4) Pontypool (2008)
The fact that 28 Days Later was lauded critically for featuring zombies that can run – wowsers – just goes to show how difficult it can be to reinterpret classic horror staples like the undead. Pontypool stands out from the rest of the undead shuffle though by changing the way that the infection spreads. Instead of transmitting the virus through physical contact and bites, the infection here is spread through the English language itself.
Yes. You read that correctly. In the world of Pontypool, hearing anything from Shakespeare to the latest Taylor Swift song can turn people into zombies… so just like real life then.
[zergpaid]Director Bruce McDonald exploits this unique premise to the fullest by setting the entire movie in a radio station. As news of the infection reaches disc jockey Grant Mazzy, he desperately tries to find a way to warn his listeners about the epidemic and its source, all without exacerbating the situation further.
Technically, McDonald prefers to describe his antagonists as “conversationalists” rather than “zombies,” but that’s like trying to differentiate between Adam Sandler movies and bad Adam Sandler movies. It’s basically the same thing, except the ‘zombies’ in Pontypool are uniquely menacing with their strange vocal tics and the ease at which the infection is spread.
