forces that are thinning the veil between the dead and the living is a great hook to set when trying to get fans of different genres to come and take a look. One has to wonder if it’s going to factor into a few of the comic conventions that are coming up this year, or if it’s going to be allowed to exist as a blurb and nothing else until it releases. In any case, I know I’ll be watching.
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