Grade (C+)
A wildly fun zombie comedy that entertains much more than expected.
Synopsis
When a mysterious virus infects a group of students, turning them into zombie-like savages, a group of teachers must band together to survive and escape the school.
My Thoughts
If you watch the trailer or read the synopsis for this one and still decide to press the play button then you will know exactly what you are in for. For that aspect this film was a riot and without a doubt, dumb enjoyable fun.
As ridiculous as the premise sounds the film takes itself seriously and results in a story-line that creates characters you can root for regardless of the crazy antics surrounding them.
The premise of this would not have worked without the comedic aspect and it was well implemented into the script. The dialogue was humorous and rather than relying on simply one-liner’s alone, the story itself created several greatly comedic situations that the characters could work with. The plot is dumb but effective in delivering a range of laughter as the group of teachers run for their lives from kids-turned-zombies, while bickering with themselves in the process.
At times it felt like a spoof on the zombie genre while at the same time paying homage to it with a surprisingly complete adventure, likable characters and creatively amusing writing. Elijah Wood and Rainn Wilson were both excellent and their strong performances gave this script a comedic validity that make this wild story enjoyable. The rest of the cast also add moments of humor in their own ways and it helps keep the pace moving.
The kid actors in this one were also excellent and they all looked and felt the part much more than one would expect. The make-up effects were fantastic and regardless of the comedic angle this one leads with, there was still the massive amount of gore that one would want from a zombie film. While I sat and watched this ridiculous story-line unfold, laughing much more than expected, I found my attention was grabbed mainly due to the fresh feel of the plot. The premise was so crazy that you could never really predict where it would go next and it held intrigue for as dumbly amusing as it was.
To be honest I did not think I would get much further than 15-20 minutes into this one before I called it quits, but before I knew it I was halfway through and still intrigued by the creativity taken into this new look on the trendy genre. The film was well shot and uses the interior of the school to create some surprisingly tense situations. For me however, it all goes back to the writing and cast performances. The dialogue was clever when it needed to be, and even when there were some cheesy one-liners, they purposely came off as such, and with the deliver from the cast you still chuckle at the perfect placement of them.
Overall “Cooties” was a surprisingly laughable and highly enjoyable film for fans of the genre. It was clear to see the creators had fun writing this one, and it was easy to see the cast bought into the premise and enjoyed their roles. If you think this plot sounds ridiculous no matter what, then pass on this one for sure, however, if you read the synopsis and think it sounds fun if done properly, then sit back and enjoy. “Cooties” will give you a new look on the zombie genre as a comedic form and make you never want to eat a chicken nugget again.
– Starring –
Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, Alison Pill, Jack McBrayer, Leigh Whannell, Nasim Pedrad, Jorge Garcia, Cooper Roth, Sunny May Allison, Peter Kwong
– Directed By –
Jonathan Milott & Cary Murnion
Time: 88 min
MPAA Rating: R (Horror violence and gore, language including sexual references, and drug use)
