“Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End” Review: Zombie Fatigue Sets In

Zombie movies, and I might need a trial separation. Every time I think we have worked things out, here comes another outbreak, another abandoned neighborhood, and another group of survivors discovering that people can be worse than the infected.

Prime Video’s “Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End” gives the apocalypse a polished Spanish setting, but my relationship with the genre remains complicated.

Directed by Carles Torrens and adapted from Manel Loureiro’s novel, the film stars Francisco Ortiz as a grieving widower living alone with his cat, Lúculo. He has already withdrawn from society when a rapidly spreading infection gives everybody else a reason to stay inside.

With his sister encouraging him to reach the Canary Islands, he eventually ventures into a landscape of deserted homes, armed authorities, unpredictable survivors, and infected people eager to make travel considerably less pleasant.

The setup has possibilities. A man retreating from life suddenly having to fight for survival provides an emotional starting point. Bringing his cat along also gives this journey an element beyond the usual collection of strangers arguing over their next move.

Unfortunately, the film spends too much time getting into gear. Establishing grief and isolation matters, but the extended introduction tests my patience before the survival story gains momentum. Once it does, the developments offer few surprises.

That is where my zombie fatigue becomes difficult to ignore. I do not need every horror movie to reinvent its genre, but I need something that makes this particular trip through the end times feel necessary. Too often, “Apocalypse Z” follows a route familiar from “The Walking Dead” and countless outbreak thrillers.

Torrens brings visual polish, and the production never looks cheap. Empty streets and abandoned spaces establish the collapse effectively. The problem is that convincing scenery cannot supply the suspense or personality missing from the storytelling.

The final stretch finally introduces some welcome urgency. Unfortunately, its helicopter escape scenario is another familiar stop on the zombie movie checklist. The pace improves, but the material still leaves me waiting for a distinctive turn.

Viewers with a healthier appetite for the undead may find this an acceptable evening watch. I wanted more than competent execution and another invitation to return for the next chapter.

“Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End” is serviceable, but serviceable feels insufficient in a genre this crowded genre. The infected still have plenty of energy. My enthusiasm could use a little mouth-to-mouth.

Final Grade: C+

“Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End” is streaming on Prime Video now.