Crosley M.
DISCLAIMER- Before anyone tries to misconstrue my opinions on this film and cast them aside as me being negative towards veganism, let me say as a 13+ year vegan I sincerely wanted to like this movie and give it rave reviews. Unfortunately, I cannot. Here is why, SPOILERS ahead. DO NOT READ AHEAD UNLESS YOU HAVE SEEN THIS MOVIE. I REPEAT, SPOILERS AHEAD!
I went into this movie with low expectations, but unfortunately my expectations were not low enough. I am a fan of independent movies and B- horror, and I believe that a low budget and sub-par acting often seen in B-movies can be overlooked provided the script and the plot are strong. Sadly, that wasn’t the case here.
First off, the miscasting. The main protagonist, Harley, a college student was portrayed by someone clearly much older. Sure, adults can go back to school and while they never said, it was heavily implied that they were a college kid by young people he surrounded himself with and the fact he lived with his mom, who looked roughly the same age as Harley. The characters were unlikeable, and the zombies were simply not menacing or scary.
The dialogue was awkward at best and at some points downright unrealistic. Every character talked the same… the same vocabulary, the same diction, similar patterns. There is a scene where Harley is talking with a female character about why he is vegan and it hit every bullet point you have ever seen in a pro vegan article or video, more like he was giving a scripted speech than having a casual conversation. It was very wooden and unrealistic dialogue and instantly takes one out of the movie.
Which leads me to the vegan message. I personally dislike it when any movie spells things out for me and berates me with the concept. It is insulting to my intelligence. There are way more subtle ways to present a vegan character and promote veganism than the constant over the top messaging. This movie reminded me of one of those “Left Behind” films like video bible tracts posing as a Hollywood film. Instead of Christianity, it was veganism. The writer, obviously passionate about veganism, made a film where the messaging came first, and the plot was simply an afterthought.
But here is where it really starts to lose me. The main protagonist, Harley is the embodiment of all the negative vegan stereotypes. He was weak, allowed himself to get picked on constantly, and was wracked by anxiety to the point where whenever the slightest thing happened he had to grab a video recorder and watch childhood videos to soothe his nerves. If one is trying to sell veganism, start with a character that is not only compassionate, but strong and capable.
So essentially (you guessed it) the virus is caused by eating meat, therefore marking vegans safe from turning into zombies. In the finale, Harley is bitten (or scratched, it was unclear), but because he is vegan, he only half turned and retained his humanity… but because these zombies are apparently super strong, Harley becomes a superhero and starts throwing around zombies like he is a football player. At this point all I could do is shake my head and think the protagonist only became strong and heroic when he got infected with the “meat virus”. So, is it a pro-vegan movie or a pro-meat movie? Because the protagonist didn’t become the hero he needed to be until he was infected with the “meat virus”. Don’t let the carnivore dieters see this.
Overall, I am giving this a star because it had heart. Unfortunately, that is all it had.
Rated 1/5 Stars •
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
10/01/25
Full Review
Wilian M
I have seen this movie four times. I loved it because there are a few surprises, twists, and turns. It also has some vegan messages. I have been following Chris Conley (The Vegan Zombie) on YouTube for several years now. He is very passionate about this movie he wrote many years ago. And finally he directed and acted in it in 2024/2025.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
09/28/25
Full Review
Eva P
If you like horror and a creative, talented cast, this is a movie to watch! Definitely recommend 👍
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
09/26/25
Full Review
Amanda N
I absolutely loved this movie! Not just because I had family in it (which made it extra special for me), but because the story, acting, and overall feel were amazing. Seeing her on screen filled me with so much pride, but even beyond that, the film itself was heartfelt, entertaining, and beautifully done. I would definitely recommend it to anyone—it’s one of those movies that stays with you after watching.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
09/16/25
Full Review
Jacinda V
I'm not usually huge into zombie films, but I have been following Vegan Zombie for a long time. I love that there is now a full-length film with a storyline like this, involving veganism and choosing compassion in this way. For being a low-budget film, I was really surprised by how good the zombie effects were and how many people are in the film. I am so excited for more people to watch this! Please give it a watch:) RIP Indy xo
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
09/08/25
Full Review
Ben B
I had such a great time with this movie. The story is original, but also full of familiar, effective, creepy zombie elements. Don’t worry gore fans, you are going to get what you’re looking for! The special effects and make up are incredible. The drone footage is absolutely beautiful, particularly a shot of the entire city where sunlight shines through only one part of the clouds. That shot is mesmerizing. You can tell that the filmmakers love film. The score is very effective and the cinematography is wonderful. Watch the visuals when a house is on fire—eerie visuals in the shots. This is a micro budget, Indie film, and I’m glad that we see so many committed actors on screen along with a talented crew. But the best actor by far, is the dog. Personally, I would have loved to be location supervisor for this film. It’s such a beautiful part of the country. Actor/Writer/ Director Chris has made a powerful film with a wonderful message about compassion— even in times of terror and horror. This passion project was well worth the wait, and you will never guess the ending. See it soon!
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
09/08/25
Full Review
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