Bio Zombie (1998) and Yummy (2019): International Zombie Double Feature

Bio Zombie

Wilson Yip directed some of the most acclaimed martial arts films of the 21st century (SPL/Killzone, Ip Man 1-4). Before that, he co-wrote and directed Hong Kong's first zombie movie (according to the Vinegar Syndrome liner notes), the low budget comedy-horror Bio Zombie (1998).

The movie establishes its irreverent tone and style immediately. The opening credits are presented as if they are being taped in a theater via camcorder, with the bootleggers talking over the music ("This isn't one of those gay movies, is it?"). The bootleggers turn out to be our protagonists, Invincible Woody (Jordan Chan) and ZomBee (Sam Lee). Previous translations called him Crazy Bee, but the liner notes say ZomBee is more accurate to the original language pun. The not-so-dynamic duo supposedly sell bootleg VCDs out of a hole in the wall in New Trend Plaza Mall. They actually spend most of their time hitting on girls, getting high, and playing House of the Dead when not running errands for their criminal boss. These guys are not likable, but they are funny in a pathetic way. They are quick to talk shit, bully, and threaten, but even quicker to cower if anyone challenges them. They aren't even good bootleggers (you can barely see Stephen Chow in the Stephen Chow movie!). When they are desperate for money, they rob one of the girls they have been flirting with. Later, Invincible gets rapey with the same girl and only stops when she vomits all over him. And they are to blame for unleashing a zombie epidemic in the mall! By the end you do start to feel for them a bit, but they don't become heroes or anything. The downer climax of the movie seems to support the thesis that these guys don't really deserve a happy ending (not that the ladies deserved their unfortunate fates...).

The zombie stuff pops up pretty early on, but it takes a surprisingly long time for the shit to really hit the fan. Thankfully, the character-based comedy is entertaining enough that I enjoyed watching these two dumb asses bumble through their day as it establishes the other characters in the mall. Once people start dying, the movie still stays firmly in comedy mode. There are maybe two scenes of actual tension or emotion. Zombie make-up is simple and effects are limited, I do wish there were a few more creative zombie kills like the head-tap that also serves as the DVD cover.

I don't know if this movie was an influence on Edgar Wright, if not it certainly predicted some elements of his work. Obviously, we have the comedic premise of two slackers dealing with zombies (Shaun of the Dead). But this also has some stylistic tricks and flourishes like video game-style graphics that pop up saying "Reload," and a scene where all the surviving characters get the equivalent of a character select screen (with stats and everything!). This also openly references other movies and has playful meta-elements like the bootlegged opening credits. Yip uses a variety of cameras and techniques to capture action and "zombie vision," and delivers one particularly inspired visual gag with a "split screen" interrogation. The camera often tilts wildly as the characters run through the halls, increasing the claustrophobic feel of the small, brightly lit spaces.

Overall, this was a pretty funny and unique movie. The weakest aspect is the zombie action. They are old school lurching zombies, and the movie doesn't work too hard to contrive situations where they might trap you. Instead, the camera will frequently pan around, and then a zombie will pop up from just off camera where the on-screen character would have certainly noticed them. The movie doesn't seem concerned with being serious or scary, though, so I would recommend it for the comedy and the directorial flourishes.

Yummy

After watching Hong Kong's first zombie movie Bio Zombie (1998), I ended up watching Belgium's first zombie movie, Yummy (2019).

Alison (Maaike Neuville), her mother, and Alison's boyfriend Michael (Bart Hollanders) are traveling to an isolated hospital. Alison wants a breast reduction due to back pain and unwanted attention (demonstrated by a busload of young men and old guys at a gas station ogling and cat-calling her). Oh, you sweet summer child! As an attractive woman, gross dudes are never going to stop bothering you. Although the guys here (and sadly often in real life) seem to see her large chest as an excuse to be extra brazen and creepy, so it is understandable for her to try and at least mitigate a factor she has some control over. Alison's mom thinks it's a foolish decision but is going along to get (yet another) cosmetic procedure for herself. Michael just wants his "pookie bear" Alison to be happy, and occasionally eyes an engagement ring he has hidden in his pocket.

The hospital looks ominous, the doctors are shady, and basic safety procedures seem to be ignored. They chose the place because it was cheap, but it doesn't look like the website... Michael was going to be a doctor but dropped it after a year of study due to fear/fainting at the sight of blood. After questioning their practices and starting to panic, Michael is whisked away by sleazy hospital assistant Daniel so Alison can relax before surgery. While Daniel scavenges pills from an abandoned wing, Michael stumbles into a room with a nude woman bound and masked. She seems distressed, so he takes the mask off... and she doesn't have any lips! She tries to bite him with her bloody open mouth and teeth, and Michael and Daniel run away. In yet another example of this hospital's poor practices, the zombie woman is only bound by some cloth straps that she begins chewing through... Things escalate quickly from there.

Michael is hilariously ineffective. I liked that he wasn't a coward, he was just as clumsy and inefficient as I imagine I would be in this situation. The most outrageous sequence barely involves the zombies, just an unfortunate accident with flammable materials that had me howling with laughter (and cringing with second-hand pain). Neuville is cute and tenacious as Alison, her wide eyes staring out from behind her big bangs and an ever-increasing amount of blood as she finds she can't count on anyone else to save her. I also liked supporting actress Taeke Nicolai. She doesn't have a big role, but she reminded me of Juno Temple (always a plus), and she provides some brief non-zombie nudity (sorry fellow pervs, you won't be seeing Alison's plot drivers here). For a moment I wondered if the ending was too dark, but ultimately I gave the movie credit for keeping its black-hearted sense of humor going all the way to the last shot.

This is a fast, funny comedy-horror with some good gore and gross out gags. The setting isn't used to maximum potential, but there are a few scenes/victims that incorporate the plastic surgery aspect. The zombie make-up is not unique, but it is effective, and some of them are pretty gnarly looking. There is a legless zombie that pulls itself along so fast that I am guessing they cast an amputee. There are a few clever things I haven't seen in a zombie movie before (one involving intestines, the other a ribcage).

If you are tired of zombies, this doesn't have any grand innovations or great satire that will change your mind. The story is just a thin excuse to get the zombie carnage going, but it does so with admirable efficiency. If you want a nasty, funny horror movie and you aren't completely zombied-out, I recommend it.