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This is a Zombie World Tour post!
SARS Wars: Bangkok Zombie Crisis
I got a bad feeling about this while watching the trailers, which were massively atrocious, complete with porn music. Film Bangkok has an interesting stable of movies, none of which I intend to ever watch. The first thing I noticed was how different the language sounds, nothing like Han Chinese or Japanese. Thai is descended from Sanskrit, and it was like watching a film with a really odd musical score. There is almost no plot, but a lot of running around, drippy goo, zombies with vampire fangs, transvestites, animated flashback sequences, and a humongous zombified snake that swallows people whole.
Sweet Liu is kidnapped by the Moron Gang and whisked away to a high rise apartment complex so she can be ransomed. Papa hires Master Thep’s student Khun to go and rescue her. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, a cockroach bite sends the SARS 4 (zombie) virus through the building. Liu escapes and runs screaming from the zombies on all floors, while the transvestite neighbor’s snake bites a zombie and turns into a freight train-sized serpent o’ death.
This may sound a little confusing, but it’s nothing compared to the actual movie. I quickly felt fortunate not being stoned while watching it, as that may have induced catatonia. There were a lot of familiar stereotypes, like the slutty sexy scientist and besotted hero, and more exotic things like crunchy sound effects for zombie bites, and a walking dead pussy tail.
This is supposed to be flat out comedy, and I did smile a couple of times, but the comedy didn’t work for a few reasons. One, I’m absolutely ignorant of Thai society so I missed all the in jokes. Also, they didn’t play off the zombies for humor so much as use them as an excuse to run around some more and crack jokes. At least they never seemed to take anything terribly serious. I could tell from the way the actors kept breaking the fourth wall, even saying at one point, “This is the most ridiculous point in the movie.” That may actually have been funny if he weren’t stating the obvious.
It’s not a terrible movie like Evil, or Night of the Living Dead: Resurrection, but you definitely have to be a big fan of slapstick, sexual humor to appreciate it. The end credits had some jokey scenes that somehow reminded me of Cannonball Run. *shrug* I don’t get it, either. I won’t say don’t see this film because it’s terrible, but be warned that SARS Wars is definitely a love it or hate it kinda movie.
LINKS:
SARS WARS: Bangkok Zombie Crisis (2004)
CFR: In Addition: I totally do not understand that movie preview at all. Cool.
Chick Flicking Reviews 