Zibahkhana

This film makes interesting viewing, primarily for its novelty value of a horror film coming out of Islamabad. The story, as you would have read in the numerous other reviews is about a group of teenagers who on their way to a rock concert lose their way and end up encountering zombies and being chased by a mace wielding freak. The gore factor in the film put me off, there's plenty of raw flesh and blood at display here, some of the shots would cringe any sane, humane individual. Apparently, the director takes great pride in this disgusting quality of the film. However, to instill fear in the audience requires much more than probing, poking and twisting of human flesh, intestines etc. And thats where the film doesn't work -- it grosses you out rather than actually scaring you.

However, the film does hold your attention in parts, and the acting by the ensemble overall is pretty good. The actor playing the Christian kid and Roshanie Ejaz deserve special mention. Rubiya Chaudry is clearly playing herself here and her comfort level shows on screen. Some of the photography is pretty decent too. However, there was no need for the theatrical vignettes into the family lives of the characters. Towards the end, you do root and feel for Roshanie's character and the credit for that goes entirely to the actor's performance and screen presence as the screen writing here is rank amateurish. Well, the makers probably didn't feel the need to have a taught script given most of Zibahkhana is a zombie-attack or an extended chase sequence.

On the whole, this isn't bad if you enjoy watching dead corpses, rotting remains of animals and take pleasure in the more disgusting aspects of this world. Next time, we hope that OAK would use a decent scriptwriter, many of which are to be found in the underutilized Pakistan showbiz scene. And yeah, we need to see more of Rubya and Roshanie.

I ended watching this movie on a spur of the moment decision. I learned it was the world premier showing, and the director introduced the movie before the started.

This movie sports all that one can expect from a movie in its genre. Hapless teenagers looking for fun. Slasher zombies and your masked insane killer.

What it also contains are poor camera work, poor acting, stereotypical one-sided characters and an simple yet unbelievable plot. It also tries adding a few political themes on pollution and the degenerate behavior of the Pakistani youth. These factors makes the movie a comedy rather than a horror movie, and actually makes the movie watchable. I give it a 5 because it was good fun, for me nothing more.

As we get ready for another Fantastic Fest in Austin and the worldwide release of Lesbian Vampire Killers, we explore the film that won Best Gore at last year's Fest - a Pakistani zombie flick! We won't need to talk about actors, as we have not likely seen any of them, so we will focus on the story. Suffice it to say that three young men and two women lied to their parents to travel to a concert.

Just as you are a fool to leave the highways in Texas and travel the back roads, you need to avoid shortcuts in Pakistan. This Lollywood zombie flick is a throwback to the way zombies are supposed to be - very slow, and munching on brains and guts after a kill. It featured gut munching that would fit well in any cannibal flick.

Of course our travellers don't know that their friend O.J. (Osman Khalid Butt) who was bitten will change. The film just keeps getting freakier and freakier.

The film switches from zombies to Texas Chainsaw Massacre as a slasher in a burka appears. Poor Vicky (Kunwar Ali Roshan); he is now being dismembered and blood is flowing everywhere. Roxy (Rubya Chaudhry) wanders in and is now being chased by the burka-wearing killer, who doesn't have a chainsaw, and has to use a spiked ball on a chain.

That ball sure made a mess of Simon's (Haider Raza) face; now only the girls are left. It appears the local villagers will have lots of meat on the table for a while.

It appears no one will survive these woods.

The gore was good and one hopes for more from Omar Khan

One thing was very clear to me even before I saw the film: this was an ultra-low-budget production, made by a non-professional. Therefore, I wasn't expecting much, and that's exactly what I got. I also knew that the director, Omar Khan, was an enthusiast of cult, horror, and trash cinema, as evidenced by his loving attention to obscure Indian and Pakistani films on his website. Zibahkhana works well enough insofar as an amateur homage/reworking of some of the most famous horror staples, albeit with some local color and at least one ingenious touch (a burqa-clad slasher? Sweet!). It would be fair enough to sum this up as a cross between Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Hostel, set in Pakistan, with a dash of zombies for good measure. I just wish the writers could've developed the screenplay a little beyond the gleeful regurgitation of clichés that we get, because this could've been so much better (a case in point is the zombie subplot which is abandoned soon after the gut- munchers appear…more's the pity, because these guys looked awesome).

Anyway, let's move on beyond the script. There are some technical flaws, but one can overlook those as it was obviously shot on the cheap, using digital cameras. Still, the interior of the van at night was way over-lit, which could've been remedied without much hassle. The look of the film is fine, enhanced by a ubiquitous wide-angle lens. The acting by the young cast of protagonists isn't anything to write home about, either, but then they didn't really have good material to work with. What Khan does get right is an atmosphere of creepiness, and what he excels in is the level of violence and gore in the film. Yes sir, he really lets loose with the red stuff. Gore hounds won't have much to complain about here. And since that seems to have been the focus of Khan's energies, it may have been a wise decision to keep the running time short (78min approx), because clearly, the 'exposition' scenes were not going to keep audience interest levels up. Another nice touch is the soundtrack which is littered with retro Lollywood music. A clip from Zinda Lash (The Living Corpse) makes an appearance and the actor who played the vampire in that film, Rehan, is also featured in a bit part, where he hams it up hilariously.

So if like me, you go into the film with low expectations, you're likely to enjoy it for what it is: a gory, lurid and fast-paced pastiche of better known horror films, made by fans and for fans (with the novelty value of being a Pakistani gore film…really, how many of those do you see around?). If, however, you want something more substantial than that, you might be let down. Me, I had a pretty good time. Here's hoping Khan's next project improves upon his debut.

Thank God, this is not a comedy. Thank God. I am so sick of comedy. Comedy Sucks. This movie is so dang fine! I watched it until my eyes ran aorta my head! The Living Corpse (song & dance abound) is ass good too. The Dracula Star of The Living Corpse is in this anti-comedy! What more could anyone desire! Now go listen to Femme Fatale (BS) then watch this 'gain & gain--- then listen to Britney more. O yeah, the Indian dough nuts they eat (high?)--- well, one guy does--- he eats the whole bag--- and, like I said-- he was served by Dracula. And then there are zombies and an evil spirit witch... and gore... and Dracula serving Indian dough nuts... and there's also the director's commentary which is ass good too, O Dude.