Didn't get a chance to see the limited release, although I tried really hard, but finally got to view the rental last night. I liked this movie, it's most certainly a great zombie flick. However it's by no means anywhere near perfect either. It didn't offer alot of originality IMO, unless you count filming in POV (on the other hand I thought LAND was quite original and it comes in behind this one). DIARY represents a tried and true sub-genre of horror that not alot of folks outside of zombie fans are really gonna dig very much (unlike, say 28 DAYS LATER). I think this should have gotten a full-blown theater release, I mean LAND did so by default this should of as well, but I can see why a studio would opt not to do that.
The good: Didn't mind the POV filming nor did it make me consciously compare it to BLAIR WITCH PROJECT or CLOVERFIELD. As has been noted by several, their is less camera shaking in this film relative to the other POVs mentioned. The POV allowed for many trademark Romero wide-shots, like he used at the end of NotLD when the authorities are hunting down the ghouls. The beginning story set-up is fun, where the news crew is filming a piece about a multiple murder-suicide. The Amish scenes are a real hoot and also the most intense part of the film, definitely the highlight of the movie. I liked the Winnebago idea too, I thought it might have been a nod to RACE WITH THE DEVIL. It's a step up from LAND in the story department. LAND is actually a lot deeper movie that DIARY, but it's also not as fun or exciting, or scary for that matter.
The not so good: After that first scene the film is basically a on the road picture that doesn't really go anywhere. The acting doesn't do the film justice. Maybe the script lines were incredibly cheesy or maybe these guys just can't deliver lines, but either way.... The story just never developed enough for me. I mean, they told the part of the story I cared about in the first few minutes. I keep thinking about 28 DAYS LATER, that's not my favorite movie in the whole world, but I thought it was alot more effective than DIARY. DIARY didn't get me too creeped out, it didn't draw me in or make me care very much about the characters. It came from the guy that made NIGHT and DAWN and out of the five zombie films he's made this one comes in fourth place.
The bad: Other than the acting, nothing really. See it, it's fun, especially for horror fans.
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"Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday."
-Psalms 91:5-6
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