‘They owned the streets… until now!’
Gangsters, Guns and Zombies is a 2012 British comedy horror film written and directed by Matt Mitchell (The Rizen and sequel; It Never Sleeps) from a screenplay co-written with Taliesyn Mitchell. The LMV production stars Vincent Jerome, Huggy Leaver, Fabrizio Santino.
Official synopsis:
The whole “zombie thing” has been hyped up so much that everyone thinks it’s the end of the world! Of course, where one man sees the dead rising from the grave, another sees opportunity. Q had a plan: drive the robbery getaway van, deliver everyone to the safe house and get paid – a nice, simple, plan.
Unfortunately, this is the first time Q has been a getaway driver. He’s coping pretty well though, considering; Tony (the guy who is ‘in charge’ of the job) is a murderous nut case, Danny was shot and is now bleeding all over the money in the back of the van, the Sat-Nav has a mind of its own, there’s a guy in the back living up to his name “Crazy Steve”, the safe-house already has police at it, and this whole “zombie thing” seems to be quickly becoming more of a “zombie apocalypse thing”.
Luckily, Tony knows of another Safe House on the coast. Not so luckily, Danny dies of natural-ish causes and then rises from the grave…
Reviews:
“Mitchell takes the opportunity of the gang’s journey to throw in some great roadside imagery including a zombie wedding party and zombie medieval re-enactors […] this owes its title to an overheard remark about the three things that good films should never have.” MJ Simpson, 21st Century British Horror Films, Volume 2: White Settlers and Women in Black, 2021
” The whole approach to the film’s horrific action is done in a mild-mannered or tongue-in-cheek way but the filmmakers ensure the horror crowd are pleased with lots of blood squirting and spraying over everywhere.” Horror Cult Films
” …I was less than enthused at the prospect of Gangsters, Guns & Zombies. But to its credit, the film is frequently imaginative, occasionally fun and always action-packed.” Horror Talk
“Cleverly, the first act of the movie is played out predominantly in the van as the gangsters escape, with the madness going on outside in miniature zombie movie vignettes, some of which are somewhat scary and some of which are frankly hilarious.” Love Horror
” …a terrific horror film, a very funny comedy and not at all annoying in the way most geezer gangster pictures are.” MJ Simpson, Cult films and the people who make them
“In terms of horror, the film is never scary and seldom tense. But Alexandra Vlcek’s splattery FX work is kept busy during the film’s first half (oddly, the pace slows during the latter half), ensuring gore fans are well catered for with lots of practical bitings and shootings.” SGM
” …this is a film that looks good and is put together with a definite technical craft and understanding of film. It is not a group of miscreants with a camcorder trying to give us motion sickness, instead there are fluid camera shots, an editor that knows what they are doing and all in all a very professional feel to the film.” The Lair of Filth
Cast and characters:
Vincent Jerome … Q
Huggy Leaver … Tony
Fabrizio Santino … Crazy Steve
Cassandra Orhan … Cassie
Charlie Rawes … Muscles
Frank Rizzo … Pat
Jennie Lathan … Grandma
Simon Mathews … Danny
Josh Myers … Q’s Friend
Sharon Lawrence … Victim
Siobhan Callas … Female reporter
Chris Manning-Perry … Male reporter
Rory Auskerry … Radio (voice)
Phil Mercer … 10 Point Plan (voice)
Kat Arthurs … Medical staff
Filming locations:
Rutland, England
Manor Way Business Park, Swanscombe, Kent, England
Whitstable, Kent, England
