With chills on the menu, it’s hard not to fall in love with the Zoopocalypse.
Directed by Ricardo Curtis and Rodrigo Perez-Castro, Night of the Zoopocalypse tells the story of Gracie (Gabbi Kosmidis), a quirky wolf who lives at Colepepper Zoo. Struggling to fit in with her pack, Gracie feels like every day is the same. However, things change quickly when a meteor crashes into the zoo, creating an army of gummified zombies. Hunted by this new breed of beasties, Grace must team up with a grumpy mountain lion name Dan (David Harbour) and a team of animal misfits in an effort to escape the virus and save their zoo (and the world).
On paper, the idea of a ‘children’s animated horror’ film doesn’t sound like a concept that should work. But credit must be given to directors Curtis & Perez-Castro for making the most of their opportunity they’ve been given. Showing their deep love of classic horror films such as Alien and Gremlins, they manage to walk the line between chilling and child-friendly. (In fact, Xavier’s love of horror cinema gives the film a meta-humour that will make fans of Scream proud.)
To be clear, this is a film that’s suitable for all ages. The colours are bright, the characters are adorable and the humour is light-hearted. Whether it’s the hilariously naive pigmy hippo, Poot or a cinephile lemur, Xavier, one can’t help but fall in love with these characters. There’s a genuine charm that pervades the piece, even in its most outlandish scenes.
Even so, Curtis and Perez-Castro are willing to ‘go there’ on a number of occasions, creating scenes that may be a little more intense than expected. Inspired by an idea from horror hero Clive Barker (Hellraiser,Candyman), Zoopocalypse is more than willing to embrace the weird. Even if it keeps things cute, this is a story that features zombies that pop of limbs like tree branches. (Of course, by featuring the beasties like gummy candy, they can do so in the most kid-friendly of ways.)
Nevertheless, the true heartbeat of Zoopocalypse comes from Kosmidis and Harbour. As the most unlikely of team-ups, Gracie and Dan are the film’s emotional core. Together, Harbour’s gruff but gentile growl serves as a delightful foil to Kosmidis’ more earnest approach to Gracie. While the ‘odd couple’ team up isn’t particularly new, it still works effectively and the relationship between the two anchors the film.
But Zoopocalypse also has something to say. As Gracie and Dan wrestle with the reins of leadership, the film attempts to tackle the nature of ‘the pack’. Forced into relationship with animals that tend to fall further down the food chain, Gracie and Dan aren’t sure whether or not they can work as one unit. Understandably, trust is an issue when an prey and predator are forced to form an allegiance.
Enter the ‘watering hole rule’.
Put succinctly, Dan argues that the ‘watering hole’ is a place of safety for every beast who comes to drink. In these moments, every animal can trust one another, regardless of whether or not they might be on someone else’s menu elsewhere. The tension of ‘eat or be eaten’ follows these characters throughout the film and, in some cases, drives their decisions as individuals.
Nevertheless, in doing so, Zoopocalypse offers a healthy conversation about working together, despite our differences. Despite being a wolf, Gracie sees the importance of her new teammates, even if others in her pack do not. Each character brings something unique to the team and each earns their ‘moment’. For Gracie, that’s what’s most important, especially with a zoopocalypse on the rise.
As a result, Night of the Zoopocalypse serves as a genuine surprise. This is a film with family-friendly fun that still has moments where it bears its fangs. It’s a unique blend of humour and horror that feels fresh, even if some places feel overly familiar. In this case, it’s good to embrace the Zoopocalypse.
Night of the Zoopocalypse is available in theatres on Friday, March 7th, 2025
