‘A revolutionary treatment guaranteed to ease your mind. Permanently.’
Zombex is a 2013 American science fiction horror film about an anti-depressant drug that turns the residents of New Orleans into zombies.
Written and directed by musician-turned-filmmaker Jesse Dayton, the Baumant Entertainment production stars Lew Temple (Between the Darkness; Feral; The Endless), Malcolm McDowell (The Employer; Silent Night; Rob Zombie’s Halloween; Cat People; et al), David Christopher (Beneath the Darkness), Sid Haig (The Devil’s Rejects; Hatchet III; Galaxy of Terror; Spider Baby; et al) and Corey Feldman (Corbin Nash; Voodoo; Gremlins; et al).
Plot:
In post-Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is faced with a new disaster, a zombie apocalypse. Residents are no longer experiencing the depression and post-traumatic stress due to the trauma of the hurricane, thanks to the revolutionary Zombex – a rogue, yet, “clinically-proven” anti-depressant pharmaceutical manufactured by a nefarious organization.
For those who call the Big Easy their home, everything is just now turning around for them. Or, could it just be the drug, Zombex, talking… Just as things are turning around for the city and its people, they once again must face a disaster of epic proportions. Only this time, they’re dealing with the prospect of losing the people of New Orleans as they turn into the city’s walking dead…
Reviews:
“Amateur digital blood. Line flubs front and center. Wild zombie packs that appear from thin air whenever the screenplay decides to inject a jolt. Everything about the production says bargain bin except for the cast list. Being generous, Zombex is a mediocre at best zombie film featuring notable genre faves as its only draw.” Ian Sedensky, Culture Crypt
“It’s amateurishly shot in HD, sometimes out of focus and with the camera seemingly pointed in random directions. It has a 3-4 minute montage near the end which repeats ‘highlights’ from the previously wretched 75 minutes. And it has three ‘stars’ who appear barely five minutes on screen.” Silver Saxophone, Letterboxd
“It’s so remarkably bad. It is a study in bad movie-making […] Also the entire thing was filmed with some sort of 1980’s Kodachrome Instagram filter over the whole thing. God, what the hell is this sh*t.” Tagra
” …a complete mess, with large chunks which appear to be present for no reason at all, and/or make no sense – the entire Black Rain subplot seems there purely so the writer-director can get his wife (Kaye) into the movie, as some kind of burlesque dancing security-guard […] there’s nothing to separate this from the other million (mostly better) zombie flicks produced this decade.” Trash City
“Zombex had interesting ideas, none of which really came to fruition. Was it supposed to be a critique of the pharmaceutical industry? A defense of free speech? Was it all just a vehicle for pseudo-lesbianism?” Andy O’Connor, Vice
Cast and characters:
- Lew Temple … Aldous Huxley
- Malcolm McDowell … Doctor Soulis
- David Christopher … Charlie Thibideaux
- Sid Haig … The Commander
- Corey Feldman … Doctor Jamison
- Pierre Kennel … Rush Chandler
- John Doe … Seamus O’Connor
- Emily Kaye … Katy Ann
- Desiree McKinney … Thea
- Tom Araya … Nowhere Man
- Edward Saint Pe’ … Boudreaux (as Edward St Pe)
- Kinky Friedman … Staff Sergeant James
- Anthony Obi … Dimebag
- Trey LaCour … Trey
- Timeca M. Seretti … Dishevelled Woman
Technical details:
- 81 minutes
- Audio: Dolby Digital (RCA Sound Recording)
