Zombeavers, 2014.
Directed by Jordan Rubin.
Starring Cortney Palm, Rachel Melvin, Lexi Atkins, Hutch Dano, Jake Weary, Bill Burr and Rex Linn.
SYNOPSIS:
A group of college kids staying at a riverside cabin are menaced by a swarm of deadly zombie beavers. A weekend of sex and debauchery soon turns gruesome as the beavers close in on the kids.
A lot was expected of Zombeavers at this year’s Frightfest, mainly because of its sufficiently hysterical title, which suggested a cult following similar to another recent horror-com, WolfCop, was on the horizon. And indeed aside from its outlandish name, the film certainly has many of the ingredients needed to be a breakout hit: an over-the-top scenario, special effects that looked the “good” type of tacky, teenagers in peril and a decent soundtrack are all checked and accounted for. But despite all the elements in place to make it so, it’s somewhat of a disappointment to report that Zombeavers really isn’t as good as we’d hoped.
The “dammed” of the films promising tagline are three high-school girlfriends who head out to a remote cabin belonging to family friends, where they plan to unwind before their finals. Armed with food, booze and bikinis, the trio head straight into the lake outside for some much-needed relaxation, though not before their boyfriends show up and want some fun of their own. But their debauchery is cut short when a rabid group of killer beavers descend on their cabin, and start to kill off the teenagers one by one.
That last statement sounds even more ridiculous whilst typing it out for this review, let alone watching the horror unfold, but you can’t say Zombeavers doesn’t do everything it says on the tin. Director Jordan Rubin certainly has a huge affinity for the gory and the insane, and despite his previous experience as a writer for TV shows; he shows some neat flashes for both the comedy and horror elements to suggest a decent future for the debutant.
But with all that promise comes expectation, and for all effort that has obviously been put in to make the film “good-bad”, it just doesn’t quite pop in the way that was intended. Sure, there are certainly some chuckles to be had and there is enough blood to satisfy those who like their horror red and runny, but for the most part it just doesn’t blend the balance of the two in the same way the aforementioned WolfCop did so well, or indeed like the Sharknado’s of this world who have excelled in making this kind of film.
While Zombeavers has some hilariously ridiculous moments that are great, it sadly doesn’t quite hold up throughout. There is an obvious love for all things horror and comedy from the filmmakers, and while their efforts show signs of better things to come, we can chalk this one down as an admirable rather than excellent effort.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film ★ ★ / Movie ★ ★
Scott Davis