Zack Snyder’s zombie heist movie Army of the Dead releases in select theaters this week, just ahead of its Netflix drop on May 21. The R-rated feature marks Snyder’s first return to the subgenre since 2004’s Dawn of the Dead, but zombie horror was far from dormant in his absence.
Thanks in large part to The Walking Dead, zombies flooded the market. For many, the onslaught of undead in horror grew stale over the past decade. Yet, as with any subgenre, new innovative features continue to pop up and breathe new life into the zombie, especially on an international scale. However, for every One Cut of the Dead or Train to Busan, there are dozens more worthy horror movies awaiting audience discovery.
This week’s streaming picks belong to lesser-seen zombie movies from all corners of the globe. Some draw inspiration from George A. Romero and inject unique cultural commentary into their hordes of flesh-eaters. Some aim to make you laugh. And some play with subgenre rules.
Here’s where you can stream them this week.
The Battery – Kanopy, Tubi
This indie darling stars writer/director Jeremy Gardner (After Midnight). It follows two former baseball players turned best friends trying to survive long after a zombie apocalypse has ravaged the world. Even though the rules of the zombie apocalypse fall right in line with every zombie apocalypse before it, it still manages to reinvigorate the sub-genre by not being a zombie movie at all. It’s more of a unique road trip movie among buds, Ben (Gardner) and Mickey (Adam Cronheim), just trying to survive. Sure, there are occasional zombie encounters, some humorous and some harrowing, but Battery is a sort of anti-zombie zombie movie in its unique way.
Deathdream – Tubi, Vudu
Bob Clark is most well-known for his 1974 slasher classic Black Christmas, but his other 1974 horror release deserves attention too. Deathdream, also known as Dead of Night, follows young American soldier Andy Brooks (Richard Backus), killed in combat during the Vietnam war. His mother refuses to accept the news, demanding that her son return. One night, Andy does indeed show up at his family’s home. They’re overjoyed, but something is very wrong with Andy; he’s not exactly alive anymore. Deathdream presents a “Monkey’s Paw” scenario, set around a family torn apart by the war.
The Girl with All the Gifts – HBO Max
Based on the novel by Mike Carey, The Girl with All the Gifts is set in a near-future where a parasitic fungus has ravaged the world. Those infected turn into mindless “hungries.” Only a small group of children seem immune; they still hunger for flesh but retain the ability to learn and think. Among them is Melanie (Sennia Nanua), the most intelligent and remarkable of all. When the military base holding the children captive falls, Melanie embarks on a quest with her teacher and the survivors, discovering her new place in the world. Nanua’s casting lends a new layer to the narrative, and Glenn Close makes for a formidable, icy antagonist in an already brutal world.
Juan of the Dead – Starz
Juan is a 40-year-old content to slack off and get into trouble with his slacker friends in his Cuban neighborhood, much to the chagrin of his estranged daughter. Then a zombie outbreak happens, though the Cuban government and media initially brush it off as part of the revolution. Soon, Juan and his friends realize that the homicidal citizens aren’t dissidents but zombies. In this zombie comedy, Juan and company find inventive ways of dealing with the infected. A satire that seamlessly blends life in Cuba with gory humor, Juan of the Dead makes good use of its unlikely heroes. It also makes you want Alejandro Brugués to do more horror.
Little Monsters – Hulu
Lupita Nyong’o already proved her dramatic chops in the genre space twice over with Jordan Peele’s Us. So much so that Us overshadowed Nyong’o’s other 2019 release, the horror-comedy Little Monsters. The actress charms with a winsome performance as Miss Audrey Caroline, a kindergarten teacher forced to keep her students safe when their field trip gets invaded by zombies. It’s a heartfelt story with offbeat humor, and Nyong’o is once again the film’s MVP. Be warned, though: expect to get a Taylor Swift song stuck in your head by the time the closing credits roll.
