Dead Heat
After a police detective is killed in the line of duty, resurrection technology turns him into the undead lawman best equipped to stop zombie criminals.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Graphic
- goofy
- irreverent
- grotesque
- midnight movie night
- cult horror marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regarded the film as a poorly executed, clunky horror-comedy despite its energetic premise and occasional makeup effects.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The buddy-cop investigation is repeatedly punctuated by undead criminals, grotesque resurrection imagery, and deliberately goofy humor.
Roger Mortis remains committed to stopping the criminal threat after being killed and resurrected.
Roger Mortis and Doug Bigelow investigate criminal activity while confronting resurrected perpetrators.
The film foregrounds resurrection, zombification, and grotesque death imagery as tactile genre set pieces.
Films like Dead Heat, and why
Evil Dead 2
Shares zombie comedy, splatstick humor, inventive practical effects, and irreverent genre excess.
The Return of the Living Dead
Shares undead horror, dark comedy, police protagonists, and escalating practical-effects mayhem.
The Last Boy Scout
Shares buddy-cop banter, supernatural crime-solving, and comic action-horror energy.
Fido
Shares absurdist zombie premise, campy tone, and cult horror appeal.
Movie Details
- Director
- Mark Goldblatt
- Release Date
- 1988-05-06
- Runtime
- 86 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (245)
Cast
- Treat Williams
- Joe Piscopo
- Lindsay Frost
- Darren McGavin
- Vincent Price
- Robert Picardo
- Martha Quinn
- Keye Luke
- Clare Kirkconnell
- Mel Stewart
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Dead Heat about?
- After a police detective is killed in the line of duty, resurrection technology turns him into the undead lawman best equipped to stop zombie criminals.
- What is Dead Heat like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Dead Heat as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Dead Heat violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Dead Heat as graphic.
- What did critics think of Dead Heat?
- Critics broadly regarded the film as a poorly executed, clunky horror-comedy despite its energetic premise and occasional makeup effects.
- Which films are like Dead Heat?
- Films with a similar feel include Evil Dead 2, The Return of the Living Dead, The Last Boy Scout, and Fido.
- How long is Dead Heat?
- Dead Heat runs 86 minutes.
- Where can I watch Dead Heat?
- In United States, Dead Heat streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel.
