Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End (2024) Review: A Well-Acted But Familiar Zombie Thriller That Doesn’t Reach its Full Potential

The “Z” in Apocalypse Z and World War Z look as if they are related. Imagine how nice it would be if both movies served as crossover events. Except that Apocalypse Z, carrying the subtitle The Beginning of the End is actually based on Manel Loureiro’s Apocalypse Z book trilogy released between 2012 and 2014 (the other two are Dark Days and The Wrath of the Just).

In this first big-screen adaptation, the movie begins with a prologue detailing the fateful night between Manel (Francisco Ortiz) and his wife Julia (Iria del Río) end up in a car accident but only the former survives the crash. A year later, the still-depressed Manel is now living alone with his cat Lúculo. He seems to be oblivious or barely cares about what’s going on around him even with the TV news reporting about the border closure as the mysterious TSJ virus spread across Spain and later, some of the countries around the world.

We see him going on his routine from meeting a potential buyer interested in buying his boat to shopping at a supermarket, where people are seen stocking up their groceries and emptying the shelves. When Manel agrees to join his sister’s family in the Canary Islands, the flight is unexpectedly cancelled and causes a mass panic in Vigo Airport. Everyone soon receives a message alert as the government declares a civil security emergency after shutting down the airspace.

The TSJ virus has apparently mutated into a highly contagious state through blood contact and with Manel unable to meet his sister and the family, he chooses to hole up in his home. As the rest of his neighbours around the residential area are forced to evacuate, the movie follows Manel improvising his survival skills as he risks himself going out to look for any food supplies and useful items.

Working from Ángel Agudo’s adapted screenplay, Carles Torrens of Pet and ABC’s of Death 2½ under the segment of M is for Mom, focuses more on Manel’s survival while the cause of the viral zombie outbreak echoes the recent COVID-19 pandemic, complete with a direct reference of the real-world disease. Torrens are less concerned about the thrills of hunting and attacking the zombies, even though we still get to see Manel kill one with a harpoon gun or outrun them at one point during a dirt bike chase through the woods. But action scenes like this are scarce while the obligatory blood, gore and violence are everything you would expect from a typical zombie movie.

Frankly, Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End works best when the reclusive Manel interacts with another survivor, notably in the scene revolving around the wheelchair-bound elderly woman played by Amalia Gómez as Gabriela. The movie also prominently features Manel’s cat Lúculo, who adds a positive sense of relationship dynamic between the cute furry animal and the owner who takes good care of his pet no matter where he goes.

But the movie’s nearly two-hour length feels like it plods too long to reach its finish line and this is only the beginning. Certain scenes are unnecessarily padded such as the one revolving around the crew in the boat except for the introduction of a Ukrainian helicopter pilot Pritchenko (José María Yazpik), who is vital to the story.

The third act is somehow underwhelming and despite Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End concludes with a cliffhanger, I hope the sequel could do better the next time around. For now, this first instalment of Manel Loureiro’s book-to-film trilogy could only muster a well-acted but half-baked zombie thriller that doesn’t reach its fullest potential.

Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End is currently streaming on Prime Video.