The highly satirical There’s No Such Thing as Zombies fills a niche that’s rarely explored in this subgenre. In this very British style horror comedy, what’s presented is more of a rom com because Carlotta (Luana Ribeira) can’t decide who she loves more. Is it Colin (Rudy Barrow) or Paul (Rami Hilmi)? I won’t say who eventually turns into a zombie, but it’s rather funny to see how this Uncle Fester wannabe shows emotions, despite not having the capacity to express his feelings. To stop him from falling back to baser instincts, he’s tied up.
In between, this presentation includes an investigative television show that tries to look into the pandemic going on. They act like commercials to the actual story going on, and what they establish is more about how London is faring in the midst of this “pandemic.” Unlike those big budget movies where it’s about escaping from the walking dead, here it’s about whether one can live with them. When considering this work feels more like a fan film than something huge, what’s presented feels more like a production meant for live theatre than anything else.
The focus is really about the people. Here, we see Carlotta is in denial; she doesn’t want to admit to still having feelings for her ex. Her naivety and disbelief that her former boyfriend is a zombie is very much enforcing a theme, the title of the movie, and as for whether the Haitian kind even exist, that depends on figuring out the grander plot.
Colin has been taking a special pill for years in the belief that it’ll improve his health, but when Paul reveals the truth, perhaps there’s a secret ingredient that’s numbed his cognitive processes. The result is how far gone those individuals have become. Again, I don’t want to spoil who is dead and not, but it’s a story worth watching if you’re okay with films made on a budget. This film isn’t hard to watch, but you have to understand what makes British style humour appealing before digging into this work.
What’s involved here is talky. There’s no bloodshed or crazy levels of terror here. Instead, it’s about asking those questions on what defines a zombie in either the classic sense or created by science. The latter doesn’t get explored as well as I’d hoped, and as for the two inept agents searching for them, that subplot seems to have gotten lost. They were the only aspect that kept me watching, but without that resolution, what’s presented felt like half a movie than a full one. Perhaps that explains why zombies often leave their meals unfinished. Consuming a fresh kill is better than something more than an hour old.
3 Stars out of 5
There’s No Such Thing as Zombies Trailer
