If you know nothing of the Wyrmwood series it might be worth looking at a few trailers before you take your seat to watch Wyrmwood: Apocalypse 2021 so you know what you are in for. This fast paced action thriller film is a sequel to Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead and features standout performances from Shantae Barnes-Cowan as ‘Maxi’ and Tasia Zalar as ‘Grace’. This cult classic is well worth a watch and premiered at the Brisbane International Film Festival on Saturday 30th October. Wyrmwood: Apocalypse makes for a good night out, especially on a night like Halloween.
Set in a post-apocalyptic landscape Luke McKenzie ‘Rhys’ is seen hunting for zombies and handing them over to the big boss. The audience is introduced to a typical day in the life of soldier ‘Rhys’ who wakes up to the sound of zombies causing ruckus in the backyard. The opening is a great scene that sets up the film and tickles our funny bone by showing us all the different ways zombies can be distracted, i.e. chained to a post like a rabid dog or starting up a punch up with another zombie.
When ‘Rhys’ takes out ‘Grace’, rebel ‘Maxi’ decides to follow ‘Rhys’ so she can track down her sister. I want to take a moment to acknowledge Shantae Barnes-Cowan’s performance in her first ever feature film as not only did she look the part but she brought her A game to the big screen. The plot thickens as ‘Maxi’ and ‘Rhys’ must work together to save ‘Grace’ all while trying not to get themselves killed. The audience starts to learn more about how soldier ‘Rhys’ prevents himself from getting infected by zombies and what a ‘hybrid’ is.
This film is a lot of fun but it should be noted that it is quite a loud film, so if you are sensitive to loud noises it might be best to watch this one on the small screen. Also, if you are new to the series and want to dip your toe in first, be sure to have a look at the original Wyrmwood on Netflix. Whether you are super into zombies and gore or haven’t watched a cult classic before you could find that the Wyrmwood series is the perfect place to start. Why not broaden your horizons and try watching something you wouldn’t normally watch? I can tell you now that zombies aren’t too scary when you can keep them occupied.
Joanna Letic