When the dead are back, what do we do with them? RKSS (Turbo Kid, Summer of ’84) offers a fresh take on the undead in the SCREAMBOX Original We Are Zombies, streaming everywhere August 13.

RKSS — the Canadian filmmaking collective composed of François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell — wrote and directed the horror-comedy, based on the comic book series The Zombies That Ate the World.

The film is set in a dystopian society where the dead have risen, but rather than your rabid mindless killing machines these “living impaired” still serve functional roles in society, working menial jobs and being used as tools by a population that has learned to live with them.. We follow three slackers played by Alexandre Nachi (1991), Derek Johns (The Boys) and Megan Peta Hill (Riverdale), who look to have hit upon a way to make easy money by hacking in on the calls of the global megacorp Coleman. Posing as workers for Coleman’s Retirement Services for the Living-impaired they collect zombies and sell them on, mainly to Don and Otto, artists and sometime club night organisers.

Their adventure is a chaotic blend of misadventures and macabre discoveries, delivered with a heavy dose of dark humour reminiscent of Paul Verhoeven’s Robocop and Starship Troopers. In fact the Coleman’s logo and advertising is so OCP it’s almost criminal! There’s also a few moments were it’s very close to Robocop scenes.

This juggling of slapstick moments and genuine horror gives us a few dropped balls. There’s some uneven pacing, where the plot plods, particularly when it leans too heavily on gags that almost but not quite land. However, when it hits its stride, the film is a clever satire that pokes fun at both zombie movie tropes and broader societal issues, again very Verhoeven.

The characters in We Are Zombies are deliberately exaggerated, embodying the stereotypes of the genre but with a twist. The three main cast are extremely likeable in their apathy, providing a stark contrast to the world-weary attitude typically seen in zombie protagonists. While these characters might not experience deep arcs or significant development, they are entertaining and serve as effective vehicles for the film’s dark humour. Think of it like a Canadian reimagining of Shaun of the Dead in a similar way The Office and The Office(US) were different yet the same.

The performances are solid.The actors bring a playful energy that matches the film’s irreverent tone, ensuring that even the more outlandish moments feel grounded in the film’s peculiar world. The ensemble cast works well together, with a chemistry that enhances the comedic timing, particularly in scenes that parody classic horror setups. The Granny, Mrs Neard (played by Clare Coulter) is fantastic, she thinks she’s a zombie anyway so is non-plussed by everything. 

Visually, “We Are Zombies” is a feast for fans of retro-inspired cinema. The Whissell’s and Simard are known for their nostalgic, 80s-infused style, as seen in Turbo Kid, and they bring a similar aesthetic to this film. The use of practical effects, and stylised cinematography gives it a distinctive look that sets it apart from more conventional horror-comedies. The directors’ love for genre films is evident in every frame, with numerous Easter eggs and references that horror aficionados and movie fans in general will appreciate. The world-building is particularly impressive, as the film creates a fully realised universe where zombies are a mundane part of life. This attention to detail helps to sell the films dystopian setting. 

We Are Zombies isn’t just another survival story set in a post-apocalyptic world; instead, it’s a clever reimagining of how society might adapt to living with the undead. The film’s blend of dark humour, retro visuals, and social commentary makes it a great entry in the genre and if you’re a fan of Turbo Kid you won’t be disappointed.

For fans of horror-comedy, particularly those who enjoy films that push the boundaries of genre conventions, We Are Zombies is well worth the watch, and rewatch.

We Are Zombies delivered laughs and bloodshed at Fantasia International Film Festival, Sitges Film Festival, and Fantastic Fest, drawing comparisons to such crowd-pleasers as Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland, and Warm Bodies.

“It is finally time we unleash We Are Zombies!” exclaims RKSS. “We are thrilled, as horror fans and genre filmmakers, to be partnering up with the good folks at Bloody Disgusting and their streaming platform Screambox to bring it to your screens.”

We Are Zombies joins SCREAMBOX’s extensive library of unique horror content, including Terrifier 2, RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop, Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls, Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story, The Outwaters, Living with Chucky, Creepypasta, Frogman, and Pennywise: The Story of IT.

Start screaming now with SCREAMBOX on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Prime Video, Roku, Fire TV, YouTube TV, Samsung, Comcast, Cox, and Screambox.com.

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