‘World Ends at Camp Z’ Review
Stars: Anne-Carolyne Binette, Dean Persons, Michael Czemerys, Osawa Muskwa, Rafaela Salomão, Arthur Bussières Gallant | Written by Diane Janna | Directed by Ding Wang
How long would it be until low budget horror films, try to cash in on the COVID pandemic? Well, World Ends at Camp Z is a Canadian film from January 2022. It probably isn’t the first.
There’s a new virus (either a type of COVID, or a new thing), and our protagonist is a lawyer. visiting a campsite, to complete a purchase for a mysterious buyer, where she meets a handsome, yet surly employee / the current owner. Before long, we are joined by our beautiful, rich kids, there to square their dodgy dealings, and generally be so obnoxious we don’t mind later when bad stuff happens to them.
As a side note. I love it when films use a fake radio news update to give us the exposition, they never seem to listen to real radio, to see what they sound like.
We are a good 50 minutes of character development in, before things really kick-off, and World Ends at Camp Z is all the better for it. The characters are hokey, but not without their charm. The acting is well above average. I will keep an eye out for Anne-Carolyne Binette & Dean Pearsons, our two leads, going forward.
The camera work is not bad at all, and we have some beautiful overhead drone shots from time to time. Along the way, other than the radio exposition, we also get some little hints that “all is not well” and zombies are on the way. But while it is inevitable from minute 1, the film is skilful enough at focusing on the characters and plot that I genuinely forget there was a “Z” in the film’s title.
When the zombies do show up, the rock music kicks in, and things fall apart. There is suddenly a slow-mo blur effect on the camera, that doesn’t help matters, as the hackneyed rock singer croons “here comes the monster”. As soon as the zombies are gone for a bit, we get back to sensible filmmaking, but the last 30 minutes are increasingly silly. We also learn that, like Hippos (according to Homer Simpson), zombies won’t follow the survivors into the water.
World Ends at Camp Z isn’t perfect, mistakes are made along the way. But, as a low-budget little indie horror, this is, for the most part, well made and crucially, it is enjoyable. I just wish the silly rock music didn’t kick in, every time the zombies attacked, which naturally gets increasingly often after the hour mark.
The ending is surprisingly well-judged. There is some tenderness there, and the characters we have got to know for the last hour and 15 minutes actually have an arc to them. Do you believe in life, after love?
Perfect? No. Enjoyable? Yes.
World Ends at Camp Z is out now on Digital and On Demand from Média DW.
