Anna and the Apocalypse REVIEW
- The Geeky Gays
- Nov 1, 2019
- 4 min read
Anna and the Apocalypse is a Scottish zomedy (is that even a word for a zombie comedy? If not, I’m claiming it now!) musical. It was adapted from a BAFTA-nominated short “Zombie Musical,” which was created by Ryan McHenry in 2010. The film, Anna and the Apocalypse, had circulated film festivals in the US and Europe since 2017. Eventually the film received a limited release in cinemas last Christmas in both the UK and US. During its showings at festivals, it had generated quite a buzz and having seen the trailer on YouTube we were thrilled to finally see it last year…except no cinemas near us had showings so we missed out. Instead we threw ourselves at the soundtrack and became obsessed with the clever, witty humour in the lyrics and the upbeat pop songs that wouldn’t sound out of place in a big budget Hollywood musical.
Now, a year later, the film has finally come to NOW TV and we snatched our chance to watch it like a zombie snatching a slow runner as a snack.
So, the first question: Was it worth it?
The answer: Hell. YES!
We follow Anna and her friends on what seems to be a pretty normal day full of normal teenage problems. Anna is in her last year of high school and should think about uni, but dreams of taking a gap year to travel. Her friend, John, is in love with her and she doesn’t even notice. Chris is struggling with a school project and his girlfriend, Lisa, is due to perform at the school’s Christmas show. Meanwhile, Steph, a budding journalist, struggles to get Mr. Savage, the tyrant of a deputy head, to give her freedom with her writing.
However, all their lives are plunged into hell when a zombie virus breaks out on Christmas Eve. The group of friends band together after bumping into Chris and Steph hiding in the bowling alley where Anna and Nick work. Meanwhile, the adults (including Chris' grandma) and Lisa are holding out after the school's Christmas show. They're waiting there with the promise of being escorted to a military base by the army…but the army are already dead so its up to Anna and the gang to reach the school and save everyone.
As they fight their way across the town, things quickly turn much darker and serious. It only gets worse when they reach the school and discover that Mr. Savage has snapped and made some twisted decisions.
It’s hard to say too much without giving spoilers but Anna and the Apocalypse is thoroughly enjoyable. Shaun of the Dead, Rocky Horror Picture Show and Once More With Feeling (The Buffy Musical episode) are all clear influences; so all great stuff. There are some gorgeously gory effects that make the inventive zombie kills feel even more exciting. I also couldn’t help but notice the centre used in I Survived a Zombie Apocalypse was used as the high street. If you’re a fan of the zombie genre and haven’t seen that series, you absolutely must check it out online. It was a BBC reality TV show from 2015, which featured a group of real people put into a zombie survival situation where they had to compete tasks to escape.
The film's cast were perfect and each has their moment to shine. While Ella Hunt steals the show as Anna, every single person gets to steal at least one scene. Paul Kaye also stands out as the deranged villain, Mr. Savage, with his punchy, punk-styled songs to match his erratic madness. Sarah Swire as Steph kicks-ass and will have you cheering for her throughout. Marli Siu (Lisa) slays her musical number - a hilariously funny Christmas song which is full of innuendo and needs to be Christmas number one. She also kills it in later scenes, particularly those she shares with Christopher Leveaux (Chris) which are guaranteed tear-jerkers.
Talking of tear-jerkers, the last fifteen minutes of the film feels like a real punch in the guts. By this point we have grown to love the characters and we've rooted for them fighting through the zombie infested city. When events spiral out of control the weight of the situation becomes apparent when each faces danger. Gone is the light-hearted zomedy we started watching and it transforms into an emotional life-or-death drama. This shift is gradual and barely noticeable at first…until it’s too late. We should have taken note - one of the first songs even tells us - “there’s no such thing as a Hollywood ending.”
The soundtrack comes as a welcome surprise; each and every song is beautifully crafted to build both world and character. There isn’t a single weak track and they’re all absolute bangers that will leave you singing along all day. The classic Christmas style of “Christmas Means Nothing Without You” is an instant favourite for the holiday season, while “Break Away” and “Hollywood Ending” are familiar pop tunes that will chase each other around your head for weeks. "Soldier At War," is a catchy, Eye of the Tiger-inspired favourite and Ben Wiggins (Nick) sells it perfectly. “Turning My Life Around” works perfectly with Anna dancing down the street oblivious to the apocalypse unfolding around her in a joyous juxtaposition while “I Will Believe” is a more poignant ballard for the emotional finale that will absolutely leave you shellshocked.
If you’re still not over Halloween but also gearing up for Christmas, then give this a try. It’s currently available on Sky Cinema, NOWTV Movies and DVD. However, a director’s cut is set for release on blu-ray on 2nd December 2019. Just in time to make a perfect Christmas present for any horror or musical fan.
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