The Horror Show
Wyrmwood
by Kiah Roache-Turner
What do you get when you combine a zombie apocalypse, a mad scientist, crazed military personnel, a bad ass truck, and people who are hell-bent on surviving in the Australian bushland?
Wyrmwood.
This film claims that it is “Mad Max meets Dawn of The Dead” and I’d have to whole-heartedly agree. With some awesome effects, great acting, zombies galore, sick and twisted experiments, and action packed plotline, this film is one that you do not want to miss.
I’ve always been a fan of Australian horror films that don’t seem to get much promotion in the states. 2003’s Undead, 2005’s Wolf Cree, 2010’s The Loved Ones, and more recently, last year’s The Babadook, I can say that Wyrmwood needs to be on your list of awesome Aussie horror. There are so many more that are worth watching as well, but I think the four that I mentioned are at the top of my list.
The cause of the zombie outbreak is a little cloudy until you get deeper into the film, but we start off with Benny as he tells the story of camping with his brother and how when he woke up, everyone was a zombie. We then meet Barry who was forced to end the lives of both his wife and daughter as they turned into flesh hungry creatures. Brooke, Barry’s brother (and honestly, she’s a total bad ass) fends off the undead and hides in an art shed. When she’s discovered by the military, they knock her out and kidnap her, bringing her to a demented doctor who only wants her for his experiments.
Barry and Benny team up, and along with other survivors, create one monster of a truck and together they will fight the dead on their journey to find Barry’s sister.
There is some wild stuff that goes on and the film is ruthless when it comes to who lives and dies, so don’t grow attached to anyone. You want blood and gore? Well you’re reading the right review because Wyrmwood has it all. Horror, suspense, sci-fi, action, and dystopia… this film is a speculative fiction lover’s wet dream.
One thing I will point out that I was especially fond of was the overall quality of the film. I was impressed and it really is, even if you don’t like the story, aesthetically pleasing. And there’s a good bit of humor thrown in, so I don’t know what’s not to love about it.
Wyrmwood: watch it and you will not be disappointed.
Stevie Kopas, HMS
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