"GLOWZIES" (2024) Shows Terror Films' Range For Gross, Family Friendly Horror! (REVIEW)
The zombie sub-genre has one of the biggest fandoms in horror movies. They are the most popular sub-genre in the movie industry, but also one that doesn’t struggle to draw in an audience. Zombies in horror movies today are far from what they used to be. The modern zombie in horror movies has evolved from slow-moving, mindless creatures into something far more terrifying. Oddly enough, it is a way of reflecting contemporary anxiety. They are not just the average shuffling corpses that most of us grew up with. Today's zombies are often fast, aggressive, and more intelligent. They emphasize themes of unstoppable contagion or societal collapse that could be a glimpse into our future. Films like “28 Days Later” and “Train to Busan” have redefined the structure of the undead as symbols of pandemics or human fragility. These modern zombies in horror movies tap into fears of survival in an increasingly volatile world. This evolution throughout the decades of horror movies makes modern zombies more menacing, embodying both physical danger and existential dread. This extra dose of terror makes any zombie movie a potential guide to survival.
Recently the team here at Macabre Daily let go of our common understanding of zombies and sat at the edge of our seats to watch Terror Films Releasing’s newest family-friendly zombie horror comedy “Glowzies”. This movie stars James Remar, Michael Dorn, Antuone Torbert, and Ruben Pla. It is written and directed by Hank Braxton, who based this on the comic book “Faraway Canyon”, created by Steve Hilliard and Dennis Nowlan.
The movie follows a group of aging former miners, who must team up with some social media influencers to survive an ancient and evil extraterrestrial slime that was buried in a remote Colorado canyon eons ago. They all soon discover that the slime turns anyone it comes into contact with into glowing, goo-spewing zombies! In a press release from Terror Films Releasing, the writer/director was quoted saying:
“It has been an honor to work with everyone involved in this project, but it has been extra special because it is the first “homegrown” film I’ve made – that is, a film conceived, financed, and filmed in my hometown, which has been a dream come true of sorts. Every film is difficult to make and has its share of challenges to overcome, and ‘Glowzies’ was no different, but we had a blast. This film was fun and inspirational for the cast/crew involved. Hopefully, the audience can feel the love and it inspires them as well.”
“Glowzies” is one of those horror comedies that has a lot going for it and has a lot of heart to it. It is a fun story of 3 old men pals with Darlus (portrayed by James Remar, best known for his role in “Dexter”), Tector (portrayed by Ron Carlson) and Smelly (portrayed by Ruben Pla) stuck in what seems like a living purgatory in their small Colorado town next to a mining mill that has long been abandoned. The 3 old man characters have quite the hilarious back and forth, much like the hilarious 90’s comedy “Grumpy Old Men” (which if you haven’t watched it, you should). Each actor portrays their roles as if they were long-time buddies and clearly shows they enjoyed each other’s company as they filmed the entirety of the movie. It shows with every interaction they have, especially when things get crazy with our movie’s glowing and gross protagonists.
Much like any horror movie, we need a group of idiots to be the catalyst to kick the horror off and this movie doesn’t skip a beat or keep the audience waiting, as it happens within the first few minutes. 3 teenage cyclists go off trail and find a fenced mill (with what clearly is an amazing number of signs telling them to stay out, but again we do need some idiots to kick things off), which without a second thought decide to go in. Their stupid curiosity leads them to a basement with a steel door that they can’t resist opening. This of course leads to the mill’s former workers now glowing zombies (or as the movie calls them “Glowzies”) to attack them and wreak havoc on our heroes.
Not only do we have our 3 main characters, but we also have the small town’s cook Chef (portrayed by Antuone Torbert) with a hidden agenda he is hiding from our main character and the only other teenage resident Shaz (portrayed by Rehyan Rivera) who seems to be one of the few levelheaded people in town. “Glowzies” also has rounded out the cast with 3 social media influencers Kirsten (portrayed by Alexandria House), Walter (portrayed by Kevin Brooks), and Charlene (portrayed by Tayla Fernandez) finishing their road trip to find out the secret to the town’s mill, as well as what mysteries it holds. We also find out that Kirsten and Shaz have family ties to the old mill owner Henry Steen (portrayed by Dylan Cox).
“Glowzies” does not just have a great comedic storyline with equally great timing by its main cast of “Watchdogs”, but it also has some insanely gross moments. These moments center around the antagonists, the glowing zombies controlled by an alien host via a hive mind. The Glowzies don’t turn human like a normal zombie with a bite, but disgustingly vomit green slime all over their new host. The effects of this are greatly used throughout the movie and to a point where you may just feel a bit sick to your stomach, but that is a sign of a good use of effects. There are also some really gruesome death scenes involving the Glowzies getting killed by our main characters. A particularly noteworthy one is when the Watchdogs run over a Glowzie with their car and green slime and body parts are everywhere. It is as Darlus puts it “God invented windshields for moments like this”.
Overall “Glowzies” is a fun, enjoyable, and entertaining watch with its quirky characters, hilarious character moments, gruesome monsters, slime-covered mayhem, and even a bit of a government conspiracy plot. It takes the approach of being fun for the whole family while appealing to the seasoned horror fan who may not rush to watch this. While it has some slow-burn moments and a corny atmosphere that can become stale after a while, it does keep you entertained enough to be glad you saw it to the end.
“Glowzies” from Terror Films Releasing will premiere across multiple platforms on November 1st. These platforms will include Tubi TV, Chilling, Scare Network TV, Kings of Horror, Watch Movies Now, and many more. For more horror-fueled laughs and terror-driven horror movie reviews, stay tuned to Macabre Daily for your source of all things spooky.
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