*Horraween 2017* Zoombies

-Zoombies -

2016

Welcome to Eden. Yes this zoo, has the balls to call itself Eden. In no time the workers will be considering it the seventh circle of Hell, but for commercial purposes, Eden is a Zoo with endangered species from all over the world. The H.B.I.C. is Dr. Ellen Rogers. Her grandfather inspired her and helped create this Zoo and has since passed on. He continues to be her inspiration.

Dr. Ellen

Dr. Ellen is also a single mom, and the babysitter canceled so she has to bring her daughter along today. Not that she needs to explain herself, again she is the H.B.I.C.  

Dr. Ellen gives a bus tour and provides exposition to the bus full of college interns. The crew includes

1. Amber-The "bitch", she's a poly-sci major, but would rather be at a zoo then helping bums on the street (her words)
2.  Gage-The over achiever, he's wearing a suit and tie and is an encyclopedia of animal knowledge. He also is crushing on the bitch
3. Blond ponytail, muscle guy
4. Eager guy with ugly shirt, loves birds
5. filler student

So It all starts with a monkey. A monkey, that is tiny and non threatening looking, but is freaking the heck out because of some unknown illness, it has caught. It also looks unbelievably fake.

The team of Scientist(?) Veterinarians(?) Zoologists(?) aren't exactly  sure what to do to get their widdle monkey. They make sure the doors are locked because soon all the monkeys start acting crazy and whatever they have cannot spread to the other animals. The very first kill happens when this tiny mammal manages to knock a file cabinet on one of the men. The female attempts to break protocol by leaving. Her eye balls are ripped from their sockets, serves her right for trying to break protocol. Welcome to Hell everyone. 

Meanwhile, the interns are introduced to the security staff and other workers for the different animals, everyone is split up. Eden has a huge aviary for all the endangered birds. The Zoo also has  Kiko, the fakest Gorilla I've seen in a film. It's painfully obvious that its a man in a Gorilla suit. I would expect better from a high school play. His hair just looks so synthetic!

Are they serious with this "Gorilla"?

Dr. Ellen checks in with her security staff headed by a black man named Rex. Speaking of Rex; with the khaki uniforms, the zoo's control room, and the jeeps they use in this film, I get the feeling Zoombies was  heavily "inspired" by a certain film by Stephen Spielberg.

Zoombies

some other film

Ellen tells Rex they have a new security guard and Rex is surprised that she's a woman. 

Lizzie decided to be a security guard because of her troubled past

Rex tells Ellen that something has gone wrong at the lab. Although they lost communication a while ago, they assume it's something small. There are only small monkeys in there but Ellen tells security to go look. When they approach the door this is what they  are greeted with. 

The man pictured above the only survivor says "barricade the doors, quick!"and someone asks "why?" 

 maybe this is why

Security tries to assess the situation when the monkeys come running out fighting. Somehow the ones in their cages escaped as well. They let out a blood curdling scream and everyone plugs their ears and watches as the monkeys jump around killing two of the security guards. Lizzie and the Gage stand at the doors with their ears plugged watching everything happen as Rex tries to shoot the rabid animals. Suddenly a monkey bursts out of the black scientist body! ahhh shit! They try to run out  the lab but the monkeys are trying to leave the room as well. Lizzie has trouble closing the metal door on the tiny monkey. She can't get it shut for some reason as if the monkey is made of steel. She eventually crushes the monkey but not before three more escape. Rex radios Ellen and she is shocked.

"People have died, I am calling the police and alerting their families."

I must admit, that I've never heard this in a film before and I love it. Yes, these people have lives and loved ones that care. Their boss actually acknowledged that they have a life beyond this job. I mean the cops don't show up for hours and prove to be useless and Ellen never mentions anyone else's families, but I appreciated that line.

 As Rex , Lizzie and Gage get into their jeep to get back to Ellen, Lizzie gives Rex her condolences. He just watched his two friends/coworkers die.  Rex responds "every things gonna be fine". So much for empathy. Ellen locks down the Zoo and alerts everyone to stay where they are. Amber (the bitch) was with her instructors outside. They are soon attacked by wild boars. They  climb into trees, making them the perfect height for something else to attack

Security arrives, but not before this random person is torn apart. Amber is also ripped from the trees by her hair. Rex and Lizzie talk while trying to kill the Giraffes.  

"Don't shoot the girl."

"I know!"

"I'm aiming for the brain!"

Yes, thank you Captain Obvious. They end up saving Amber and she decides to take their jeep and run for it. Gage still worships her though. Now the three are stuck in the middle of Eden with dangerous animals. They need transportation to get back to the control room.

Yes, they ride back on elephants

Swat team finally shows up. They enter one of the warehouses that is rampant with some infected predators. The team of men, not prepped correctly, die (off camera) while screaming. 

"Dear god!"

"ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

"This is NOT right!"

Meanwhile the security crew find shelter in the Gorilla sanctuary where they meet up with two others.  Gage has a nasty gash and one of the trainers says he has antibiotics and medicine to clean his wound. We see him spreading this onto Gages arm.

                                                                         antibiotics?

When Rex tells them that an illness is spreading between the animals, Kiko's trainer rushes outside to save him? Remember Kiko is a 350lb Gorilla. Unfortunately Kiko, the last of his kind (the man- in-suit species) has become infected as well. He breaks his trainers back and goes for the rest of the group. Rex decides he must sacrifice himself to save everyone else. Although at this point he has a broken foot he jumps on Kikos' back with a huge knife. 

Rip in Rex

Thanks to Rex, the rest run out just as Amber comes back with the jeep. Amber is covered in blood and dies. Everyone acts like this is the first person they seen die today. They all sit and mourn for a second. Gage takes it the worst and Lilly even says a few kind words for the bitch. All of a sudden some Lions show up and they somehow get into the jeep fast enough to avoid becoming a meal. 

How the hell ya'll get outta this

There are only three people left. They get on a zip line, which is their last hurdle to get to Ellen and the safety of their control room. Pony tail muscle guy falls to his death. Gage and Lizzie finally meet up with Dr. Ellen and her daughter. Ellen's daughter had to get her hands dirty too. She killed a demented koala. Ellen has a plan to kill all the birds in the beautiful Aviary. Ugly shirt guy is in the Aviary but he's dead already. If the infected birds take flight they could infect the planet. Everyone picks up 5 gallon gasoline drums including her 6 year old daughter, who must be the strongest 6 year old in the world. The plan works and the Aviary explodes, killing the birds. 

Dr. Ellen saved herself and a few of her staff but she's still upset. She sobs "I'm so sorry Grandpa." But its' not over yet, Kiko is back. Kiko backhands the hell out of Dr. Ellen and then she gets back up and shoots him. A helicopter comes for the survivors, (like in the end of a certain movie by Stephen Spielberg.) Ellen hugs her daughter. Gage and Lizzy now share a special bond. So special that they can smile and giggle, despite all the people they watched die savagely today.  Seems like Lizzy and Gage might be destined for romance. Imagine telling people the story of how they met.