FANTASTIC FEST 2024: “PÁRVULOS” (2024) Takes A Familial Approach To The Zombie Genre (REVIEW)
As the sun shines down on the city of Austin, TX with it so do the lights of the Alamo Drafthouse in South Lamar for the 19th annual Fantastic Fest! For eight days, some of the best genre films worldwide will showcase the current and future talents in genre filmmaking while celebrating some classics in new, revitalized restorations. This year, Macabre Daily is fortunate enough to have some boots (well, one person) on the ground basking in the glory of all the genre has to offer. As part of our coverage, we will post reviews, interviews, and previews of upcoming films and games taking center stage here, including some exciting new horror games from the indie studios showcased in Fantastic Games presented by Day of the Devs! We are honored and privileged to be here, thank you to our partners at Fons PR, and now let’s get to the good stuff with Isaac Ezban’s apocalyptic family-centric shocker, “Párvulos”.
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
In the aftermath of the Omega Pandemic, a devastating global catastrophe, teenage Salvador has assumed the role of caretaker for his younger siblings, Oliver and Benjamin. Equipped with a host of survivalist skills, Salvador harvests resources from the forest nearby and hunts small game for their table while trying to instill a sense of normalcy through routine, games, storytelling, and holiday celebrations.
HOW IS IT?
Zombie films used to be a dime a dozen, but over the years the fatigue of seemingly endless “The Walking Dead” spinoffs and a myriad of lackluster zombie films has made this once blossoming sub-genre a little less interesting. In “Párvulos”, Isaac Ezban doesn’t recreate the wheel so much as he rotates the tires of this rusted sub-genre to breathe interesting new life into the shambling stories of the undead. By focusing on the plight of three brothers trying to make their way in a post-apocalyptic world the setting feels more personal and intimate than what we’ve come to expect from predominantly large-scale zombie epics. It runs a bit long and has some trouble carrying a consistent tone, but that doesn’t deter too much from the depressing, weird, and occasionally funny zombie film.
Surviving the apocalypse seems like as much a blessing as it is a curse, and the three brothers in “Párvulos” know this all too well. The oldest, Salvador (FARID ESCALANTE CORREA) has been left with an amputated leg while still hunting to scavenge for food to feed his younger brothers, Benjamin (MATEO ORTEGA CASILLAS) and Oliver (LEONARDO CERVANTES) who assist as best they can despite their age. The brothers also have something hidden in the basement, something that they are caring for while being deathly afraid of. The first half of “Párvulos” is dedicated to getting to know the brothers and their way of life. Salvador is in his teens with hormones raging, while his younger brothers look to him for guidance and strength despite his frustration and annoyance with them. All of this comes to a head when they catch a young woman, Valeria (CARLA ADELL) attempting to rob them after being saved by the brothers and is caught red-handed. The inclination to attack her is overwhelmed by the pubescent feelings Salvador is experiencing, most notably that he is attracted to Valeria. It begs a question that isn’t often asked in these post-apocalyptic stories, what happens to our hormones in a survival-first landscape? It’s a new topic for an old genre that almost exclusively focuses on the roles of adults and parents, but less so on the children and teens who are also a part of the apocalypse equation. It’s also the most interesting aspect of “Párvulos” as it treads ground that is fertile rather than well-worn.
Where “Párvulos” struggles is in length and tone. At just a minute shy of 2-hours, “Párvulos” spends a lot of time helping the viewer become immersed in the world-building and lifestyle of the three boys, but as the second half pivots into a third act that is almost as funny as it is scary, “Párvulos” struggles to maintain a consistent tone. The humor injected in the third act is welcome, but jarring considering what occurs during and before making it hard to know how you’re supposed to feel about the reveal in the basement. The addition of some religious zealots at the end doesn’t help things by distracting somewhat from the power of the basement reveal, and the ending will have you wondering how you’re supposed to feel because of how uneven the tone is. These tonal shifts don’t harm the film’s entertainment value so much as they take you out of the experience for a moment, and had these moments of levity occurred sooner they may not have felt as noticeable. Regardless, “Párvulos” is a joy to watch and visually striking with a keen use (or lack thereof) of color to create a washed-out monochromatic look that has subtle hints of color, with some swathes of brightness to accentuate some of the scenery in contrast.
LAST RITES
“Párvulos” is an emotional, albeit uneven, journey that juxtaposes familial drama with a post-apocalyptic zombie setting with an emphasis on interpersonal relationships during a time of global despair. The nuanced relationship between the three brothers and how that shifts over time is by far the most compelling part of “Párvulos” as it packs more of an emotional punch than most zombie films and looks great while doing it.
THE GORY DETAILS
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Where can you watch it?
Párvulos celebrated it’s US Premiere at Fantastic Fest 2024, and is awaiting wider distribution.
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