Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End (2024)
★★★ — Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End (2024)
Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End is a Spanish zombie survival film adapted from the hugely popular trilogy of novels by Manel Loureiro, whose self-published blog fiction became a phenomenon in Spanish-language publishing during the early 2010s before being picked up commercially. The film is directed by Carles Torrens, a Catalan filmmaker who had previously worked in English-language genre territory with Pet (2016) and Feedback (2019), and who returns here to his home country for what is a notably larger, more mainstream production than his earlier work. Barcelona-based Nostromo Pictures produced, and the film arrived on Netflix in 2024, positioning it squarely within the streamer's ongoing appetite for non-English genre fare following the success of Spanish productions like the Money Heist era of prestige television.
Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End is a decent enough zombie flick if you’re in the mood for something familiar and low-key. It follows the now-familiar pattern (loner protagonist, sudden outbreak, barricaded apartment, slow descent into isolation) kind of like The Night Eats the World or #Alive, but with a Spanish twist. The main character, a regular guy stuck in his flat as the world collapses, is easy enough to root for, and there’s a certain tension in those early scenes of watching the city fall from behind a window. The problem is, it doesn’t really bring anything new to the table. The zombies are underused (more background threat than real menace) and the film spends too much time on half-baked subplots: cryptic radio messages, a mysterious military presence, a possible cure… none of which go anywhere satisfying. You keep waiting for one of them to pay off, but they just fade away. It feels like the movie can’t decide if it wants to be a survival drama, a conspiracy thriller, or a full-on action horror. My girlfriend and I finished it without hating it, which is something. It’s competently made, looks decent, and moves along well enough. But if you’re not already into zombie films, this won’t win you over. It’s by-the-numbers stuff. No big scares, no deep themes, no standout moments. Harmless, watchable, but forgettable. Perfect for a rainy afternoon when you just want something on in the background.
Rating: ★★★ | Year: 2024 | Watched: 2025-09-02
Where to watch (UK)
Stream: Amazon Prime Video · Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Physical: Amazon UK
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