“Man I won’t say it twice – this side of town is kinda weird.”

Story: Juan is a total slacker. He’s solidly in his 40s, yet he and his BFF Lazaro do nothing but the bare minimum to get by, hoping one day to hit it big. So when the zombie apocalypse hits Cuba, there’s only one thing for them to do; gather up a few of their friends and start a zombie-killing business. For pay, naturally. What could go wrong? Hey, put that harpoon down, you could…too late.

Scares: None. This zombie apocalyptic plays out like a bloody hoot, with zombie action more than zombie spooky stuff.
Splat Factor: Zombie movie. Yes there is splat. No out-and-out organs, but body parts and blood-palooza.

Subgenre: ZomCom
Year Released: 2011
Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: A loving homage to Romero and Wright. Otherwise, wholly original.

Trick or Treat?: I’d been hearing really good things about Juan for quite some time now. But trying to find it on streaming had been a real [RADIO EDIT], at least ’til Amazon Prime put it back into rotation last month. So here I am to tell you…the hype is real. Juan is a love letter to Romero and Wright, mixing comedy, political commentary, and zombie mayhem into a delightful monster mash. There may be folks who could be disappointed in how the film paces itself, and/or the lack of outright horror, but for my money? It’s a solid addition to the zombie oeuvre.

These zombies are a mix of fast (hares) and slow (turtles), which is really fun, because you never know which type Our Gang will be running into at any given time. The practical zombie effects are excellent, and so are the kills/zombie offings. Even when the focus isn’t on zombos doing their thing, the art and FX department still go in for the kill…literally.

Meanwhile, the cast members feel like actual friends, their personalities realistic rather than manufactured for the story. Lazaro is a bumbling idiot, Juan is a lazy pud whose only care is his daughter Camilla, and Camilla only wants to see her dad do something for the people rather than for himself. Tie in the political climate of Cuba, and the socialistic, totalitarian regime, with the film’s government trying to stamp out the idea of zombies and instead push ideas of “dissidents…in collusion with the US government”? And you’ve got yourself a scathing look at politics that individuals in just about any country can empathize with. (I know I did. I also got hints of the similar “Korean governmental cover-up” that would come along in 2016’s Train to Busan.)

The second half of the film stumbles here and there, with scenes that drag on a bit too long, and moments that feel unnecessary. A good bit of editing could have chopped this kinda padded hour and a half film into a tight and outta sight movie by clipping five to ten minutes here and there. Still, Juan is a heckuva lot of fun, and an interesting look at a country folks like me don’t often get to see. Plus, who doesn’t love a big-ass dude who constantly faints at the mere thought of blood, and a drag queen who has literally killer aim with a slingshot?

Score: 3.5 out of 5 pumpkins.