6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Woody and Bee are a pair of young punks working at a DVD store. Out for a joy ride, the two hit a pedestrian and end up with a dead body in their trunk. Unfortunately for Woody and Bee, this is just the beginning. The dead body is infected with a strange biochemical formula, which transforms the hapless mall goers into an army of blood-hungry zombies.
Starring: Jordan Chan, Sam Lee (III), Angela Ying-Ying Tong, Yiu-Cheung Lai, Suk-Yin LaiHorror | 100% |
Foreign | 96% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.83:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Cantonese: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
Mandarin: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
English, English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
1998’s “Bio-Zombie” takes viewers into the Hong Kong “shopping arcade” culture of the decade, where merchants of debatable reputation sold whatever they could to make a living, including the murky legal world of video compact disc releases. An exploration of the VCD industry, which favored the sale of bootlegged movies and pornography, is perhaps the most interesting aspect of the picture, with co-writer/director Wilson Yip creating an evocative understanding of daily business and the atmosphere of such mall activity, giving viewers a glimpse into this strange way of life. And there’s a zombie feature included here as well, with Yip looking to pay tribute to beloved genre highlights with a frenzied take on the spread of the undead. He certainly has enthusiasm for gruesome encounters, but not much of a game plan when it comes to story and character, offering a one- note understanding of obnoxious characters dealing with an unbelievable situation of survival, and he takes his time to reach his offering of ultraviolence, making for a somewhat tedious sit.
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is listed as a "studio supplied master with additional restoration performed by VS." It's unusual language from Vinegar Syndrome, but the viewing experience remains approachable, detailing the gruesome particulars of the zombie outbreak, with underwhelming makeup work on display, examining decayed skin. Human textures are equally accessible, along with fibrousness on costuming. Interiors are perhaps most interesting here, with plenty of decorative additions in various shops. Colors are inherently enhanced, with nuclear blues and pinks found around arcade areas, and clothing choices favor bold primaries. Deep reds on blood are a common sight. Skin tones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is fine and film-like.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix is a Cantonese-language track, and dialogue exchanges are clear throughout the listening event. Matters of life and death are reasonably balanced, without distortive extremes. Scoring offers decent support, with clear instrumentation and more potent emphasis when necessary. Sound effects are appreciable.
"Bio-Zombie" eventually gets to some hellraising in the final act, unleashing monsters inside the arcade, forcing the living to battle the undead. Yip offers a few creative shots, and the material's introduction of video game training is amusing, but makeup efforts are lackluster, with most of the ghouls looking like average trick-or-treaters, not powerfully cinematic creeps on the hunt for blood. Things get crazy in the movie, but such broadness is generally muted by Yip's unwelcome choice to add a little sincerity to the adventure as Woody and Rolls get close (keep in mind, he also participated in nearly killing this woman earlier in the day), inching the film away from the wackiness it previously invested in. Such a dip into emotion isn't welcome here, and it adds to the unevenness of the endeavor. There are bursts of insanity to enjoy in the picture, but "Bio-Zombie" isn't all that inspired, with more care put into the story's setting than its violent payoff.
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