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| Images Courtesy of IFC |
Tina Romero's
(daughter of George Romero) debut feature film is not only a loving homage to
the legacy of the undead that her father built, but also a queer infused
tribute to independent filmmaking and the quiet, human moments that make zombie
apocalypse films so addictive. Featuring a rogue's gallery of loveable
LGBTQ+ characters, an outright hilarious and heartfelt script, and a jaw
dropping, drag queen infused climax, this is one of the best films of the year,
though connoisseurs of traditional zombie films will most likely be disappointed
in Queens of the Dead.
On the night of a giant warehouse party at a club, the zombie apocalypse begins in New York City. A ragtag group of drag queens and misfits band together to fight for their lives. Romero wrote the script with Erin Judge. On the surface, this is more of a parody of the genre, as glitter laden undead roam the neon slicked streets of modern-day New York while the Queens verbally snipe one another inside the relative safety of a warehouse. However, what makes this shine is the various moments of humanity that are laced within the narrative. These are real characters with hopes, dreams and fears and almost all of them are realized on one level or another.
Katy O'Brian stars as Dre, a DJ for the club who is trying to conceive with her wife Lizzy (played by Rikki Lindhome of Garfunkel and Oats). O'Brian has several scene stealing moments, particularly when her humanity is allowed to shine through the chaos of trying to survive. Jaquel Spivey supports as Sam, a former drag queen whose journey to return to the stage is the heart’s blood of the narrative. The story flirts with various genres, blending horror, comedy, drama, and even musical elements that congeal into a one-of-a-kind experience, culminating in the zombie killing performance art sequence of the decade.
Shannon Madden's cinematography captures the duality of Romero's world perfectly. Outside is the colorless world that was, where the only sparkles are the zombies themselves, hopelessly glued to their phones awaiting the commands of their influencer overlords, trading iphones for shopping malls in the perfect hat tip to Romero’s father. Inside the club however, is a glitzy, tacky world of color, friendship, and love, and perhaps that was Romero's overall point, shying away from her father's cynicism towards a hilarious commentary on where we are as a society in this moment of division and darkness.
Now available
for digital rental, Queens of the Dead is a unique offering in the sea
of zombie apocalypse films. Unapologetically queer, this is a labor of
love created by a talented director and a dedicated cast and crew. If
you're interested in a cheesy, side splitting undead romp, you cannot go wrong
with this.
--Kyle
Jonathan