Anna and the Apocalypse Review

Score: 8/10

Directed by: John McPhail

Written by: Alan McDonald, Ryan McHenry

Starring: Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Marli Siu, Ben Wiggins, Mark Benton, Paul Kaye

---

---

Zombie movies are fast becoming tedious. Too many films, all too much alike. But just as the genre starts to feel stale, a film comes along to rescue it. 28 Days Later, Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland, The Girls with All the Gifts: all outstanding movies in an encroaching wasteland of a genre which had its heyday over 30-years ago. Anna and the Apocalypse is 2018’s relief from the monotony caused by a horde of lesser, spiritless zombie-knockoffs intent on riding the coattails of Romero and Fulci. And it’s one I enjoyed very, very much indeed. Not least for its brilliance in the lampooning of zombie-movie tropes (think Shaun of the Dead level brilliance), the outstanding turn from its young cast, and, memorable song-and-dance numbers—including magnificent dance choreography by star Sarah Swire.

While Anna and the Apocalypse actually released late last year (2018) – debuting at the Grimmfest Film Festival in October and for limited theatrical release in November – it’s only just found its way to the general public via a digital and physical release. Which, with the recent disappointments of Zombieland 2 and The Dead Don’t Die, feels remarkably timely. And, even a year on, Anna and the Apocalypse remains a breath of fresh air.

The story itself, of course, is typical of the genre: reanimated corpses, caused this time by a viral outbreak, come to life to attack the living. And here, it’s set against the burgeoning of adolescence. It’s nothing we haven’t seen done before, but it’s a solid (if safe) basis for the film and works well for the most part. Far more exciting though is Mark Hermida’s sublime editing and Sara Deane’s exceptional camerawork. Both of which come together perfectly during the film’s many song-and-dance numbers, ensuring we reap the benefits of Sarah Swire’s exquisite work on the choreography.

With a superb cast of young, upcoming stars supported by several big names of British TV—including Mark Benton as Tony Shepherd (Anna’s father) and Paul Kaye as the sadistic headmaster Arthur Savage. Ella Hunt dazzles in the lead as the titular Anna, while both Malcolm Cumming and Sarah Swire as Anna’s best friend, John, and American exchange student, Steph, add much-needed zest to the cast. Meanwhile, Christopher Leveaux and Marli Siu star as the quintessential loved up highschool couple, Chris and Lisa, whose relationship is always “on display”. And Ben Wiggins gives a good showing (and performs one of the more memorable songs, “Soldier At War”) as the school bully and Anna’s ex, Nick. Although his inevitable redemption arc itself becomes a bit of a marmite situation, the character is always fun to see onscreen.

On a side note, it’s great to see the LGBTQ community being represented through Swire’s character in a manner which neither feels like it’s being waved in the viewer’s face for the purpose of cheap point-scoring and yet is meaningful in its own right. It’s a delicate balance to strike, one many film studios/directors fail to get, but here, I feel, it’s just right.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a musical without some catchy tunes to get behind and sing-a-long to! And, on the whole, Roddy Hart and Tommy Reilly succeed in penning an entertaining and story advancing soundtrack. There is the odd misstep here and there; the occasional song that doesn’t quite work. But these are eclipsed by the plethora of tracks that brought a smile to my face: “Hollywood Ending” and “Turning My Life Around” are obvious hits (and for a good reason), but my personal favourite is “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Me Now”. Something about Paul Kaye’s perfectly unhinged performance, singing about his hatred for the children, and parents, in his care, delights me every time. It also serves as a welcome (if unnecessary) reminder of that most platitudinous of zombie-movie tropes: that humans are capable of great evil.

Anna and the Apocalypse has been described as “Shaun of the Dead meets La La Land”. And, while I kind of agree, I also think this does the film a disservice. I see far less La La Land and a lot more Shaun of the Dead. It lacks that raw song power to really be considered a full-blown musical, but retains enough of the socio-cultural satire that made Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg’s seminal piece the phenomenon it still is today. But Anna and the Apocalypse is a superbly made film, one that’s more than capable of standing on its own two feet, and it’s really not fair to prop it up against any earlier works. There’s a hugely entertaining film to be found here, and I’d be surprised if this didn’t end up being a festive favourite with horror fans around the globe—it certainly has with my family.

---