Zombie Beach

The horror genre will frequently fall back on a reliable formula and the haunting spectre of zombies causing mayhem is a rich source of inspiration. The notion of flesh eating, undead beings has kept fans happy for generations. Zombie Beach sticks faithfully to the rules and executes a familiar narrative with more than a dash of gusto.

Roshan (Mukesh Asopa) returns from India to rejoin girlfriend Vanessa (Katherine Stefanski). High school friends Justin (Josh Macdonald) and Mike (Wade Gamble) are also on hand to welcome him home. However, Roshan is distracted by recurring dreams despite the assurance of Vanessa. Meanwhile, Justin and Mike have a side hustle as they convince Cindy (Nikki Yee) that pictures of her in a bikini will be good for her modelling aspirations. They venture down to Zombie Beach to further their enterprise. However, they get much more than they bargained for. Roshan and Vanessa set off to investigate their absence and make a shocking discovery.

The couple encounter a Holy Man (Kamal Nandi) who tells of a legend born many centuries before. Rather than risk a full out war of revelation, a deal was struck between the heroes of the good and the evil. The legend foretold the coming of a new hero who will eradicate the forces of evil and the undead. But how exactly is Roshan involved in this mysterious turn of events?

There are few surprises here because the plot follows a fairly predictable line. In many respects there is less propensity to cause genuine suspense or invoke elements of shock. Shot in a flickering, grainy mix of colour and monochrome it has the look of a classic 70s B movie. That in itself is no bad thing as it will help secure cult status. That is the real test for any film shot with a modest budget; can it create a unique aura that will attract a sufficient fan base? It certainly has the potential with strong imagery and a clean soundtrack. There is also an entertaining climax to the piece, which raises this film above the standard offering of similar efforts in this genre. This is a solid piece that demonstrates a complete understanding of the horror genre.