Ramon “Emon” Marasigan (Brandon Vera) is a former U.S. Special Forces soldier who has spent the past 8 years in a Filipino prison for aggravated assault. He has managed to keep his nose clean without any incidents, and it looks like he’ll soon get parole and finally be reunited with his wife Sheryl (Mary Jean Lastimosa) and meet his young daughter Jane (Freya Fury Montierro) for the first time. He has made a friend in prison, Timoy (Pepe Herrera), who has helped him learn sign language so that he will be able to communicate with his deaf daughter when they meet.
News reports on the radio announce that there’s been a dengue outbreak in the area, and that the death toll is on the rise. An even more deadly mutation of the disease has started to spread. It causes those infected to come back to life, exhibiting violent behavior as they rabidly attack anyone nearby who hasn’t been infected. After a while, if these zombies can’t find anyone to infect, they will fall asleep and remain dormant, but a loud noise will quickly attract their attention and cause them to spring into a violent rage once again.
Sheryl’s rundown apartment building has become overrun with the zombies, and while trying to escape with her daughter, the two have become separated. The prison has also come under attack, and all of the prisoners have been freed to fend for themselves. So, after fighting their way though a horde of bloodthirsty guards and felons, Emon and Timoy head to Sheryl’s apartment complex to make sure that Emon’s family is safe. However, they’ll have to face off with hundreds more infected and undead creatures in the process. And even if they do find/save Emon’s family, is there anywhere that is safe from this plague?
Day Zero is an interesting and entertaining new take on the zombie film. At the core is this heartfelt story about a man who has waited 8 long years to see his family and meet his daughter, and will stop at nothing to be reunited with them, make sure they are safe, and prove to his daughter that he can be a good father. Helping him in this venture is his buddy Timoy. Timoy isn’t really athletic or strong, but he has a positive attitude, likes to crack jokes, and is always working some new scheme. They’ve only know each other for two years, but Emon has been there many times to protect Timoy in prison—even if it’s just his intimidating presence and backstory that keeps the gang members away—and now Timoy wants to repay the favor. It also doesn’t hurt being paired up with a massive former Special Forces soldier when facing a zombie apocalypse!
Emon is a trained and skilled fighter, and if there’s anyone up for this challenge, it’s him. He would prefer to just slowly and quietly walk by the sleeping zombies, but once they come to life and start charging at full speed, it’s kill (again) or be killed. And so he’s constantly kicking, punching and throwing wave after wave of undead attackers, using anything he can get his hands on as a weapon—whether that be handcuffs as brass knuckles, an axe, a kitchen knife, a piece of wood or rebar, or even a machine gun or pistol. The action sequences are creatively shot, making use of slow motion and unique camera angles to help intensify the moment, and provide some interesting P.O.V. shots. Some scenes even feel like you’re in a video game, with Emon spinning around, looking down each corridor, and taking down the attackers one-by-one with his gun. Star Brandon Vera really delivers on the fight sequences—you would think he was some sort of professional wrestler by the way Emon flips zombies over his back, tosses them into the walls, punches and clotheslines them, and knocks them down with his roundhouse kicks. The action is non stop, and the film does a nice job of building the tension, making use of an unsettling score, darkness, and the horrifying screams of the creatures and their victims. There’s also the added ever-present danger of having a deaf character who can’t hear the zombies approaching, and who also carries a bell to alert her mother…which could be rung at the most inopportune time.
The deign of the zombies is great—their faces look gruesome, they can move incredibly fast, and the way they twitch while sleeping is really freaky. The film also follows the stories of some of the other survivors in the apartment complex as they cross paths with Emon and his family members. These include young lovebirds Paolo (Ricci Rivero) & Hazel (Jema Galanza), and teenager David (Yohance Levi Buie), who’s been separated from his mother and stepfather Oscar (Freya Fury Montierro). As the survivors try to reunite with their family members or make their way out of the building, there are dangers awaiting around every corner. A quiet room filled with sleeping, twitching zombies can be just as terrifying as one attacking at full speed. As the survivors attempt to silently weave through a sea of dormant undead, there is this extreme tension knowing that even the slightest sound could send these creatures into a rabid rage. Meanwhile, the loud, horrifying screams of those who are awake can also be heard in the distant corridors, as well as those zombies banging on apartment doors, trying to infect any survivors hiding inside.
Well Go’s Blu-ray release looks great, with a clean, clear picture throughout that captures all of the bloody, creepy action in great detail. The film is only presented in its original Filipino language (though there are some occasional English words). The English subtitles are well-written and easy to follow. The audio track makes excellent use of the surround channel to provide a more immersive viewing experience. This is especially noticeable in one scene where things go completely dark, and all you hear are the screams and motions of the zombies coming from every direction. There is also this general level of ambiance that fills the room when needed tp put the viewer in the middle of the action. However, equally unsettling is when the film goes completely quiet at times.
Well Go’s Blu-ray release is barebones, just including the film’s trailer and some previews for three other Well Go releases as bonus material. The disc comes packed in a locking HD keepcase, and doesn’t include a digital copy. Our review copy included an embossed slipcover.
What’s Included:
Film: (1:22:07)
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Blu-ray:
- 1080p / Widescreen 2.39:1
- Audio: Filipino DTS-HDMA 5.1, Filipino Stereo
- Subtitles: English
Extras:
Final Thoughts:
Day Zero is a tense and engaging zombie film that also has a heartwarming tale at its core, giving you a hero and redemption story you are really rooting for. The film has a lot of well-choreographed and exciting action/fight scenes, and star Brandon Vera does an amazing job carrying them out. The film also manages to make zombies seem even more terrifying when they are asleep than when they are alive, screaming and charging at full speed (though either situation is far from ideal). Well Go’s Blu-ray release looks and sounds great, but it’s barebones when it comes to bonus material. That said, the release is easy recommendation for fans of the zombie genre.
Day Zero
66% Off $29.98 $9.95 (as of October 31, 2024 12:12 GMT -05:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Day Zero
15% Off $7.50 $8.99 (as of October 31, 2024 12:12 GMT -05:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
