Zombies descend upon a drag show in Queens of the Dead from Tina Romero, daughter of George. The good-enough zombie comedy is now on Shudder.
Tina Romero is the daughter of Zombie Master George A. Romero, who created the subgenre in 1968’s Night of the Living Dead, and continued across five other films (Day of the Dead, from 1985, is my personal favorite zombie film). Following in her father’s shambling footsteps, Romero has chomped into the zombie subgenre with Queens of the Dead, now on Shudder.
Don’t expect quite the same from Tina as from George. She’s playing in her father’s sandbox but but she plays by her own ways: far less cynical, more hopeful and comedic, and switching that sand out for heaps of glitter. Queens of the Dead, co-written by Romero with Erin Judge, has a sense of goofy fun, playing with the expectations of genre with a new set of wonderful characters, fun turns of set up, and heaps of make-up: both on zombies and the people they’re descending upon. It’s not often we have films, especially horror films with a predominantly LGBTQA+ cast, especially in such a positive way. I love the inclusion and diversity among the set as well. There is a sense of large personalities and a wonderful back and forth. As can be expected with drag kings and drag queens, there is an overflow of charisma.
Romero makes a fun and loose film, flying through the expectations of most DTV zombie movies: setting up the characters, something is wonky outside, more people act strangely, bites are hidden, people shift, hospitals get overwhelmed, and the characters have to figure out how to get to safety and/or loved ones. Romero works with the cliches in a glam new manner. The characters are all fun and funny, and they have enough depth to them, even if slightly falling into tropes. There’s a goodwill, midnight-moving crowd-pleasing energy. There’s a level of knowing camp, but one that is sincere and that goes a long way.
The zombies look great, a simple throwback to the make-up of Tom Savini (who, of course, has a cameo) in 1978’s Dawn of the Dead. Since Queens of the Dead takes place on Halloween, there is joy in seeing Dawn-style costumed zombies. Additionally, Romero and X use George’s social satire, especially Dawn of the Dead’s hardwired actions, but shopping is replaced with modern Gen Z behaviors. For blood wanters, there’s enough chomping and gore, but that’s not the focus.
However, for as much as it works, we can’t ignore the gaping, biting wounds on the arm. If we do, we become review zombies ourselves. For all the fun and tensions of the characters, Queens often looks cheap; the small number of under-designed locations and bland look betray the budget, leading to an awkward atmosphere. It spends so much of the time spinning on the pole while the plot happens outside, and one often waits for the push to go forward. Folks, you know what’s going on – act on it! On a similar note, the dread that comes from zombie movies, of the looming hordes and sadness of it all, doesn’t appear. The threat feels no more than a bad storm outside. Zombies become secondary to the characters’ bits and the comedy. One wants more to come from it, especially with the name attached.
But there is more than enough goodwill built up to pave over those rough patches, and one can see the love coming through, but it can be frustrating. Especially with such a stacked cast. Film fans should be in with one name: Katy O’Brian. I love the Love Lies Bleeding (watch that NOW) star in everything, even if the movie is less than, like Ant-Man: Quantumania and The Running Man. She’s always intensely watchable and solidly grounds the film as the lead. Other recognisable faces are Rickki Lindholm of Wednesday, 30 Rock’s Cheyenne Jackson, and none other than Margaret freakin’ Cho, wonderful at chewing the scenery as a bad-ass lawyer with a scooter, who takes no shit from anyone, whether it be drag kings or zombies.
The real standout is Jacquel Spivey. He’s only been in the Mean Girls musical remake, as Damian, and this, but he’s a star waiting to be born. Also, much love to Jack Haven, another great up-and-comer who you may know as Maddy in I Saw the TV Glow and as Billie in Bill and Ted Face the Music.
Queens of the Dead is a little messy, but still a fun romp through a zombie movie. People may expect more with the legacy of the name, but tempering to a newer filmmaker trying a different tack on the genre would be a boon for enjoyment. Highly entertaining, with good makeup, big characters, and more than enough drag dazzle, Queens of the Dead doesn’t fully work, especially compared to the name recognition, but it’s a few inches of high heels above a standard zombie movie of the week.
Queen, slay.
Check it out on Shudder, streaming now.