‘Virus :32’ review: Neat idea; better setting

Cool idea left alone.

April 20, 2022

Virus :32 sounds like every other zombie thriller. When a virus breaks out, the infected begin going on a murderous rampage. Unaware of the situation, Iris (Paula Silva) and her daughter Miriam (Sofia Gonzalez) are spending time at the sports club. They soon find themselves in a fight for their lives with 32 seconds of calm to break up each attack.

There have been so many zombie movies that it is hard to find something different to do. Virus :32 provides a seemingly unique solution by keeping the basic premise the same but adding one caveat. The infected stop for 32 seconds before attacking again.

It is a neat idea that works in moderation. When it first happens, audiences will be as surprised as Iris and Miriam. As Virus :32 goes on, the premise becomes less novel and more reminiscent of other zombie films. In trying so hard to differentiate itself it becomes more familiar.

The knee jerk reaction is to think not much is expected out of a zombie movie. There have been plenty of similar films that have excelled by leaning into genre tropes instead of telling a deeper story. The difference here is Virus :32 obviously thought it was onto something. The main twist is even built into the title! Its formulaic approach does not make it a bad movie – far from it – but there is a definite sense of disappointment.

The setting is the true standout of Virus :32. Once things move into the dark empty building, the creepy atmosphere takes over. Zombie movies have the luxury of ignoring mood and just going for gross out scares. Director Gustavo Hernandez successfully uses both. It is these moments that set the film apart and make it worth seeing.