One of the more refreshing aspects of “Cockneys vs. Zombies” is that there is no doubt what the monsters in this movie are. They’re zombies plain and simple. When our band of mismatched degenerates we call heroes exit their bank heist to find a band of cops slaughtered by the walking dead, they only wonder what the monsters lurking about are until character Katy proclaims “They’re zombies.” It’s so easy to figure out, and thankfully we don’t spend twenty minutes figuring out what they are, and the moral ramifications of ending the havoc of one of the undead.
Terry and Andy have spent their entire lives avoiding crime and going to jail after their parents died from a botched crime wave. Raised by their grandfather Ray most of their lives, they’ve decided to risk their freedom when they find out his retirement home is about to be closed. Rather than lose him, they plan a flawed bank heist, desperate to keep him from moving away to the other side of London. Little do they know a construction team has accidentally unearthed an seventeenth century condemned graveyard that is teeming with infested zombies. When the workers are bitten and killed by the zombies, the dead begin to rise, and grandpa Ray is stuck in the retirement home with his friends, many of whom are too feeble to fight the zombies. What begins as a botched bank heist turns in to a rescue, as brothers Terry and Andy, along with their cousin Katy decide to bravely rescue their grandfather and flee the East side of London.
“Cockneys vs. Zombies” literally wastes no time building tension and spends most of its time dividing the script between comedy and action. Fans of the sub-genre looking for a speedy dose of zombie carnage will enjoy the gore soaked shambling undead that creep in to East London like a festering plague and never let up on their victims. While most zombie movies feature characters trying to figure out the zombies, much of the exploration occurs during the efforts to stay alive. Some of most teeth grinding moments involve actor Alan Ford as grandpa Ray attempting to save his friends and rescue them from the zombies, while Terry and Andy garner the comedic sub-plot, attempting to find a way out of the warehouse they’re stuck in, all the while evading the walking dead at every turn. “Cockneys vs. Zombies” is still a refreshing antidote from the tame zombie fare 2013 was doused with, and it’s a laugh a minute zombie romp you can enjoy alongside “Shaun of the Dead.”
Featured in the Blu-Ray release from Scream Factory is an audio commentary with director Matthias Hoene, as well as an audio commentary with writer James Moran. There’s a Behind the Scenes feature exclusive to the Shout Release, and a reel of deleted scenes. There’s also the original theatrical trailer, and the digital copy download of the movie. It expires 9/13/14.