Being such a huge fan of animation, it does honestly pain me whenever any criticisms are made to a film or television series that are mediocre or less when talking about them. It gives me no pleasure at all, despite how my previous negative reviews for animation sound, in saying anything bad but one has to if the product in question disappoints.
There are certainly far worse animated films out there than 'Daddy, I'm a Zombie', while it is very muddled and lacking in many areas 'Daddy, I'm a Zombie' at least looks like some effort was put into it. On the other hand, there's much better too, animation that is much better made, has better written characters, are funnier, more touching, more charming and execute a darker tone far better. 'Daddy, I'm a Zombie' is not awful, but it rarely rises above mediocre.
'Daddy, I'm a Zombie's' best asset is some of the animation. There are some lovely atmospheric colours that give off a strong Gothic vibe and the backgrounds clearly look like a lot of care and detail went into them. The music is similarly bang on, it's both haunting and energetic with a nice oddball touch when needed.
Always appreciate animated or family films that integrate family and friendship lessons, messages and values, even when they are not new or have been done much better. This is the case with those of 'Daddy, I'm a Zombie', these gave the film some heart and didn't feel like one is listening to a sermon, which is to me not how teaching lessons, messages and values should be like, while still making its point. Funny moments are occasional, but are only mildly amusing.
However, the writing is too reminiscent of a failed high-school script-writing project, filled with tired clichés and stereotypes, childish comedy, mawkish emotional moments, unevenly executed horror and shallow and less than innocent romantic elements. In short, a cliché ridden muddle. Even more of a let down is the story, some of it is easy to follow, veering on the too simplistic for older audiences, while having lapses in logic that may confuse younger ones. It tries to execute many elements (too many perhaps) and executes them continually superficially.
Comedy is occasionally mildly amusing but tends to be childish, predictable and overdone. The horror elements are done very unevenly, some of the more violent moments may frighten the primary target audience and tonally feel very jarring and others are disappointingly tame for a film that tries to give off a Gothic vibe a la Tim Burton. As said, there is a Tim Burton influence, it seems, to how the Gothic element is handled. 'Daddy, I'm a Zombie' may have intended to treat it as a homage but it just ended up being very derivative but with nowhere near the amount of oddball charm, spark and pathos of Burton's early work that are especially successful in the Gothic touch. Oh and the plot twist is one of the most predictable in the whole of animation.
Sadly didn't find myself connecting to any of the characters, they are little more than archetypes that are flimsily developed and generally lack personality. The family elements could have been heartfelt but went the cloyingly over-sentimental and over-familiar route. The voice acting ranges from uninspired to annoying. Before one forgets, while the colours and backgrounds can't be faulted, the character designs are often stiff and robotic.
Overall, mediocre but not a complete waste. 4/10 Bethany Cox
