14 reviews
Horror comedy, one of the most useless genres of all. To be a fan here is tantamount to an oath of disclosure in terms of taste in film. Yes, I know, Evil Dead 2, Tucker And Dale, Shaun Of The Dead, Zombieland. Exceptions prove the rule. This film is comparable to the last two mentioned, especially, no, exclusively in terms of the quality of the masks and effects. These are a good reason for a viewing, but also the only one. The rest is best described in one word: stupid. At times even unbearable, I recommend switching off the sound and then perhaps watching it 'on the side'. To emphasise once again, the visuals are excellent, so it's all the more regrettable that they opted for such unfunny slapstick in terms of content.
- xnicofingerx
- Sep 5, 2024
- Permalink
My expectations were high. I mean, this is from the people behind the fabulous Turbo Kid (which I recommend highly). So, ah, what the hell happened?
As other reviewers have stated, it LOOKS great. The review suggesting you view it with the sound off makes a worthwhile point (although why you'd do that when great movies with great characters could be watched with the sound on, instead, I don't know). The problem is the main characters, in particular the two guys. What's presumably supposed to be "funny" dialogue is relentless, annoying-AF bickering and stupidity. One stupid decision (that NOBODY would make, EVER) after another. It's excruciating. Why it's called 'We Are Zombies' is also baffling. At no point does the film even deliver on the title.
Is it one for "zombie completists"? Hmm, well, sure, why not. If you brace for the punchable male leads' dialogue and the illogical decisions and actions, I guess it's "okay". As I said, my expectations were high. Set them low.
Better still, track down Turbo Kid instead.
As other reviewers have stated, it LOOKS great. The review suggesting you view it with the sound off makes a worthwhile point (although why you'd do that when great movies with great characters could be watched with the sound on, instead, I don't know). The problem is the main characters, in particular the two guys. What's presumably supposed to be "funny" dialogue is relentless, annoying-AF bickering and stupidity. One stupid decision (that NOBODY would make, EVER) after another. It's excruciating. Why it's called 'We Are Zombies' is also baffling. At no point does the film even deliver on the title.
Is it one for "zombie completists"? Hmm, well, sure, why not. If you brace for the punchable male leads' dialogue and the illogical decisions and actions, I guess it's "okay". As I said, my expectations were high. Set them low.
Better still, track down Turbo Kid instead.
If you've ever found yourself laughing through the gore of "Blood Sucking Freaks", dodging the undead with the hilarity of "Cooties", or reveling in the neon-soaked mayhem of "Nekrotronic", then "We Are Zombies" is your next cinematic obsession. This zombie comedy is a grotesque, hilarious, and utterly addictive ride.
"We Are Zombies" is a delightful surprise in a genre often overrun by tired tropes. This 2024 horror-comedy manages to balance gore, humor, and heart with impressive skill.
The film introduces us to a trio of misfits who find themselves in the midst of a zombie outbreak. What follows is a riotous blend of slapstick, character-driven moments, and surprisingly effective scares. The filmmakers have a clear love for the genre, evident in the countless nods to classic zombie films, but they also bring a fresh perspective to the well-worn formula.
The cast delivers standout performances, with a perfect blend of comedic timing and dramatic intensity. The characters are endearingly flawed and their camaraderie is the backbone of the film. The practical effects are gory and gruesome in all the right ways, satisfying the cravings of horror fans without overshadowing the story.
While "We Are Zombies" might not reinvent the wheel, it's a damn good ride. It's a film that knows exactly what it wants to be and delivers on all fronts.
"We Are Zombies" is a delightful surprise in a genre often overrun by tired tropes. This 2024 horror-comedy manages to balance gore, humor, and heart with impressive skill.
The film introduces us to a trio of misfits who find themselves in the midst of a zombie outbreak. What follows is a riotous blend of slapstick, character-driven moments, and surprisingly effective scares. The filmmakers have a clear love for the genre, evident in the countless nods to classic zombie films, but they also bring a fresh perspective to the well-worn formula.
The cast delivers standout performances, with a perfect blend of comedic timing and dramatic intensity. The characters are endearingly flawed and their camaraderie is the backbone of the film. The practical effects are gory and gruesome in all the right ways, satisfying the cravings of horror fans without overshadowing the story.
While "We Are Zombies" might not reinvent the wheel, it's a damn good ride. It's a film that knows exactly what it wants to be and delivers on all fronts.
- nERDbOX_Dave
- Aug 18, 2024
- Permalink
Looked like my kind of film. But...
Unlikable characters due to a weakly written script. Tries to be funny more than charismatic but most of the jokes don't land so ends up being neither. Seems like a lot of the acting choices are more to do with direction than each actor's ability so will give the cast the benefit of the doubt. If the humour was sharper the over-acting would probably land.
Gains points for a nice synth score and occasional funny splatter gore. Moves along at the right pace and escalates a good amount in the final act. I like what it's going for.
It might not be for me but I believe there's an audience for every film. Recommended for fans of Necrotronic (2018), Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (2015), and The Night Sitter (2018).
Unlikable characters due to a weakly written script. Tries to be funny more than charismatic but most of the jokes don't land so ends up being neither. Seems like a lot of the acting choices are more to do with direction than each actor's ability so will give the cast the benefit of the doubt. If the humour was sharper the over-acting would probably land.
Gains points for a nice synth score and occasional funny splatter gore. Moves along at the right pace and escalates a good amount in the final act. I like what it's going for.
It might not be for me but I believe there's an audience for every film. Recommended for fans of Necrotronic (2018), Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (2015), and The Night Sitter (2018).
- joemosesleggett
- Sep 26, 2024
- Permalink
In a world where the dead have returned as zombies...that aren't out to eat your brains.
They just become a burden on their family's, and, well...society at large.
Which has opened the door for the multinational Coleman corporation, to step in, and offer the "living impaired" an afterlife with dignity.
At least that's their marketing pitch.
The reality, however, isn't so peachy.
So, when a rag tag group of down and out modern day body snatchers start to steal from them.
They just might be the ones to, unexpectedly, expose them as the, not-so-benevolent, profiteers they really are.
With hilarious consequences.
Sure, it's low budget...cheesy...sex-fueled comedy.
But you can't deny it's entertaining.
With some great creature makeup and special effects that give Nicotero and Savini a run for their money!
It's low budget, low brow, comedy horror at it's finest.
And comes as a fresh break from the, mostly, trash horror that 2023 had to offer.
Don't let the haters sway you.
Definitely give this film a shot.
You won't be disappointed you did.
I assure you.
7 out of 10.
They just become a burden on their family's, and, well...society at large.
Which has opened the door for the multinational Coleman corporation, to step in, and offer the "living impaired" an afterlife with dignity.
At least that's their marketing pitch.
The reality, however, isn't so peachy.
So, when a rag tag group of down and out modern day body snatchers start to steal from them.
They just might be the ones to, unexpectedly, expose them as the, not-so-benevolent, profiteers they really are.
With hilarious consequences.
Sure, it's low budget...cheesy...sex-fueled comedy.
But you can't deny it's entertaining.
With some great creature makeup and special effects that give Nicotero and Savini a run for their money!
It's low budget, low brow, comedy horror at it's finest.
And comes as a fresh break from the, mostly, trash horror that 2023 had to offer.
Don't let the haters sway you.
Definitely give this film a shot.
You won't be disappointed you did.
I assure you.
7 out of 10.
- meddlecore
- Aug 19, 2024
- Permalink
Oddly enough then I had actually not heard about this horror comedy titled "We Are Zombies" prior to stumbling upon it by sheer luck here in 2024. And of course I had to watch it, given my fascination with all things zombie.
While I am not familiar with the graphic novel from Jerry Frissen, then I will say that writers François Simard, Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Karl Whissell put together a rather enjoyable and entertaining script. It was a nice blend of horror and comedy, and when you throw zombies into the equation things tend to get spruced up. And so it was in "We Are Zombies". I like the non-cannibalistic zombie approach that there was in the movie, because it was a nice change of pace to the zombie genre.
Alexandre Nachi, Derek Johns and Megan Peta Hill were nicely cast for the leading parts. I wasn't familiar with them, but they definitely carried the movie quite nicely. I was not familiar with the cast ensemble in the movie, and that is something I do enjoy when I sit down to watch a movie. The actors and actresses on the cast list were great and put on good performances.
Visually then I was rather surprised with the movie. I wasn't expecting the special effects and zombie make-up to be that good. That was certainly a nice surprise, and one that added a rather enjoyable layer to the movie.
If you enjoy horror comedies with zombies, then directors François Simard, Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Karl Whissell's 2023 movie "We Are Zombies" is well-worth spending 80 minutes on watching. I was genuinely entertained throughout the course of the movie, and it is a movie that I warmly recommend you to watch. This was a much needed addition to the zombie horror comedy genre, because it was done so right and with the heart in the right place.
My rating of "We Are Zombies" lands on a seven out of ten stars.
While I am not familiar with the graphic novel from Jerry Frissen, then I will say that writers François Simard, Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Karl Whissell put together a rather enjoyable and entertaining script. It was a nice blend of horror and comedy, and when you throw zombies into the equation things tend to get spruced up. And so it was in "We Are Zombies". I like the non-cannibalistic zombie approach that there was in the movie, because it was a nice change of pace to the zombie genre.
Alexandre Nachi, Derek Johns and Megan Peta Hill were nicely cast for the leading parts. I wasn't familiar with them, but they definitely carried the movie quite nicely. I was not familiar with the cast ensemble in the movie, and that is something I do enjoy when I sit down to watch a movie. The actors and actresses on the cast list were great and put on good performances.
Visually then I was rather surprised with the movie. I wasn't expecting the special effects and zombie make-up to be that good. That was certainly a nice surprise, and one that added a rather enjoyable layer to the movie.
If you enjoy horror comedies with zombies, then directors François Simard, Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Karl Whissell's 2023 movie "We Are Zombies" is well-worth spending 80 minutes on watching. I was genuinely entertained throughout the course of the movie, and it is a movie that I warmly recommend you to watch. This was a much needed addition to the zombie horror comedy genre, because it was done so right and with the heart in the right place.
My rating of "We Are Zombies" lands on a seven out of ten stars.
- paul_haakonsen
- Aug 25, 2024
- Permalink
This movie is on par with its zero-brainer title.
Though it starts off with a decent idea; a different vision of zombies that don't eat people, etc. Zombies taking up a place in society - this could be read (this isn't a spoiler) like the people who work 80 hours a week in terrible working conditions just to get a job more than the next poor schlub, etc. This idea quickly falls out next to the cheapest "humor", bad dialogue and an apparent inability to build up plot and have some actual story telling.
The movie looks like it is partially Robot Chicken style inserts, within a mediocre plotline, and well... yea, it doesn't really come out like something you are interested in watching. They added cheap slapstick style gags and "bellow the belt, haha this is funny because it is making fun of political correctness" at every turn, either hoping it would cover up for the b-series acting, the dull set up, the... well, I suppose everything.
I really can't imagine anyone that isn't stuck in an "antisocial teenager" phase finding this movie either funny or entertaining - maybe that's the target audience? If it wasn't enough, the people who worked on the colors and lighting must have taken a bunch of b-series horror films as an example - everything is shot in the dark, unengaging, almost can't see sh** half the time. Yea, shooting in the dark may work sometimes, but not when you have no atmosphere, dull scenes, cheap comedy and less than desirable acting.
As a note though, for any writers out there, this movie is a great example of why "show don't tell" is a thing. Because you can't see sh**, but they sure do spell out EVERY plot element and detail for you.
The basic ideas in this movie deserve a rip off, but this film deserves to be forgotten.
Though it starts off with a decent idea; a different vision of zombies that don't eat people, etc. Zombies taking up a place in society - this could be read (this isn't a spoiler) like the people who work 80 hours a week in terrible working conditions just to get a job more than the next poor schlub, etc. This idea quickly falls out next to the cheapest "humor", bad dialogue and an apparent inability to build up plot and have some actual story telling.
The movie looks like it is partially Robot Chicken style inserts, within a mediocre plotline, and well... yea, it doesn't really come out like something you are interested in watching. They added cheap slapstick style gags and "bellow the belt, haha this is funny because it is making fun of political correctness" at every turn, either hoping it would cover up for the b-series acting, the dull set up, the... well, I suppose everything.
I really can't imagine anyone that isn't stuck in an "antisocial teenager" phase finding this movie either funny or entertaining - maybe that's the target audience? If it wasn't enough, the people who worked on the colors and lighting must have taken a bunch of b-series horror films as an example - everything is shot in the dark, unengaging, almost can't see sh** half the time. Yea, shooting in the dark may work sometimes, but not when you have no atmosphere, dull scenes, cheap comedy and less than desirable acting.
As a note though, for any writers out there, this movie is a great example of why "show don't tell" is a thing. Because you can't see sh**, but they sure do spell out EVERY plot element and detail for you.
The basic ideas in this movie deserve a rip off, but this film deserves to be forgotten.
- raidatlanta
- Aug 14, 2024
- Permalink
Zombie-Movies are one of the most overdone sub-genres from horror and it's rather rare to find a gem under all these movies. However "We Are Zombies" was a decent approach and was definitely fun to watch. It's a Horror-Comedy in the style of f.e. Shaun of the Dead and many others. For me personally the humor worked rather rarely but the movie was able to get a few smiles on my face. The characters are likeable idiots in a broken world and the actors did a rather solid job. The makeup department however did an amazing job with the effects. The Zombies and the gore looked phenomenal and since that is a crucial part of a Zombie-Movie, it was important that they would deliver. And boy did they deliver. Towards the end when the movie gets a little bit more intense, carnage ensues and this is where I actually enjoyed the movie the most. There is one zombie that looks absolutely unique and amazing which definitely adds to the movie being more memorable. While it is definitely far from perfect, I think that it's a solid watch and I enjoyed the short runtime. [6,5/10]
This had potential but then went downhill after the midway point. Could have been a sci-fi zombieland but execution was poor.
I liked the younger actor with the hat, the big guy's choices were annoying, the girl actor had one emotional scene which made me laugh (When the press play me) I am not sure it was meant to make me laugh.
Decent idea like the other guy said but it went nowhere.
I like these type of movies normally, I give it a chance anyway, it left me feeling like oh okay, waste of time. I think the direction on this was poor, liked the choice of camera and colour, looked good in that aspect.
Needed a better 2nd and 3rd act, also could have made it feel more spacious. Felt like I was trapped in small locations. More thinking outside the box and chance missed.
I liked the younger actor with the hat, the big guy's choices were annoying, the girl actor had one emotional scene which made me laugh (When the press play me) I am not sure it was meant to make me laugh.
Decent idea like the other guy said but it went nowhere.
I like these type of movies normally, I give it a chance anyway, it left me feeling like oh okay, waste of time. I think the direction on this was poor, liked the choice of camera and colour, looked good in that aspect.
Needed a better 2nd and 3rd act, also could have made it feel more spacious. Felt like I was trapped in small locations. More thinking outside the box and chance missed.
- HakuMashentay
- Aug 17, 2024
- Permalink
No pun intended - and no relation to the tv show of course. If you liked Turbo Kid (the previous movie they did), then I am quite certain I do not need to convince you to watch this one. If you haven't seen it - well what are you waiting for? Go watch it - you will want to anyway after seeing (and liking this).
That all being said, you can not be too sensitive or faint of heart. The movie gets quite graphic in the violence department, but is also really funny. Of course comedy is in the eye of the beholder. You should know after the first couple of minutes if this is your thing. You could also watch the trailer, I do not do that, just because they do spoil a lot.
The actors are really good and even though you get gross out moments, overall it is a "sweet" movie ... even the bad guys are fun to watch ... and zombies are mostly slow moving ... I dig that ....
That all being said, you can not be too sensitive or faint of heart. The movie gets quite graphic in the violence department, but is also really funny. Of course comedy is in the eye of the beholder. You should know after the first couple of minutes if this is your thing. You could also watch the trailer, I do not do that, just because they do spoil a lot.
The actors are really good and even though you get gross out moments, overall it is a "sweet" movie ... even the bad guys are fun to watch ... and zombies are mostly slow moving ... I dig that ....
The dead are back and it's not that dangerous. They are more an annoyance and are referred to as "Living impaired". They are second class citizens used for manual labor. Karl Neard and Freddy Mercks are best friends and bumbling petty criminals. Karl's sister Maggie Neard directs them to sell captured zombies. Meanwhile, Corporate hunters are losing money to these three thieves.
This is a French Canadian zombie comedy. I love the world. I don't know these actors and that's probably a lot of my problem. They're fine but not too deep. The movie is not quite at its best, but the potential is there for some gonzo fun.
This is a French Canadian zombie comedy. I love the world. I don't know these actors and that's probably a lot of my problem. They're fine but not too deep. The movie is not quite at its best, but the potential is there for some gonzo fun.
- SnoopyStyle
- Nov 6, 2024
- Permalink
Living in a zombie-infested metropolis, a group of well-meaning slackers find themselves forced to take a rather dangerous extraction job to prevent the company they work for from threatening their family, but when a virus is released during the mission they must save themselves from the creatures.
This was a fairly enjoyable if somewhat problematic genre effort. One of the better elements present here is the central setup present that tries to incorporate some intriguing elements into a traditional zombie storyline. The society at large here involves a means of finding a way of coexisting with returning zombies who are adjusting to living with normal people and requiring a special disposal unit that cares for zombies when they've turned and requires the team to deal with as a corporate overlord controlling the rest of the population. The implications present here which get revealed the longer it goes on. The unfolding plot acting like a quest for the ability to extricate themselves from a series of escalating scenarios featuring ever-more threatening plot-points which are handled with a seriousness that belies the clumsy nature the group goes through it makes for a fun time, especially with the rapid running time moving this one along as quickly as it does to a new storyline beat rather quickly. That might be a bit underwhelming with the comedic incompetence making everything feel less intriguing than normal. It's through those factors that they keep getting stuck in increasingly desperate situations and it tends to downplay the comedy with everything appearing as a result of stupidity and incompetence which drags it down. While some of it's genuinely funny, there's some problematic issues here with the inability to streamline things as having so many plots going on with the race to get the money, the quest to save the girl, the plan to infect the population so they can show the danger of the virus, and several others out there that all make the first hour feel more like a comedy than a genuine genre effort. It picks up considerably in the last half when there's more of a focus on taking out the deranged zombies which has plenty of gore and bloodshed to like about it, but it does act a bit disjointed with its varied elements.
Rated Unrated/Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.
This was a fairly enjoyable if somewhat problematic genre effort. One of the better elements present here is the central setup present that tries to incorporate some intriguing elements into a traditional zombie storyline. The society at large here involves a means of finding a way of coexisting with returning zombies who are adjusting to living with normal people and requiring a special disposal unit that cares for zombies when they've turned and requires the team to deal with as a corporate overlord controlling the rest of the population. The implications present here which get revealed the longer it goes on. The unfolding plot acting like a quest for the ability to extricate themselves from a series of escalating scenarios featuring ever-more threatening plot-points which are handled with a seriousness that belies the clumsy nature the group goes through it makes for a fun time, especially with the rapid running time moving this one along as quickly as it does to a new storyline beat rather quickly. That might be a bit underwhelming with the comedic incompetence making everything feel less intriguing than normal. It's through those factors that they keep getting stuck in increasingly desperate situations and it tends to downplay the comedy with everything appearing as a result of stupidity and incompetence which drags it down. While some of it's genuinely funny, there's some problematic issues here with the inability to streamline things as having so many plots going on with the race to get the money, the quest to save the girl, the plan to infect the population so they can show the danger of the virus, and several others out there that all make the first hour feel more like a comedy than a genuine genre effort. It picks up considerably in the last half when there's more of a focus on taking out the deranged zombies which has plenty of gore and bloodshed to like about it, but it does act a bit disjointed with its varied elements.
Rated Unrated/Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.
- kannibalcorpsegrinder
- Sep 1, 2024
- Permalink
This was a movie that I got the chance to see when Simply Legendary Publicity reached out to see if I'd be interested in the screener. I'm a zombie fan when they're done right. It is a sub-genre that has been a bit over saturated as of late. This also is a comedy, which doesn't always work for me either. Regardless, this gave me a 2024 watch, getting its wide release this year. I also wanted to give it a second watch to see how I sat with it as well.
Synopsis: in a city infested with the living-impaired aka non-cannibal zombies - three slackers, after easy money, must fight small-time crooks and an evil mega corporation to save their kidnapped grandma.
We start this off with images and getting voice-over narration. One thing that stuck out was that there's a sign stating the name of the city as Necropolis. We then see a zombie knocking a milkshake out of the hand of Freddy Mercks (Derek Johns). He's irate, even more so when the zombie asks for money. This is a good set up that for unknown reasons, the dead are coming back to life. Life has gone on normally despite that. These zombies also have rights and the politically correct term is 'living impaired'.
There is a corporation that extracts zombies though. It is named after its owner, Coleman. Freddy and his friend, Karl Neard (Alexandre Nachi), are workers who collect the dead. We see them both picking up a guy and it ends up with the wife getting bitten. The truth though, they're conmen. Thanks to Maggie (Megan Peta Hill), who is Karl's half-sister, they're able to arrive before Stanley (Patrick Abellard) and Rocco (Marc-André Boulanger) who are the real extractors. She used to work for Coleman but was fired. An indicator is that the conmen also only take cash.
They also then take the zombies to an odd rich guy named Otto Maddox (Stéphane Demers). The problem is that they're doing it at a discount due to not being good at what they do. There is a repercussion here. Hannity (Benz Antoine) catches on that Stanley and Rocco aren't bringing in the bodies for his experiments. He has issues of his own though, when the boss, Bob Coleman (Guy Nadon), gets a demonstration that fails. This causes issues and it rolls down to the extraction team.
Stanley lays a trap for Karl and Freddy. They owe money so they're having this bumbling duo collect it for them. There is an opportunity with Otto. It involves bringing the zombie of a famous actor, Zelvirella (Rosemarie Sabor), to him so he can bring her as a date to an art showing. This proves more difficult than thought and this leads them to a camgirl named Jane (Sabor). Hannity has other plans that might bring about a true zombie apocalypse.
That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I want to start is that I had a blast with this movie. Now I've not seen this filmmaking/writing team's film of Turbo Kid, which is their most popular amongst the independent circuit. I have seen Summer of 84, which I am a big fan of. That was enough for me to check this out to see what we'd get.
Now that I've set that up, let me say that we have an interesting Zom/Com. If you know me, then you know I'm not always the biggest fan. It is a hard act to balance. This is more of a comedy than a horror film. This does have good make up and effects for the zombie, which helps. I also just like the group of characters that we follow. There are things that bring them to life with their quirks. I also love that as this goes on, it becomes more of a horror film. Where it ends up is great. To me, this almost feels like the opposite of how the story is presented in Shaun of the Dead. I'll just leave that there.
Where I then want to go is the social commentary that I picked up. There is the idea here of capitalism and how it is bad. It's not in your face though. Coleman is extracting the zombies for experiments. I get the idea that what he's looking for is a way to reverse it. I could be wrong there. Hannity's research has led to where the zombies explode which upsets his boss and threatens to send him to Malaysia due to the amount of money the experiments have wasted. There is a darker side effect that we see later. It made for a great climax at the art showing which I enjoyed.
The last thing to include here is the world building. Zombies have become a way of life to the point where they almost look at it as a 'disability'. It is funny that this is using the concept of being politically correct and using it on the undead. It made me laugh and is also an interesting look at the state of the world. What is also interesting is that the zombies aren't aggressive. We have ones that are homeless people. Zelvirella is an actor and this persona is also used for a camgirl. Their bites can turn people. They can be killed with trauma to the brain. They can also talk and hold other jobs. I love though what happens in the end and this leaves the state of world as well.
That should be enough for the story so let's go over to the acting. This wouldn't work if Nachi, Johns and Hill couldn't play off each other as well as they do. I love that Nachi is the nerdy Karl. Freddy is the big idiot of the group who has a crush on Maggie. She is the one that came up with the idea to make easy money since she can still access the Coleman servers. I've left jobs where I could still login, which fits the real corporate world. Antoine slowly becomes a villain which I liked. Nadon works as the head of the corporation. Clare Coulter fits in as the grandmother and she adds levity. Abellard, Boulanger and Demers help to progress the story as well as raise tension. Credit to everyone who is a zombie as well.
All that is left then is filmmaking. Now being that this is a comedy, I don't know if it raises much in the way of tension until the climax. The implications there were good though. This did make me laugh so that helped me go along for the ride. I'd say that the effects that we got were solid. It looks to be practical with almost everything that was possible. The look of the zombies were great. The gore we got was as well. I'd also say that a soundtrack fit was needed as well.
In conclusion, this is a fun Zom/Com. I'm not always the biggest fan since they tend to lean more into humor than horror. This one falls into that, but we have characters that I like, we get great practical effects and it gets darker as it goes. The acting of our leads was good. The effects were on point and I'll credit the cinematography for hiding seams. The world building is also something that helps as well. Not one that I think everyone will like. I'm just a fan of this filmmaking team so I'd continue to check out their works.
My Rating: 7.5 out of 10.
Synopsis: in a city infested with the living-impaired aka non-cannibal zombies - three slackers, after easy money, must fight small-time crooks and an evil mega corporation to save their kidnapped grandma.
We start this off with images and getting voice-over narration. One thing that stuck out was that there's a sign stating the name of the city as Necropolis. We then see a zombie knocking a milkshake out of the hand of Freddy Mercks (Derek Johns). He's irate, even more so when the zombie asks for money. This is a good set up that for unknown reasons, the dead are coming back to life. Life has gone on normally despite that. These zombies also have rights and the politically correct term is 'living impaired'.
There is a corporation that extracts zombies though. It is named after its owner, Coleman. Freddy and his friend, Karl Neard (Alexandre Nachi), are workers who collect the dead. We see them both picking up a guy and it ends up with the wife getting bitten. The truth though, they're conmen. Thanks to Maggie (Megan Peta Hill), who is Karl's half-sister, they're able to arrive before Stanley (Patrick Abellard) and Rocco (Marc-André Boulanger) who are the real extractors. She used to work for Coleman but was fired. An indicator is that the conmen also only take cash.
They also then take the zombies to an odd rich guy named Otto Maddox (Stéphane Demers). The problem is that they're doing it at a discount due to not being good at what they do. There is a repercussion here. Hannity (Benz Antoine) catches on that Stanley and Rocco aren't bringing in the bodies for his experiments. He has issues of his own though, when the boss, Bob Coleman (Guy Nadon), gets a demonstration that fails. This causes issues and it rolls down to the extraction team.
Stanley lays a trap for Karl and Freddy. They owe money so they're having this bumbling duo collect it for them. There is an opportunity with Otto. It involves bringing the zombie of a famous actor, Zelvirella (Rosemarie Sabor), to him so he can bring her as a date to an art showing. This proves more difficult than thought and this leads them to a camgirl named Jane (Sabor). Hannity has other plans that might bring about a true zombie apocalypse.
That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I want to start is that I had a blast with this movie. Now I've not seen this filmmaking/writing team's film of Turbo Kid, which is their most popular amongst the independent circuit. I have seen Summer of 84, which I am a big fan of. That was enough for me to check this out to see what we'd get.
Now that I've set that up, let me say that we have an interesting Zom/Com. If you know me, then you know I'm not always the biggest fan. It is a hard act to balance. This is more of a comedy than a horror film. This does have good make up and effects for the zombie, which helps. I also just like the group of characters that we follow. There are things that bring them to life with their quirks. I also love that as this goes on, it becomes more of a horror film. Where it ends up is great. To me, this almost feels like the opposite of how the story is presented in Shaun of the Dead. I'll just leave that there.
Where I then want to go is the social commentary that I picked up. There is the idea here of capitalism and how it is bad. It's not in your face though. Coleman is extracting the zombies for experiments. I get the idea that what he's looking for is a way to reverse it. I could be wrong there. Hannity's research has led to where the zombies explode which upsets his boss and threatens to send him to Malaysia due to the amount of money the experiments have wasted. There is a darker side effect that we see later. It made for a great climax at the art showing which I enjoyed.
The last thing to include here is the world building. Zombies have become a way of life to the point where they almost look at it as a 'disability'. It is funny that this is using the concept of being politically correct and using it on the undead. It made me laugh and is also an interesting look at the state of the world. What is also interesting is that the zombies aren't aggressive. We have ones that are homeless people. Zelvirella is an actor and this persona is also used for a camgirl. Their bites can turn people. They can be killed with trauma to the brain. They can also talk and hold other jobs. I love though what happens in the end and this leaves the state of world as well.
That should be enough for the story so let's go over to the acting. This wouldn't work if Nachi, Johns and Hill couldn't play off each other as well as they do. I love that Nachi is the nerdy Karl. Freddy is the big idiot of the group who has a crush on Maggie. She is the one that came up with the idea to make easy money since she can still access the Coleman servers. I've left jobs where I could still login, which fits the real corporate world. Antoine slowly becomes a villain which I liked. Nadon works as the head of the corporation. Clare Coulter fits in as the grandmother and she adds levity. Abellard, Boulanger and Demers help to progress the story as well as raise tension. Credit to everyone who is a zombie as well.
All that is left then is filmmaking. Now being that this is a comedy, I don't know if it raises much in the way of tension until the climax. The implications there were good though. This did make me laugh so that helped me go along for the ride. I'd say that the effects that we got were solid. It looks to be practical with almost everything that was possible. The look of the zombies were great. The gore we got was as well. I'd also say that a soundtrack fit was needed as well.
In conclusion, this is a fun Zom/Com. I'm not always the biggest fan since they tend to lean more into humor than horror. This one falls into that, but we have characters that I like, we get great practical effects and it gets darker as it goes. The acting of our leads was good. The effects were on point and I'll credit the cinematography for hiding seams. The world building is also something that helps as well. Not one that I think everyone will like. I'm just a fan of this filmmaking team so I'd continue to check out their works.
My Rating: 7.5 out of 10.
- Reviews_of_the_Dead
- Nov 23, 2024
- Permalink
I don't know if they were going for a, so bad it's good, type vibe, but I could definitely see myself under the influence of some bad decisions and laughing my butt off with this movie. I would honestly watch this just to see the drone/nature shots. No joke. That one shot, where the camera is gliding over the water with the morning mist rising up, is phenomenal. If that's total AI or CGI, I'm super impressed. I'm not saying I'm gonna watch the whole movie and I'm not saying I'm not. I'm just saying that I need 87 more characters before I can post this and I am currently under the influence of some very bad decisions.