Reel Review: Zombies 4: The Dawn of the Vampires Plays with Fire for a New Generation
Disney’s newest DCOM and fourth film in the Zombies franchise is here, and Vampires are officially taking over in Zombies 4: The Dawn of the Vampires!
The previous films in the Zombies franchise focuses on the love-story between Zed, a zombie (Milo Manheim) and Addison, a fierce cheerleader (Meg Donnelly). The duo has come a long way since the first film in 2018, adding in new species with each film including Werewolves and Aliens (and now Vampires and Daywalkers).
With all the species living in peace, Zed, Addison, Willa (Chandler Kinney), and Eliza (Kylee Russell) end up at a summer camp outside of their town. It is here where the squad meets the Vampires and Daywalkers and find themselves caught between their infamous rivalry. Now it is up to the core four to unite these new species in order for everyone to live in harmony together.
The new film welcomes characters Nova, a daywalker, played by Freya Skye, and Victor the vampire played by Malachi Barton. Leading their rival families, Nova and Victor struggle with wanting to work together and the pressure put on them by their families and friends. While the chemistry in the previous films were led heavily by Donnelly and Manheim, Skye and Barton showcase insane talent with their new characters and have a spark that felt refreshing to a newer generation!
It wouldn’t be a DCOM without some iconic musical performances and Zombies 4 is no exception. The soundtrack has some of the catchiest songs (dare I say of the whole franchise?!) with high energy dance numbers that felt almost nostalgic (we could definitely sense some Teen Beach Movie and Camp Rock vibes!) In that same light, the ballads from this film were equally as beautiful. Skye and Barton’s song ‘Dream Come True’ feels like a breath of fresh air in the middle of all the chaos their characters are experiencing.
While both Manheim and Donnelly had previously mentioned ‘passing the torch’ on to this newer generation, the duo still played a crucial and necessary role in this film; which was greatly appreciated. Though it was clear that if more films were to be made, this new generation would be the ones to lead and take over.
The ending of the fourth film is left open-ended with the possibility of a new species and the idea alone adds to our nervousness. There is only so much of the story left to tell without overdoing it or making the franchise drag on. While this fourth movie felt promising, it now feels like we are playing with fire (in more ways than one).
Overall, the fourth film in the Zombies franchise felt like a homecoming to my 14 year old self with the songs and nostalgic vibe they brought to a new generation. Whether you’re an older fan or new to the world, the film has something for everybody; including a beautiful message about acceptance and embracing each other’s differences.
Zombies 4: The Dawn of the Vampires is officially out on Disney+!
