"Salsa" is a Croatian zombie movie. Yes, you read that right, and the absurdity doesn't stop there. The film centers on Vatroslav, a loser student who, through a series of unfortunate events, ends up with a summer job helping to gather tomatoes on his friend's grandmother's remote island farm. The story is divided into two distinct halves: the first part is a classic fish-out-of-water comedy as Vatroslav awkwardly tries to fit in with the island's quirky residents, while the second half turns into an zombie apocalypse.
While the movie runs slightly longer than your typical light-hearted horror comedy at 1 hour and 40 minutes, it never feels dragged out. Vatroslav's misadventures are easy to get invested in because he's a relatable, average nice guy-just cursed with an extraordinary amount of bad luck. The humor flows naturally from the characters and their interactions, rather than feeling shoehorned in by the script. Acting, script, and direction all come together smoothly, giving the film an effortless charm.
However, some might find the slow build-up to the zombie outbreak a bit frustrating. The first kill doesn't happen until halfway through, and the full-blown apocalypse only kicks off in the third act. Because of this, Salsa leans more into being a summer movie than a traditional zombie flick. The first act is occasionally disrupted by forced dialogues referencing the fall of Yugoslavia, which feel a bit out of place. Thankfully, there aren't too many of these moments, but I would have preferred a few more jokes about the bygone communist regime, as it's a recurring theme in the characters' conversations. It almost feels like these jokes were part of the original script but were edited out.
Despite this, Salsa is a thoroughly enjoyable ride. If you're looking for a warm summer comedy to lighten up the colder months, this quirky Croatian film is a fantastic pick.
