REVIEW: ‘Ziam’ Punches Its Way Through The Genre

Ziam takes a swing at the genre, punching and kicking its way into an overly saturated zombie-filled space. With each new fight, it makes its mark and sets up the stakes for something more. Directed by Tent Kulp Kaljareuk and written by Nut Nualpang, Jan Weerasu Worrapot, and Oat Vatanyu Ingkavivat, this film offers plenty for fans of the genre to enjoy and food for thought regarding a dystopian eco-horror future. However, if you’re going in expecting the action to be dialed up to an eleven, curb your expectations slightly. 

Set in the future, melting ice caps have impacted the world food chain, causing widespread famine. Fish have mostly died off after long-dormant bacteria have been released from the ice melt. Things are dismal in Thailand, but the citizens are managing to survive. Around every corner, the government reminds its citizens to trust it, even when its actions suggest otherwise, through the stark visual contrast between the haves and have-nots, as well as in how it quells unrest among its populace.

At the center of Ziam is Singh (Mark Prin Suparat), who, at the start of the film, is a bodyguard for delivery trucks. A fight early on against bandits showcases his Muay Thai abilities, with frenetic camera movements amplifying the intensity and speed. While innocuous at first, this delivery is the catalyst for all the pain coming Singh’s way as hubris combined with rushed innovation opens the floodgates to what could spell humanity’s end.

Chaos makes everything come together in Ziam.

The chaos and themes presented are the keys to much of Ziam‘s success. The factors leading to the inevitable outbreak at the hospital are revealed relatively early and have a major payoff at a pivotal point in the film. Most surprising is who Patient Zero is, serving as a reminder that wealth and privilege won’t protect you from disease or death. That the most privileged end up targeted first is an eye-opening twist on the familiar, as typically, with pandemics, those with fewer resources are generally the first to indicate something is wrong.

Yet, Kaljareuk and the writers never cease to pull back from unforgettable realities. With echoes of the government trying to convince its citizens to have faith, the citizens are defenseless when confronted with both the zombies and the soldiers sent in to handle the situation. And if you have money and something the government wants? They will allocate precious resources to preserve your safety at all costs.

Erupting from the chaos are the zombies, with the actors effectively creating terrifying creatures to behold. Fast, jerky zombies never cease to trigger anxiety, and the ones in Ziam do just that. The FX makeup pulls everything together, with enough blood to stain the hospital from top to bottom. When the film hits its third act, the design evolves into something spectacular and unique. These aren’t ordinary zombies. This discovery in the film’s final act brings everything full circle, from the exposition-filled voice-over that opens Ziam.

Impressive zombie designs and acting combine to create something truly terrifying.

Where Ziam stumbles in its focal human relationship. The motivation for Singh to risk his life and go to the hospital is that his partner, Rin (Nuttanicha Dungwattanawanich), is one of the leading doctors at this hospital. Yet, their only interaction before things get out of hand is an argument filled with tepid tension. The chemistry between the two actors is lacking, and this earlier scene doesn’t make a great argument for his heroics. 

Mark Prin Suparat has better chemistry with the child actor Wanvayla Boonnithipaisit, who plays Buddy, who absolutely shines even if his precocious character is annoying at times. The journey Buddy goes on from beginning to end is traumatizing. Little by little, he loses his light and comes to rely on Singh more and more as they ascend the levels to locate Rin. It’s a relationship that grows organically amid the horror and feels more real than whatever it is that Singh and Rin are supposed to have going on.

Dungwattanawanich is the weakest link in the group. Even though Rin is a talented doctor, Dungwattanawanich is given little to do outside of playing cat and mouse with zombies. Her range of expression plays into this, but even in her terror, it pales in comparison to the situation at hand. It isn’t until a pivotal moment in the film’s final act that she is able to deliver something that resonates. A more fleshed-out character might have helped shape the direction and performance of the character. As is, her moments on screen were lacking. 

As the damsel-in-distress, Rin is utterly forgettable.

The action scenes, however, deliver. That said, with a logline focusing on an ex-Muay Thai fighter duking it out with zombies, I admittedly ended up going into Ziam with certain expectations of non-stop fighting action. This was not the case. However, there was still plenty of action, with Singh at the forefront delivering everything he had.

The fight between Jason Young and Mark Prin Suparat is the film’s highlight, with blows raining down between the two. The decision for Young’s character to divert attention away from his task proves baffling for the brief time spent with his group. Despite the plot-related inconsistency, it’s worth it to watch these two men go balls-to-the-wall against each other. Forget the zombies. It’s these two we’ve been waiting for.

With the potential for a sequel set up in the film’s final scene, Ziam does enough to make itself memorable in a sea of zombie horror. With stronger characters and better-balanced performances from its cast, it could take the high ground in the battle between life and death. Even still, its action, intensity, and zombies prove to be just enough to secure its place and get hearts pumping.

Ziam is now streaming exclusively on Netflix.