If you’re in the mood for some mindless zombie entertainment (pun intended), then Wyrmwood: Apocalypse has got you covered. The zombie market has been saturated with Walking Dead shows that have become heavy on the drama and light on the action. So it’s good to see co-writer/director Kiah Roache-Turner and co-writer Tristan Roache-Turner get back to the basics of the visceral fun that can be had with the genre.
The story centers on a soldier named Rhys (Luke McKenzie) who has made it his mission to capture human survivors to turn over to the Surgeon General (Nicholas Boshier) so that he can hopefully find a cure for zombiism. There’s a half-human, half-zombie character named Brooke (Bianca Bradley), who is pretty badass because there are times when she goes into full-on berserker mode like Wolverine. Rhys captures and gives a girl named Grace (Tasia Zalar) to the Surgeon. Grace’s sister, Maxi (Shantae Barnes-Cowan), tracks down the soldier and convinces him that the Surgeon is actually up to no good. They then set out on a mission with Brooke and her brother, Barry (Jay Gallagher), to try and save Grace.
I have to admit that I didn’t even know that Wyrmwood: Apocalypse was a sequel until after I saw the movie. I’m sure that some of the story elements would’ve made more sense if I had seen Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead, but honestly, you can still enjoy this without the backstory because of how action-packed it is. I didn’t know why the heck zombies in this film have green gas emanating from their mouths (apparently, it’s methane gas, which fuels the Mad Max-style vehicles), but it looks cool and adds a certain flair that you don’t see with the typical undead entertainment.
“…set out on a mission with Brooke and her brother, Barry, to try and save Grace.”
Speaking of flair, some of the sweeping camera shots and cinematography are outstanding, which is also out of the ordinary for most flicks centered on shambling corpses looking for brains to munch on. Kudos to Roache-Turner and cinematographer Tim Nagle for expertly utilizing those visually dazzling shots, as well as some of the beauty of the location shooting that took place in Australia. Plus, the cast as a whole is believable as the tough-as-nails people that they would need to be to survive the zombie apocalypse.
Screenwriting brothers Kiah and Tristan Roache-Turner did a good job of letting the story flow simply and organically while putting the crazy action at center stage. I wish some things would’ve been explained a little more for people like me who hadn’t seen the first one, but it’s a minor issue considering how action-driven the flick is. Reminiscent of a video game, there’s a big boss-like zombie/cyborg character that is incredible to behold, adding another layer to the mix of action/mayhem as a most formidable foe.
Many of us like to sit back and enjoy some adrenaline-fueled entertainment like Wyrmwood: Apocalypse from time to time without having to worry about a complicated plot (i.e., The Fast & The Furious franchise). The anti-Walking Dead is just what the zombie doctor ordered.
"…the anti-Walking Dead is just what the zombie doctor ordered."
