Writer-director George A. Romero, who invented the modern zombie film with 1968'sNight of the Living Dead, returns to the graveyard forSurvival of the Dead, the fifth sequel (of sorts) to his landmark movie, with his trademark gore and social commentary intact.Survivalpicks up shortly after the events of  2008'sDiary of the Dead, which offered a revisionist take on the zombie outbreak inNight; here, a minor character fromDiary(Alan Van Sprang) takes center stage with his team of fellow mercenary soldiers as they make their way to remote Plum Island, where two feuding Irish families sort out the best way to deal with the living dead. As is often the case with Romero's films, the ideas don't always match the execution--his dialogue and characters remain painfully stock at times, and the CGI elements of the effects look amateurish--but at its core, the picture retains his fascination for entropy in American society, as personified by the twin family patriarchs, who cling stubbornly to their beliefs as their world literally dies around them. Parallels between this story and the conservative movement of the early 21st century are obvious, and while others have made more artful statements about the situation, Romero once again cuts to the bloody heart of the matter. Limited in scope and budget,Survivalisn't on par withNightor 1978'sDawn of the Dead, but it's a watchable and intriguing addition to his zombie canon.--Paul Gaita