Based on the comics series The Zombies That Ate the World by Jerry Frissen and artist Guy Davis, We Are Zombies is a new horror comedy from the makers of cult hits Turbo Kid and Summer of ’84. Like those earlier films, François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell’s new film has a nostalgic feel.
It takes place in a future where humans and zombies live together. The movie packs many ideas into its 80-minute run but doesn’t give any of them enough attention to really develop.
While it has some funny moments, decent effects, and a dedicated cast, We Are Zombies doesn’t leave a strong impression and doesn’t measure up to similar films it tries to emulate.
What Is We Are Zombies About?
We Are Zombies is set in a future American city where people and zombies live in relative peace, at least compared to usual zombie apocalypse stories. Zombies are called “Living Impaired” in the film, which includes some obvious political metaphors early on.
They’re not a major threat (they aren’t eating people), but they are a nuisance. This makes “zombie-catching” a popular business.
Our main characters are Karl (Alexandre Nachi) and his sister Maggie (Megan Peta Hill), along with their friend Derek (Freddy Mercks). They make quick money by pretending to work for Coleman Retirement Services for the Living Impaired.
They make their job even sketchier by selling zombie bodies to people like gallery owner Don (Carlo Mestroni), who uses them to create art. When Stanley (Patrick Abellard), a security worker at Coleman, finds out about their scheme, he takes their sweet grandmother (Clare Coulter) hostage.
He demands a large ransom, which the trio plans to get by finding the body of a dead actress as Don requested.
We Are Zombies Compared to Zombieland
We Are Zombies might remind viewers of Zombieland due to similarities in tone and some visual elements. However, it lacks the careful and lively world-building that made Zombieland and its sequel enjoyable from the start. We Are Zombies is uneven and its biggest problem is the lack of solid groundwork.
The futuristic setting may be easier for comic fans to accept, but others might find it hard to connect with or get immersed in the world.
It’s worth noting that the source material is from 2004, before Zombieland was made, and has been well-received. Similar works, like Shaun of the Dead, are also worth mentioning because they are better-realized films. We Are Zombies relies heavily on nostalgia and references, much like Turbo Kid and Summer of ’84.
The Cast Gives Their Best in We Are Zombies
The main actors in We Are Zombies give their all, but the weak script limits their potential. The script doesn’t provide much depth, repeating the same points about Karl’s obsession with sex, Derek’s love for Maggie, and Maggie’s swearing. The film’s short runtime contributes to this issue, but the script doesn’t add much variety or depth to their interactions.
The blood-soaked finale is meant to be thrilling and fun, but without an emotional connection, the chaos of the final act doesn’t excite or entertain much. Although We Are Zombies shares some traits with Turbo Kid, it lacks the heart and emotional clarity that made the earlier film a beloved cult classic.
Effective world-building can overcome budget limitations. For example, George A. Romero’s 1968 film Night of the Living Dead, made on a small budget, remains a powerful horror film due to its cleverness, strong performances, and subtlety. In contrast, We Are Zombies tries to do a lot but doesn’t succeed in many areas.
We Are Zombies is now available to stream on VOD in the U.S.
