[Movie Review] ‘Make Me Shudder 3’ is a fun Asian zombie flick

Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? If you like zombie films.

Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? Sure.

Secret ending? Bloopers reel during the credits.

Running time: 99 minutes (~1.75 hours)

“Make Me Shudder 3” is a Thai horror comedy film, the third installment in the “Make Me Shudder” series. It follows the adventures of a group of boys who stumble into a haunted hotel on holiday, and find it infested with ghosts. It stars Kunatip Pinpradub (Nick), Puvadol Vechwongsah (James), Kittipat Samarntragulchai (Bew), Sirapob Manitikun (Net), Worachai Sirikongsuwan (Tape), Rittichai Tasarika (Oil), and Sompong Kunapatom (Dor). It is rated PG-13.

“Make Me Shudder 3” could have been a tired rehash in the same vein as the previous two movies, but it takes a surprisingly different turn by adopting a new style for this movie. It takes a normally Western archetype and gives an Asian spin to it, all while keeping its eye on the mix of horror and humour that made the first two films fun to watch. It’s not a deep and insightful film for sure, but it’s a light-hearted movie that’ll take your mind off with its quirky style.

Highlights

Western zombies meet Asian protagonists

Though the supernatural tropes and scare techniques are distinctly Asian, the fact is that the monsters are, indeed, Western zombies. It’s fun to see an Asian horror approach to traditional Western zombies, combining shambling, lurching corpses with terrifying undead creatures the appear out of nowhere. Zombie flicks never get old, especially when they’re served up in a fresh, entertaining style.

Snarky zombies with a sense of humour

Of course, zombies being zombies, they are pretty deadpan in their dialogue and performances, but they also deliver sarcastic quips that are amusingly self-aware. It shows that they comprehend the stereotypes and expectations that come with the genre, and make for hilarious antagonists. You wouldn’t expect funny ghosts that insult the protagonists and their lack of common sense, but this is exactly what the monsters do.

Sense of camaraderie and friendship among the boys

One of the chief strengths of the film is its ensemble cast, which evokes our childhood memories of classmates bickering and fighting. Despite their constant squabbling, it’s evident that they care very much about each other and would to go great lengths to ensure each other’s safety. And this is what is most touching about their boyhood friendships – how genuine and enduring these relationships truly are.

Letdowns

Dor is an irritating, pointless addition

Dor brings nothing to the film, besides acting as a bossy exposition fountain that is as incompetent as he is loud mouthed. The boys can fare perfectly well on their own without his “assistance”, and his existence is merely to serve as another unnecessary obstacle to their escape. He’s not even funny, which means he’s even more worthless as a character than say, an extra two or three zombies. Even the twist reveal at the end isn’t worth sitting through half the movie with him.

“Make Me Shudder 3” is an entertaining take on the classic zombie film, with elements of the haunted house genre thrown in as well. It doesn’t forget its genre as horror comedy though, and laces the mild scares with plenty of humour. Ultimately it’s a fresh approach to all aspects of the genre, and this is what helps keep the “Make Me Shudder” series innovative and fun.

“Make Me Shudder 3” opens in cinemas 28 May, 2015 (Thursday).

This review was also published on Yahoo.