Review: The Zombie Factor

The first zombie-related flick we watched at Chicago's Fear Fest this weekend was a short called The Zombie Factor directed by Matt Cantu. This flick was a pilot for a mock-reality television show in which nine unsuspecting strangers are put in a zombie infected hell hole and forced through funny and death-defying challenges. It was a funny idea, as if George Romero were to direct a Fear Factor/Real World hybrid.

Overall, it was very funny. My favorite performances were Steve Forbes (Jason) and Earl Cabo (Kareem). Cabo and Forbes had some of the funniest and best lines, but they also completely committed to their characters and seemed comfortable and natural in front of the camera.

The challenges, especially the "zombie hat day" challenge, were funny and original, but occasionally moments like these went on for a little too long. They clearly had enough funny ideas, so I thought it could have been edited to be a little tighter. My only other complaint was that there were two or three more characters than needed. It's not that the characters were poorly acted, but it became a lot to keep track of in 22 minutes. Still, I would concede that this is absolutely authentic to many reality TV shows.

Overall, Cantu has produced a funny, loveable and engaging piece with some fresh and original ideas. It was definitely worth 22 minutes of my time. Watch the trailer below...