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Amazon Prime review: Brandon Vera barrels through zombies in 'Day Zero'

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Fred Hawson

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Brandon Vera in " Day="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/entertainment/10/29/20221029-brandon-vera.jpg"/><figcaption>Brandon Vera in &#x27;Day Zero&#x27;</figcaption></figure></div><p>Fil-Am ex-Special Forces Emon (Brandon Vera) was a convicted criminal currently serving his sentence and was about to earn his parole. However, one day, zombies suddenly overran the penitentiary where he was locked up. Along with his friend Timoy (Pepe Herrera), Emon was able to fight himself out of the zombie horde in the prison grounds.</p><p>He commandeered a vehicle to go find and rescue his wife Sheryl (beauty queen Mary Jane Lastimosa) and their deaf-mute daughter Jane (Freya Fury Montierro) who lived in an old apartment building in the city. When they reached the place, it was also swarming with zombies. When they reached their room, Sheryl and Jane were not there anymore.</p><p>This set up the rest of the movie as Emon had to scour their building in search for his family while killing off zombies left and right that one night, the first night of the zombie epidemic. Along the way, Emon and Timoy helped a young man David (Yohance Levi Buie) looking for his cop father Oscar (Joey Marquez), as well as a young couple Paolo (basketball star Ricci Rivero) and Hazel (Jema Galanza). </p><p>The running time was a brisk and economical 80 minutes. The script by Ays de Guzman saw no need for a clear origin story for the zombies. Only the shallow basics of personal relationships were shared. Those sign language scenes between Jane and her parents could been subtitled for better emotional connection. Oscar&#x27;s breakdown scene was unexpected, perhaps illogical, but it lent more tension when it was needed. </p><p>Brandon Vera practically reprised his role in &quot;BuyBust&quot; (2018) as he barreled his bulk through the zombies instead of addicts. Pepe Herrera provided the needed comic relief amidst the chaos. </p><p>The low budget and the amateurish acting were obvious, but the technique, effort and the energy of cast and crew were clearly there in those pulse-pounding chase and gory fight scenes that director Joey de Guzman had set and shot within claustrophobic confines. </p><div><em>This review was originally published in the author&#x27;s blog, <a href="https://said-fred.blogspot.com/2022/10/amazon-prime-review-of-day-zero-gutting.html" target="_blank">&quot;Fred Said.&quot;</a></em></div>