Toronto After Dark Film Festival kicked off its 18th edition with a crowd-pleasing, zombie-fuelled film full of one-liners and interesting observations of society today, with Queens of the Dead. Director Tina Romero, daughter of the late horror legend George A. Romero, makes her feature directorial debut here, and it oozes all kinds of inspiration from her father. However, she definitely has her own style in this drag queen-fueled film, and while things don’t always hit the mark, it’s a fun movie that is more than simply another zombie apocalypse.
We meet Sam (Jaquel Spivey), a nurse who has left his drag queen days behind. He channels his love of song and dance through his work as a nurse, delivering jello shots with a smile and the joy of performance. Through him, we experience most of the movie, which initially includes transgender patient Jane (Eve Lindley) and Lizzy (Riki Lindhome). Sam learns that his former boss, DJ and drag producer Dre (Katy O’Brian), needs a new lead dancer—a role he had abandoned—so he makes his way there. Along the way, we also learn about the ongoing zombie apocalypse and what the director has in store.
The characters in the film form a colorful collection, using humor to mask pain and disappointment but also to make sharp social observations. The bar Sam is headed to features drag queens Ginsey (Nina West), Nico (Tomas Matos), and Jax (Samora la Perdida), all of whom give Dre headache after headache with their drama.
RELATED: All 6 George A. Romero ‘Living Dead’ Zombie Movies, Ranked
Dre’s brother-in-law Barry (Quincy Dunn-Baker) delivers some great lines, and Dre’s wife Lizzy adds to the drama with her yet-to-be-announced pregnancy, as does intern Kelsey (Jack Haven) with her ditzy, bumbling behavior. It’s quite a cast, each bringing their own flavor to the mix with some hilarious results.
It’s up to director Tina Romero to navigate through all of this and create a coherent story, which she also co-wrote. To do so, she weaves in some interesting social commentary along the way. Most of the zombies are seen stumbling around with phones in their hands, a plot device used later in the story. In reality, we often appear to be a society of zombies, always glued to our phones, so this is pretty on the nose. The film also includes some intriguing religious nods, including a hilarious opening scene set in a church. However, that storyline kind of fades away, which was odd and disappointing.
The motley crew at the club eventually has to team up and figure out how to survive, helped by the grand entrance of Pops (Margaret Cho) and her crew on scooters. What follows is a series of wild schemes, but chaos often wrecks the best-laid plans. Some great humor and one-liners fly as this group tries to battle zombies, themselves, and each other.
RELATED: ‘Frankenstein’ TIFF Review: Guillermo del Toro Successfully Helms a Dream Project
It’s a fascinating watch at times, even though some storylines fall a bit flat and the lines they deliver don’t do enough, whether humorous or not. However, Romero keeps the pace moving, and while the ideas don’t always seem fresh, they are delivered and directed in a way that at least makes the journey enjoyable.
The horror-comedy blend is never easy, but it can be a great mix of genres depending on how the story and acting unfold. Queens of the Dead may seem like familiar territory, but it has some great moments that mix things up, making it a fun movie to sit back, laugh at, and enjoy.
Queens of the Dead had its Canadian premiere at Toronto After Dark Film Festival on Wednesday, October 15th.
