Starring Hannah Bungard, Tony Hipwell, Miles Watts, Lindsey Craine, Andrew Dunn, Joanne Mitchell, Andrina Carroll, Alan Melikdjanian, Victoria Delaney, Stephen Mosely, Lisa Dixon, Richard Massara, John Holt-Roberts, Peet Torjussen, Jonayhan Sykes, Jennifer Jordan, Keir Brown, Neil Tattersall, Jade Louise Johnson, Anna Rogers, Nick Lamming, Serena Stampfer, Gemma-Louise Keane, Antoni McVay, Cheryl Ashcroft, Laura Louise Mountford, Lindsay Whitwell, Mark Newby, Neil K. Smith, Lucy Simpson, Paul Toy, Adam Greenwood, Peter Wookie, Arron Dennis, Jonny White, Donna Sayce, Leanne Barker and Jade Johnson

Directed by Hannah Bungard, Tony Hipwell and Miles Watts

Ten years after the zombies rose and the world fell, Hannah, Tony and Miles decide to do a little shopping. Oh and make a movie.

The movie version of a cult classic YouTube series, Zomblogalypse is a labour of undead love and it shows in every gory frame. Writers/directors/stars Hannah Bungard, Tony Hipwell and Miles Watts cleverly make themselves the butt of most of the jokes as their namesake survivors who are remarkably hard to kill. In a neat, and light touch turn of the meta, they make the movie about the making of a movie. This includes a lovely running gag about crowdfunding the film in the post-zombie world with perks including ‘toilet paper’ and ‘a bunker’. It also means that the film becomes as much the story of its own dwindling crew as it is the story of the three main survivors. There’s a neat sense of The Office to a lot of the talking heads and the ensemble really shines through here. Arron Dennis’ endlessly long suffering staffer and Peet Torjussen’s permanently traumatised medic are especially good fun. Watch out too for Lindsey (Lindsey Craine), a fan of the show and cast member who has a surprising arc which hints at the true nature of the zombies in a very smart way.

The self-awareness isn’t the only thing the movie has going for it by any means. The gore is magnificently inventive and offally (I REGRET NOTHING) well executed given the budget and the York locations are a neat combination of historical ruins and city streets. There’s also a musical number. With dancing. It’s great.

Best of all though is the joy. This thing is suffused with joy in every one of its gleefully low-tech frames. Bungard, Hipwell and Watts are a deeply funny trio and the movie’s best moments include some great fast-talking interplay between them. Hannah is super enthusiastic and not that aware, Miles is super cool and just a little ruthless and Tony has a little book he writes different types of zombies in. And a lot of funs. And on occasion, meat legs. It all makes sense, trust me.

It really does too. Zomblogalypse is a sequel, a reboot, a commentary and a comedy all in one and each one has space to breathe in this not especially quiet post-apocalyptic world.

Verdict: An absolute pleasure to watch and, I suspect, to make. 9/10

Alasdair Stuart

 

Zombloglaypse is available now from Dark Rift on Blu-ray

https://darkrifthorror.com/shop

and on streaming services