Night of the Zoopocalypse

Night of the Zoopocalypse is an extremely entertaining and cute sci-fi movie with amazing build-up. It has an interesting story and likeable characters, which allows the viewer to become invested in the situation.

The story takes place in a zoo, where Gracie, a wolf (Gabbi Kosmidis) and Dan, a mountain lion (David Harbour) are forced to team up when a meteor turns animals into zombies. They, and the other survivors of the zombie virus, attempt to stop the virus from spreading any further, and save those infected.

The animation in this film is incredible; everything looks so lively and each animal moves exactly like their real-life counterparts. I especially love the way Xiavier, the red ruffed lemur, moves - all his movements are not only extremely smooth but also true to the real animal. I love the visuals throughout this movie and the character designs; the details for small things in the background that represent the zoo are outstanding. However, I am not the biggest fan of Dan's design as it is difficult to tell what animal he is supposed to represent. I also really like following the main character, Gracie. She's such a fun character to watch and Gabbi Kosmidis really brings the character to life through her voice acting. The script is so well done; I love that there's so much thought behind how the zombies work and what they are able of doing. The characters are particularly well scripted; the main characters feel real thanks to their believable actions and the secondary characters are quite funny. The pace of the storyline works well, with the audience discovering information as fast as the characters do. There are a few scenes that feel a little too long, but still, the film is extremely funny and enjoyable to watch. Even though it's geared towards a younger audience, I found myself laughing out loud at times.

The film's message is to be loyal to those that you love and appreciate those around you despite their differences. Be forewarned that there are intense scenes and action sequences, including fake limbs coming off.

I give Night of the Zoopocalype 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 12. It releases in theaters March 7, 2025. By Isabella V., KIDS FIRST!

Gracie is a timber wolf in a zoo. As part of a pack, she has never been outside her enclosure. One night, a meteorite crashes into the zoo. A bunny eats the small rock and it is zoopocalypse. The animals soon get turned into zombies. While escaping from a zombie, Gracie gets tranq by a zookeeper and thrown into the vet station. The zombies attack and Gracie escapes with mountain lion Dan.

This is a Canadian-French-Belgian co-production. The animation is good and brightly-colored at a sub-top level. It is family-friendly. I would like the animal group in the vet station to stay together. At least, they should switch the distribution between the two groups. I would like Gracie's group to be bigger and more time given to the other animals. This is kid-friendly fun.

I did not have a zombie movie with cutely designed animals aimed at families based on an idea by Clive Barker, the creator of Hellraiser and Candyman, on my bingo card but it managed to be quite a pleasant surprise.

The premise isn't anything new if you are familiar with zombie horror, but the twist of it taking place in a zoo is a clever approach that brings characters of different species together to work side by side despite their preconceived prejudices against each other.

This is not typical animated family fare of which other studios like Illumination, DreamWorks, and Disney normally produce. This is a genuine animated ghost story that is equally unafraid to make you laugh as it is to make you creeped out. I wouldn't describe it as being particularly scary, but there are certain visuals that will stick with you for a while...Some of which I am surprised didn't get the movie a PG-13 by the MPAA.

The characters are very lively, quirky, instantly likeable, and voiced excellently...David Harbour is especially great, and Gabbi Kosmidis is the standout as Gracie.

This movie was an absolute blast-creative, hilarious, and full of surprises! There were moments that made me jump, moments that had me laughing out loud, and overall, my kids and I had a fantastic time. It's the kind of film I'd happily rewatch. Xavier the lemur, a French film buff, was such a standout-instantly one of my favorites! It's refreshing to see filmmakers take risks and create something truly unique.

As a Clive Barker fan, I was intrigued going in, and this definitely delivered! The blend of horror and humor was spot-on, making for an unforgettable experience. I can't wait to recommend it to friends!

Review for anyone trying to find a movie for their kids to watch: Night of the Zoopocalypse is an entertaining and funny animated movie with good lessons on loyalty and not being afraid of people who are different. And the horror elements make it feel unique. We don't normally see that subgenre in kids movies.

Score: 8 stars

Review for adults hoping to enjoy a movie for which they aren't the demographic: this movie is both harmless and forgettable. It feels like a weaker version of many other animated movies. Half the comedy works. I doubt many adults will hate or love it.

Score: 5 stars

(1 viewing, 4/19/2025)