“We Are Zombies”: A Mixed Bag of Undead Hijinks
In the ever-expanding universe of zombie comedies, “We Are Zombies” stumbles onto the scene with a premise that promises fresh meat but doesn’t always deliver the bite we crave. This 2023 offering from the RKSS team (François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell) adapts Jerry Frissen’s comic series “The Zombies That Ate the World,” presenting a world where the undead are more nuisance than nightmare.
Set in a near-future metropolis, “We Are Zombies” introduces us to a society where death is just a minor inconvenience. The “living-impaired” roam the streets, holding down jobs, paying bus fares, and generally being a pain in the neck for the still-breathing population. Our heroes – if we can call them that – are a trio of small-time scammers: Karl (Alexandre Nachi), a D&D enthusiast with a penchant for zombie porn; Freddy (Derek Johns), a wrestling-obsessed teddy bear of a man; and Maggie (Megan Peta Hill), Karl’s tech-savvy half-sister with a grudge against the nefarious Coleman Corporation.
The RKSS team, known for their work on “Turbo Kid” and “Summer of 84,” brings their signature style to “We Are Zombies,” blending juvenile humor with splatterhouse gore. The result is a film that often feels like it’s trying to juggle too many elements, sometimes dropping the ball in its attempt to be clever, gross, and heartfelt all at once.
The world-building in “We Are Zombies” is undeniably impressive. The directors have crafted a believable alternate reality where zombies are a marginalized minority, complete with undead rights activists and Tucker Carlson-esque pundits railing against the “zomboid menace.” It’s in these details that the film shines, offering clever social commentary amidst the chaos.
The plot itself is where “We Are Zombies” starts to decompose. What begins as a simple “get rich quick” scheme involving the trio posing as Coleman Retirement Services collectors quickly devolves into a convoluted mess of kidnapped grandmothers, eccentric artists, and corporate conspiracies. By the time we reach the third act, the initial stakes are all but forgotten in favor of bigger, bloodier set pieces.
The cast does their best with the material they’re given. Nachi and Johns have decent chemistry as Karl and Freddy, their banter occasionally hitting the mark with genuinely funny moments. However, their characters often feel like caricatures rather than fully-formed individuals. Hill’s Maggie, unfortunately, comes across as more of a killjoy than a necessary voice of reason, often dampening the comedic momentum of scenes.
Where “We Are Zombies” truly excels is in its practical effects. The RKSS team’s love for old-school gore is on full display here, with inventive zombie designs and over-the-top kill scenes that will satisfy even the most discerning gorehound. A particular highlight is Stéphane Demers as the flamboyant artist Otto Maddox, whose grotesque zombie installations push the boundaries of good taste in the best possible way.
All the moments of gory brilliance are too few and far between. For much of its runtime, “We Are Zombies” relies on lowbrow humor and sight gags that often miss the mark. The film’s attempts at balancing slacker comedy with social commentary and horror elements result in a tonal whiplash that may leave viewers unsure whether to laugh, cringe, or both.
The pacing is another issue that plagues “We Are Zombies.” The second act drags considerably, losing sight of its main plot threads in favor of meandering subplots and repetitive gags. It’s not until the blood-soaked finale at an elegant gala that the film finds its footing again, delivering the kind of gonzo action and gore that horror fans crave.
“We Are Zombies” clearly aims to join the ranks of zom-com classics like “Shaun of the Dead” and “Zombieland,” it falls short of these lofty goals. The film’s uneven tone, pacing issues, and reliance on juvenile humor prevent it from reaching its full potential. That said, there’s still enough here to entertain die-hard fans of the genre, particularly those who appreciate practical effects and don’t mind their comedy on the cruder side.
In my opinion “We Are Zombies” is a mixed bag of undead hijinks. While it offers some genuinely clever world-building, impressive practical effects, and occasional laughs, it’s held back by its uneven pacing, overreliance on lowbrow humor, and a plot that often loses its way. It’s a film that shows flashes of brilliance but ultimately fails to fully reanimate the zombie comedy genre.
For those still curious to take a bite out of this quirky zom-com, “We Are Zombies” will be available Screambox starting August 13, 2024. Just don’t expect it to be the second coming of undead cinema – this one’s more of a shuffling corpse than a sprinting infected.
