Bio-Zombie
1998
Director: Yip Wai-Sun
Stars: Jordan Chan, Sam Lee
Two pirate VCD sellers, Woody Invincible (played by Chan -- heh, dirty bird, he's still called Mo Dik in other versions) and Bee (Lee), run into a guy while returning their boss' car. The victim starts asking for a soda, so Bee gives him one that was laying by the crash scene, not knowing that it is actually a secret chemical weapon that turns people into zombies. Fearing trouble from the police, Woody and Bee put the body into their car and swing back to the local mall, where they have their VCD shop. To their horror and amazement, the body seems to disappear. But when strange things start to happen, they realize that the man they hit has turned into a zombie. The two friends, along with a small group of survivors, must try to get out of the mall, which has turned into a death trap.
I've always been a fan of zombie movies. Whether it's the level of gore or the nihilistic ("everybody dies") attitude, I don't know. So when Bio-Zombie began to create some buzz in the newsgroups, I was very anxious to view Hong Kong's take on the "classic" zombie movie.
I wasn't disappointed -- Bio-Zombie is the best horror movie I've seen in quite some time. Don't get me wrong -- the film is nothing serious and won't give you recurring nightmares; it definitely has its tongue planted firmly in cheek at all times. While this may turn many people off, I've always found that the best zombie movies (such as Peter Jackson's Dead/Alive) have just as much humor as gore.
Everything about Bio-Zombie is done well; Chan and Lee, while no thespians, do create a couple of likeable characters as the hooligan VCD dealers. Chan, in particular, is great as he delivers lines like "Monster? Monster? Hell, I've got a monster in my pants!" The supporting cast is also good as well; I'm waiting for the "sushi boy" to come back in the sequel, and the nerdy guy who complains to Woody and Bee that his VCD has crappy quality (something which with a lot of US HK film fans can sympathize with) is a nice bit of comic relief. The cinematography, while nothing extraordinary, is really far above many other horror movies; for instance, there's a great sequence where the survivors are profiled ala video games such as "Street Fighter." And, suprisingly to me for a movie made after 1997, there's a high level of gore. While it's no Dawn of the Dead, there's enough blood to keep any gore hound happy (let's put it this way -- Woody's weapon of choice is an electric drill). Combined with the great cliffhanger ending, Bio-Zombie marks a great new chapter in the book of zombie movies. At any rate, it's one hell of a lot better than the recent "teen" US horror movies and definitely worth a look if you want a laugh along with your shocks in a horror movie.
RATING: 8
Here are the video-game profiles translated (thanks to Sebastian Tse):
Name: Woody Invincible
Weapon: Screwdriver
Combat Power: 300
Sex Power: 170
Zodiac: Aquarius
Idol-worship: Noriko Fujiwara
Name: Rolls
Weapon: Chainsaw
Combat Power: 160
Sex Power: 100
Zodiac: Sagittarius
Idol-worship: Hello Kitty
Name: Crazy Bee
Weapon: Machete
Combat Power: 240
Sex Power: 200
Zodiac: Taurus
Idol-worship: Bruce Lee
Name: Mrs. Kui
Weapon:
Combat Power: 120
Sex Power: 180
Zodiac: Gemini
Idol-worship: Jordan Chan
Name: Bad Teeth Kui
Weapon:
Combat Power: 150
Sex Power: 75
Zodiac: Virgo
Idol-worship: Alex Man