If these five were the subjects of the film title, Zombie Fighters is a disorganised outfit at a severe loss of direction – just like the zombies.
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It could be attributed to the native palette for cinematic entertainment in Thailand, but as a filmmaker, it would be useful to strike a good balance between producing something that the audience would like to see and something that the filmmaker wishes to relay.
Poj Arnon wastes no time and throws his characters right at the doorstep of a deserted hospital where zombies roam about. Within the beginning minutes of Zombie Fighters, Arnon reveals his primary element(s) of horror antagonism and leaves nothing to the audience’s imagination and anticipation.
Cycles of senseless encounters with the zombies are observed for the next good two-thirds of the film. This may well be an attempt to showcase the filmmakers’ technical production values that are agreeable by average genre fans’ expectations. Viewers are treated to effective special effects, such as a blood-gushing neck wound inflicted by a famished zombie, and acceptable visual effects as seen in a zombie that had its torso blown off by a shotgun at close range.
Beyond this, the comedy that is tasteless and yet going on and on just gets on the nerves of the audience – and possibly even the zombies as well. The humour style is too niche and difficult to travel abroad and cater to international film markets. Throwing in multiple characters not only makes it difficult for viewers to follow, but also contribute towards the noise level of the film where they scream and yell relentlessly at the sight of zombies appearing just at about almost every corner of the hospital.
There is no logic behind the zombies’ intelligence and demeanour – at times capable of getting past concrete barriers while at times easily stopped by a hospital bed on wheels. It doesn’t establish how zombies are nullified – at times gunshots do the job but at times they just keep coming despite receiving multiple semi-automatic rifle wounds.
Arnon switches gear in the final third of the film to tuck at heart strings with a last-ditch attempt to instill emotional depth. The main character Lambo (Bhuvadol Vejvongsa) and his brothers Audi (Korakrit Laotrakul) and Cooper (Kittipat Samantrakulchai) find themselves facing a predicament when attacked by a pair of zombies who are their parents.
Small attempts at portraying filial piety and morality are inserted but are not further exploited for impactful outcomes. This reflects Arnon’s approach and thought-process as a filmmaker that is linear and short-sighted.
If it wasn’t bad enough, the final 2-minute scene of ambiguity comes to complicate when a set of five teenage superheroes appear to fight off battalions of zombies in Bangkok city. If these five were the subjects of the film title, Zombie Fighters is a disorganized outfit at a severe loss of direction – just like the zombies.
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