A fitting usage of the universal language of zombies as a vehicle for a uniquely Malaysian social commentary. Slightly campy in its humor but driven in its ambition; KL 24: Zombies is a great example of what the Malaysian independent film industry is capable of, even if it doesn't achieve everything it seeks.
The zombie genre boasts a huge wide-ranging repertoire of hilarious satire and horror classics: from the comical quips laced with British witticism of Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead to the unexpectedly terrifying and revolutionary George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead. Our local scene has a fair share of zombie films too, with the slapstick galore of Zombi Kampung Pisang and KL Zombi. KL 24: Zombies, on the other hand brings something novel to the table. The first independently produced Malaysian zombie film to appear on the big screen, Doghouse 73 Pictures’ film, tells the tale of a viral outbreak from the perspectives of people from different cultural backgrounds. On a spectrum, the movie leans towards humor, but it is not without its profundity – shining upon social issues through our obsession with the undead.
“Zombie movies have always been about social commentary. Even in George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, the movie was also talking about issues such as discrimination – issues that were relevant to those times”, commented James Lee, one of the directors and writers for the film.
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