Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires

Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires (2025)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Zed, Addison, and their friends still have a central part in this addition, but it's more in the context of passing the torch to the next generation and helping these new monsters mend their bridges, using their own history and friendship as proof that you don't need to be the same species to get along. There are many parallels in the story and, as always, lots of music. Where the original movie portrayed zombies vs humans, this tells the tale of daywalkers vs vampires, though it would seem they are more similar than they were previous led to believe. It also sets the stage for another installment if the series does indeed continue with yet another unusual occurrence at the end of the film. Fans that have followed the series since the beginning will recognize some of the music as well as there are several references and throw backs to past experiences and songs.

Zombies 3

Zombies 3 (2022)

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


Seabrook may be more accepting, but it still doesn't entirely know how to react when something new crops up and may fall back on bad habits when it comes to these new invaders, though at least this time they don't seem to lump in the zombies and the werewolves, still considering them part of the town. Addison finally gets some of the answers she's been searching for, though it nearly tears her and Zed apart. Touchingly, even the cheer girls who remained on Bucky's side and against Addison for so long seem to be firmly team Addison and Zed now, even going so far as to defend them when it seems like one of the aliens may be crossing the line and out to take Zed for herself and when Bucky tries to take credit for the competition Addison created for cheer. Of course, it wouldn't be a Zombies movie without some underlying theme of acceptance and progress in there.

Zombies 2

Zombies 2 (2020)

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


Similar to the first movie, the music was already very familiar long before I finally got around to watching this. While we still have the main cast including the zombies and there's a saddening bit of regression in the progress from the end of the last film and start of this one to the rest of the story, fear remains the main driving force in a lot of the decisions here, especially as the werewolves are now back in town. It seems this series will continue to bring in classic monsters in a more accepting and fun light than the typical frightening version seen in films, though that aspect is still mentioned and certainly real in the fear displayed by the "normal" humans in town. We never do learn who this great alpha is that the wolves are looking for, but it seems maybe they found a place after all thanks to Addison and Zed.

Zombies

Zombies (2018)

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


I had actually already learned a lot of the music from this as it was popular on a few Halloween playlist stations last year, but hadn't yet seen the movie(s). Finally got around to watching it, and while it's no cinematic masterpiece, it does have a good overall story to tell. The music is catchy and of course there's plenty of choreography to go with it. Despite the theme with zombies, it's a more light hearted than what you usually see for the genre and not really frightening even when they lose control, though it could be enough to add some fright for someone easily scared or who is already more afraid of zombies to begin with. There's a lot of acceptance needed here, and it's easy to see as the lead characters want to be friends and possibly more but it seems the rest of the world is determined to keep them in their respective places.