Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Virus :32’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘Virus :32’.
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While a fair chunk of horror fans, view the zombie sub-genre as brilliant and worthwhile when it comes to the stories that it tells, there are some… who think otherwise. For they believe that the sheer notion of a corpse returning to life and hungering for human flesh seems silly at best and that their ability to take over the world is equally as goofy. For they don’t think that humanity would fail to unify in the face of that kind of adversity and should be able to wipe it and the virus or cause of the problem out. Thus, making these types of stories not scary in the slightest to them, and well… one has to wonder, if those views are about to change. 
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Simply because the past two years on our planet, have proven that all the skepticism surrounding these films has been wholly incorrect. For we watched mankind let a virus run rampant around the world in a matter of months courtesy of concerns about economy and political theater and misinformation. Making it clear that zombies would easily take over if they were ever to exist since we simply cannot come together in a time of need, and that also makes these movies more powerful and poignant going forward. Since they now reflect the zeitgeist of the world in a perfect manner and well, the hope would be… that these movies can now properly teach us something about our world that we can use in the future, and that perhaps seeing the end of the world in fiction by way of mankind’s mistakes, will start to change attitudes and hearts and minds slowly… to ensure that a day comes where these movies do seem silly… because we do indeed unify.

But how would a zombie story accomplish that? Well, the answer to that is simple… by offering up a horrifying experience that not only tugs on the collective trauma we now all share in but offers scares in the raw to hammer the lesson home, and it just so happens that Shudder is now host to a movie, that offers up that kind of raw and visceral experience, in Virus :32. Now in this particular film we are introduced to a woman named Iris and her daughter Tata on a night that seems like any other. In fact, it’s so boring an evening that Iris is bringing her little one with her to the night shift at a local health club, where she works as a security guard. But it doesn’t take long for the night to take quite the turn. For people are acting strangely outside and they are eager to get inside, and once they do… life will never be the same for Iris and Tata.

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Which is a plot that at first glance, appears to offer no depth. For that is something we’ve seen time and time again within the genre, but familiarity is the key to making this story worthwhile. Because it makes us comfortable and relaxed and without a worry in the world and that’s when the terror begins to creep in. For the reports of odd behavior and viruses floating about… feels all too familiar, as do the appearance of the infected. Since these old school, 28 Days Later, style zombies seem mostly fine. Sure there’s a few bumps and cuts, but they look human. And seeing everyday folks quickly turn in front of others and be marked as something sinister, combined with the visuals and vibe here… really does terrify the viewer. Because this echoes every ugly moment of the past couple of years, and the horror doesn’t end with an eerie trip down memory lane.
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Because this is also a zombie flick, that leans hard into the unsettling scare. Which is a nice change of pace when one considers that gore is king, and while that is present and glorious in its own right… seeing an infected mother give birth to a child and prepare to potentially kill their wee one, is some scary stuff indeed. Bold as well, since you don’t see horror films mess with kids in that manner and really, it is the savagery present here that really freaks you out. Because we aren’t used to extended scenes of violence where people just give into the darkness and the fury in the hopes of finding satisfaction for a whopping handful of seconds, but they are here, and they are powerful and brilliant. Since in many ways, the infected serve as a secondary allegory for our modern world. Where so many are seething and desperate to lash out.

Which makes this a poignant and powerful zombie film for a bold new era of the genre. Where now the realities of a global pandemic can be realized within the framework of the genre, and hopefully will be used to influence change in a world that is in desire of it and desperately needs it. But all brilliance aside, make no mistake about it, this is a scary horror film through and through. One that uses all the right tricks and devices to leave the viewer uncomfortable and worried about our heroes and ends with such fury, that you outright feel exhausted watching this movie and hopefully we’ve done enough to convince you to swing by Shudder and give this wonderful little gem a look. Because this one really is something special and it is absolutely worth your time.     

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