Parvulos: A bleak Mexican Zombie film, it does have a line of dark humour running through it which at times gives it a flavour of Citizen Z. Three brothers, 17, 12 and 7 years old live in an isolated mountain cabin, the youngest wondering when their parents will return. In the basement there is a monster which the older brothers feed rats and dogs to. It's been years since the Omega Virus struck and civilization has fallen. The brothers eat worms, frogs, and try to cultivate plants. Much falls on the shoulders of the elder brother even though he has lost a leg. Difficult and dangerous scavenging journeys take place. The infected aren't the only threat, there are also bands of religious fanatics who cut out people's hearts. The infected look like Zombies but aren't dead. The hope of cure remains, however unlikely. Attempts to train and rehabilitate the infected provide some of the humerous scenes in Parvulos but there is always the threat of being bitten. Filmed in washed out colour, almost monochrome, the loss which the brothers and humanity has suffered is appositely portrayed. The never ending grind of surviving from day to day, the inability of the younger two brothers to fully appreciate the horrors which they face and the refusal of the oldest brother to allow room for sentiment sets up the grim scenario of this film. Some truly horrifying and downright disgusting scenes, this is not a film for the squeamish. Some plot twists/reveals won't really come as a surprise but others will. An impressive coming of age tale. Directed by Isaac Ezban, Written by Ezban and Ricardo Aguado-Fentanes. 8/10.
