There are so many movies about zombies in world cinema that it seemed that all the resources of originality dedicated to these monstrous creatures had been exhausted. However, the short film ‘HUMANS!’ has all the chances, even though not defying all the classic patterns of films of this kind, to provide an entertaining and invigorating experience to the enthusiasts. This is due to the strategy chosen by director Ramon Paradoa who switches the conventional relationship between man and monster, between good and evil, building an alternate universe populated by zombies who are threatened by a virus that turns victims into humans. The horror style configured by the zombie-like imaginary is thus intertwined with the principles of a light comedy centred on the outsider theme reminding of the personal dramas of nerdy high school students overwhelmed by their own anonymity. In the same way, this comedy-horror suddenly turns into a war between two worlds – the “normal” and the “contaminated” ones – which inclines to take on planetary proportions. Consequently, the aims of this project are placed on the border between disaster movie, initiatory odyssey and teen comedy, confronting the conventional protagonist-antagonist patterns, while launching the viewer the challenge of discerning who the bad and who the good guys are. The result may seem a combination of Shaun of the Dead and Warm Bodies, but the possible similarities do not affect the pleasure of the passionate viewer. On the contrary, the expectations drawn by the director at the end of the project makes this short film a possible pilot episode of a series full of adrenaline, black humour and shockingly hilarious contrasts.
Gnarl is far from being a popular zombie, he is just a frustrated loner with an awkward social life. And yet, the onset of a terrifying virus seems to give him a chance to become the hero of a society that is threatened by… human invasion.
Ramon Paradoa starts from the principles of a fictional biopic about a “banal” protagonist, in order to tackle a generous palette of cinematic styles that compresses in a small project various emotions and outlooks. In fact, the great quality of this short film results from the apparent structural incompatibilities which, by changing the conventional patterns, manage to defy the more or less spectacular clichés. On the other hand, the creator doesn’t set higher standards to strive for, opting for a fairly linear narrative formula, but this risk can be removed with the development of the project on larger spaces. Still, this project is narratively and technically conducted by a promising director, who draws the outlines of a coherent and catchy fictional universe, waiting to be explored in more depth. Hence, despite the sometimes-syncopated aspect that doesn’t favour a better familiarization of the spectator with the characters, ‘HUMANS!’ promises a frighteningly funny and cynical experience for all those who think that zombies are outdated.
Share:
