Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead

Movie Name: Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Yusuke Ishida
Starring: Eiji Akaso, Mai Shiraishi, Shuntarô Yanagi, Yui Ichikawa, Kazuki Kitamura, Mayo Kawasaki, Akari Hayami, Miwako Kakei
Genre: Action, Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 2
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

Another Netflix exclusive, "Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead" is an adaptation of a popular Japanese Manga Series, which has already been adapted to an animated Manga series (also available on Netflix).

The story focuses on Akira Tendo, a young professional who has just joined a Marketing firm. Initially filled with joy and optimism, the environment in which he works and the way he is treated, starts taking away all sense of happiness he has in life. After three years of this constant abuse he's nothing but a shell of his prior self. Everything takes a turn when a zombie apocalypse strikes Tokyo. Akira's initially surprised, but then decides to enjoy life to the fullest. He decides to create a bucket list of everything he has always wanted to do, before himself becomes a zombie. In the meantime, he also tries to help some of the people who always treated him well, and while he fails to save one of his co-workers, he does manage to reach and save Kenichiro, his college buddy. The two of them are eventually joined by Shizuka, a woman who has a much more pragmatic approach to life in the zombie universe, and who initially only looks out for herself. As they set on a journey to leave Tokyo and seek another place without as many zombies, they encounter unexpected challenges.

I did not know this manga series or its various adaptations, before watching this feature film, which is in fact, Yusuke Ishida's feature directorial debut. While I was initially expecting something similar to Il Cho's "#Alive", this film definitely took a different direction. "Zom 100" definitely focuses its attention on the partnership between these central characters, and how they collectively decide to embrace what they think are their last moments alive (before becoming zombies). However this narrative is also illustrated in a way that's almost infantile or juvenile: Akira is a rather underdeveloped character, in the sense that he still feels very much a prisoner of his accomplishments in University, but also hasn't really matured much in terms of who he actually is as an individual (and that includes even his personal relationships, which are almost non-existent). The tone of the film is also a bit of this odd pairing, since it includes some graphic zombie gore and lore, and yet that also coexists with this rather naive stance that Akira perpetually seems to have. As the narrative continues to develop, and his nemesis eventually appears once again, the sudden shifts in characters' motivation seems drastic and not entirely well resolved (or even understandable). It's ultimately an interesting premise that is undone by a series of characters that are not particularly well developed (and Akira's nemesis in particular is a cardboard bully without any substance), and situations that are also puzzling and borderline surreal (the scenes with the shark are insane). There's nothing much to highlight on this cast, the same going for the production team. There really isn't much to commend on this feature.