"Outside."

“Outside” (2024, Netflix) Philippine post-apocalyptic drama horror, tells the story of a family trying to outrun a zombie outbreak by returning to the father's childhood farmhouse. Quite honestly, this is one of the best zombie movies that I have seen, and I have seen a lot since George Romero's 1978 classic “Dawn of the Dead.”

       Utmost, the acting is exemplary. Sid Lucero as the conflicted, homicidal dad Francis, deserves an award for this. As well as Beauty Gonzales as the tormented wife, Iris.   

       You can let go of the lumbering, super slow delivery of the dialogues, which reminded me of Nicolas Winding Refn's movies. But Refn's work bored me; not “Outside,” written and directed by Carlo Ledesma. 

       Apparently, the movie was low-budgeted yet the non-bombastic treatment of the series kept it focused. This is more of a family drama than a post-apocalyptic horror. The zombies were actually portrayed by residents of the Negros Occidental town where the 142 minute film was shot.

       Mr Ledesma's zombies are also somewhat different from the usual flesh-eating ghouls. They are capable of speech and are obviously conflicted between their human self and walking dead persona. 🎥👍📽