Zombillenium

Zombillenium is a spine-chillingly entertaining animated feature from 2017. This France-Belgium production, directed by Arthur de Pins and Alexis Ducord, is not your ordinary horror-comedy flick; it tells an extraordinary tale in an extraordinary fashion, leading its audience through a rollicking roller-coaster of eerily fantastic experiences and belly laughs. The voice cast includes Emmanuel Curtil, Alain Choquet, and Kelly Marot, who breathe life into their ghoulishly delightful characters with high-spirited performances.

Set in a particularly unique amusement park aptly named 'Zombillenium,' the story takes a twist when, on Halloween, a regular human unwillingly becomes the newest employee of this spooky establishment. The park is teeming with genuine supernatural creatures pretending to be human actors dressed in Halloween costumes. From witches and zombies to vampires and werewolves, you can find every imaginable breed of monsters walking around, thrilling the unsuspecting human visitors by day, and leading their own troubled, haunted lives by night.

Emmanuel Curtil voices Hector, a single-dad and meticulous safety inspector who has made it his mission to bring down Zombillenium. His zealous quest culminates in his transformation into a monster, landing him an indefinite contract to work at the park. As the plot unravels, the audience is taken on a journey that delves into the challenges that Hector faces adjusting to the monstrosities of his new life, all while trying to find a way back to his young daughter Lucie voiced by Kelly Marot.

Alain Choquet delivers an unforgettable performance as Francis Von Bloodt, the slick vampire and tough boss of Zombillenium. His management practices are highly effective in maintaining the 'Hell-on-Earth' brand image of the park. When Hector becomes an unexpected sensation and crowd puller, the vampire boss has to leverage this to keep the park from going bankrupt, and from being taken over by the intimidating Devil himself.

Zombillenium is not just another monster movie. At its heart, it effectively comments on reality’s monstrous face and how they haunt human life — societal oppression, the dehumanization of corporate workplaces, labor exploitation, and the struggle for individual identity and freedom. The film is the adaptation of a popular French-Belgian comic book series. It adds a fresh twist to familiar themes, creating an enjoyable escapade that tickles the mind, touches the heart, and makes you burst into laughter.

Zombillenium’s CGI animation is nothing less than a visual feast. With its high-quality imagery, it successfully manages to transform an everyday amusement park into a spellbinding haven of creepy and comical creatures. Splashes of vivid colors merge with dark edges, reflecting the quirky blend of comedy and horror, while intricate details and ingenious designs lend an even more compelling presence to its supernatural characters.

Adding charm to the storytelling is the alluring music covering a wide range of genres and serving as a delightful backdrop to the visuals. The film even has a thrilling and foot-stomping musical number that, once viewed, will remain etched in your memory.

Zombillenium’s star cast brings the enchanting script to life with their brilliant voice performances. Each character in the movie, from the lead roles to the numerous supportive roles, is voiced with such magnificent depth and complexity, offering a thrillingly immersive viewing experience.

The movie finds its strength in creating a witty parallel universe where the horror meets the hilarity, and the touching humanity of the characters paves the way for relatability and emotional connection with the audience.

A laughter-filled, hair-raising journey of friendship, personal authenticity, familial love, and the never-ending quest for freedom, Zombillenium is a must-watch for both lovers of animated films and supernatural adventures. Its unique mash-up of horror and humor is sure to add thrill and chills to your movie-watching experience.