Review – Zombeavers (2014)

When I found out that I’d be reviewing Zombeavers, I got excited. Really excited. I bought some beer, ordered a pizza, and invited my friends over for a beaver party. In hindsight, I maybe should have worded my invitation differently because nobody showed up. Still, without a soul in the world besides my own, I drank that beer… I ate that pizza… and I watched Zombeavers. I’ve been to worse parties.

Zombeavers is a horror comedy directed by Jordan Rubin (in his feature debut) from a script by Rubin, Al Kaplan, and Jon Kaplan. The film hilariously opens with a pair of truckers (yes, one of them is John Mayer) transporting toxic chemicals. Their truck strikes a deer, causing them to lose one of their canisters into the nearby river. The canister floats down stream and splashes beavers with the chemicals while at their dam. The rest of the film follows a group of college students, who are staying in a cottage near the beaver dam, in a wild and gory fight for survival against the zombie beavers.

For what it is, Zombeavers is pretty damn close to perfection. A satire on the golden age of cheesy B-movies (a genre that has been revitalized for better or worse by the Syfy network), this movie knows exactly what it has going for it. It wants you to not only laugh at its premise but to laugh with it as well… and it absolutely succeeds in doing so. Zombeavers won’t work if it’s not funny, and fortunately for the film, and for the audience, it very much is. It’s more than just a comedy, though. There are thrills to be had throughout, and gorehounds should be more than happy with the bloody insanity Zombeavers has to offer.

One of the big highlights in Zombeavers was the decision to use animatronic models of beavers rather than a heavy dose of CGI. CGI can be disengaging and annoying in films like this, and the choice to not rely on it really pays off, adding a B-movie charm throughout. Another highlight is the acting. There are no award-worthy performances here – and there didn’t need to be – but each actor plays their part well, which is a testament to their talent when you consider the premise of the movie.

The only thing one could say against Zombeavers is that it’s certainly not for everyone. You have to know that going into this film. There is a hell of a lot of fun to be had with this movie, but it never aspires to be a particularly great film. That was not the goal, and that’s not what you should expect as you watch. Zombeavers wants to be insane, cheesy, and over-the-top. If that isn’t your cup of tea, this movie likely isn’t for you.

Final Thoughts: From the opening scene – or from the title, really – it’s apparent what this movie has to offer. Good ol’ fashion ridiculousness. The kind of cheese that you love but would never put on a sandwich. If that’s the kind of thing you’re into from time to time, do yourself a favor and watch Zombeavers immediately.