Ziam

Right, well I just watched the 2025 Thai zombie movie "Ziam" on Netflix. Sure, I had never heard about the movie prior to watching it, but given the fact that I am a huge fan of all things zombie, of course I had to check out what director Kulp Kaljareuk had to offer.

Now, the movie was off to a great start. Sure, it was nothing in comparison to the 2016 South Korean "Busanhaeng" (aka "Train to Busan"), but "Ziam" seemed promising, and it definitely had me entertained. And I will say that it definitely is a strong foray into the zombie genre for Thai cinema. Right up to the last 20 minutes of the movie, where the entire thing just tumbled down like a house of cards in a tornado. Talk about a turn for the worse. I cannot fathom what writers Vathanyu Ingkawiwat, Kulp Kaljareuk, Nut Nualpang, Chonnatee Pimnam and Weerasu Worrapot were thinking with the last 20 minutes of the movie. It was like a slap to the face with a cold, undead fish - pardon the pun.

The dialogue in the movie was pretty wooden, a testament to the fact that the writers were stumbling around in darkness trying to piece together the dialogue. There were so many cringeworthy moments in the movie from the dialogue, and at times I was wondering if it was written by pre-teenagers.

I was not familiar with the cast ensemble in the movie, which definitely was a nice thing, as I do enjoy watching new and unfamiliar talents on the screen. The acting performances were, for the most parts, fair. There were some rigid performances and some where you just didn't buy into the performance delivered on the screen.

For as much as I do enjoy blood and gore in zombie movies, I have to say that less is sometimes more. Director Kulp Kaljareuk went overboard here, and there were literally gallons of blood sprayed, splattered and smeared on all walls of the hospital, on all ten floors. It was just ridiculous, and I couldn't distract from that, as I started to look for blood on the walls in each scene.

The special effects in the movie were good, and they definitely helped carried the movie a great length. Right up until the zombies apparently mutated and had fish-like mouths. That virtually had me laughing so hard, and it was just such a stupid thing to add to the movie, as it really dumbed it down a couple of notched. While we are on effects, then I don't understand why the opted to go for the sounds that the zombies made, it made zero sense. Some of the sounds were just copied from "The Last of Us", while others were very laughable guttural sounds that you wouldn't assume could be made from human vocal cords, undead or not.

If you are going to watch the movie, you should literally stop with 20 minutes left, because the entire movie just fell apart in those abysmal minutes. And the ending of the movie, should you opt to endure the ordeal to the bitter end, well the ending was just laughable. I virtually got up in frustration and left the room at that ending.

What started out as a promising zombie movie from the Thai cinema quickly fell to shambles and just went downhill fast.

Sure, I managed to endure the entire 95 minutes that the movie ran for. But believe you me, this is not a zombie movie that I will ever return to watch a second time.

My rating of director Kulp Kaljareuk's 2025 movie "Ziam" lands on a very generous four out of ten stars.

This film is set in Thailand where it has become overcome with a hunger brought on by a civil unrest and subsequent riots; but the new food brought in to curve this. A fish that almost reminds me of puffer fish that kills a man and turns him in a hospital, a hospital that main character ram is working as a doctor in. Her boyfriend ziam then spends the movie trying to find and save her in this hospital, before the government demolishes the building to keep the virus in. Action was good and the martial arts fighting was cool to see. Decent enough plot there has not been a lot of zombie films mostly set in hospital and overall its nice to see others having a go at the genre.

"Ziam" delivers an interesting blend of zombie horror and Muay Thai action - a fresh take for the genre that's visually compelling, but ultimately let down by its undercooked story.

Set in a dystopian Bangkok plagued by a viral outbreak, the film follows Singh, a retired Muay Thai fighter who must battle hordes of the infected with nothing but his fists to save his girlfriend and a young child from a hospital under siege. The setting is the film's strongest asset: gritty, claustrophobic hospital corridors lit in harsh tones that amplify the tension. The action is intense and well-choreographed, relying heavily on practical effects rather than CGI, which gives the fights a brutal, visceral edge.

Mark Prin delivers a convincing performance as the determined fighter, and the physical demands of the role are clearly met. The zombie makeup is also commendable, enhancing the sense of danger in every close-quarter brawl.

However, where Ziam falters is in its narrative. The plot feels rushed and occasionally nonsensical. Characters make illogical decisions, emotional arcs are forced, and key moments lack the build-up needed to make them truly impactful. It asks for a lot of suspension of disbelief - and not in a good way. The backstory is thin, and while there are attempts at emotional depth, they often fall flat due to underdevelopment.

In short, Ziam is entertaining if you're in the mood for zombie mayhem and martial arts, but don't expect a story that holds up under scrutiny. A great concept with uneven execution.

If you've seen a few zombie movies, you've basically seen this one too. The storyline unfolds exactly as you'd expect, no twists, no surprises, just a rinse-and-repeat of every cliché in the genre. The characters lacked depth and emotional weight, making it hard to connect or care about their fate. Cinematography was passable, but it couldn't save the film from feeling flat.

The zombies? Same old groans, and definitely not scary. The action scenes fell flat, fragile and uninspired, with no real impact or intensity.

Overall, it felt like a missed opportunity to bring something fresh or intense to the table.

I recently watched on Netflix and, to be honest, I was hoping for at least a slight twist or some fresh take on the zombie genre. Unfortunately, the film didn't deliver on that front.

The story revolves around a male lead with martial arts skills, and the plot mostly follows his encounters and fights with the infected. While this setup could have been exciting, the movie felt flat. There was very little character development, no emotional depth, and surprisingly - no romance or relationship arcs to give the characters more dimension. It left me wondering what the character was really fighting for.

One of the biggest letdowns for me was the lack of world-building. There was no clear explanation of how the outbreak started, what caused it, or what the broader stakes were. The movie is quite short, and it ends abruptly without much resolution or hint of what lies ahead. It felt more like a prolonged action sequence than a fully developed story.

If you're looking for meaningful plot, emotional weight, or even inventive action scenes - this one might not meet your expectations. The fights were passable but not particularly unique or memorable.