3249. Office Uprising (2018)

Starring: Brenton Thwaites, Jane Levy, Karan Soni

Director: Lin Oeding

Running Time: 92 mins

Office Uprising is an American film about a trio of employees who find themselves trying to escape their office block after a popular energy drink turns their colleagues into vicious zombies.

I like a good ‘zom-com’ (yes, that is a word) from time to time, and although Office Uprising isn’t the very best in a surprisingly strong genre, it does offer up some interesting and original takes on the premise, with a good blend of horror and comedy that delivers some nice laughs throughout.

The place to start with this movie is its strongest suit: the zombies. There have been countless zombie comedies over recent years, all largely replicating a generic zombie concept and chucking in a joke or two, without much in the way of real originality.

Now, while I can’t say that Office Uprising is the most original film you’ll ever see, I really liked its portrayal of zombies as bloodthirsty but still functioning human beings. Rather than following a trio of heroes as they battle a horde of ambling undead, our leads are up against genuinely menacing villains in the form of the zombies, who are both hungry for flesh and still able to run a marketing business.

It’s a nice touch that signals the strong originality at play here, as well as a talent for changing the game up. So, that’s why I’m not too eager to directly compare Office Uprising to zom-com classics like Shaun Of The Dead, as it plays more on the human traits of its monsters, with a number of moments reminiscent of the terrifying office horror The Belko Experiment.

Belko is pretty much the hardcore version of Office Uprising, which counts on Anna And The Apocalypse-esque humour to lighten the mood in the midst of what can be a very dark story. The comedy is generally good, and although there are few enormous laugh-out-loud moments, the film delivers some good chuckles as well as a likable trio of heroes.

In the lead roles, Brenton Thwaites, Jane Levy and especially Karan Soni are really good value, working just as nicely together as they do starring as individually funny characters. Their chemistry really helps to make this a fun, light-hearted buddy comedy kind of a movie, only adding to the likability of Office Uprising as a whole.

Narratively, it’s fair to say that Office Uprising isn’t the most ground-breaking horror-comedy you’ll ever see, with a fairly generic and predictable story that sees our heroes trying to escape their office building without being killed. However, the film’s light-hearted and fun-loving atmosphere means that the story isn’t quite as integral to your enjoyment.

As a result, I had a good time with Office Uprising. It’s not the best zom-com ever made, but it has some original ideas and a good sense of humour that make it a thoroughly entertaining watch all the same. Admittedly generic at times, the film counts on a fun-loving atmosphere and some great performances to make you laugh, and that’s why I’m giving it a 7.0 overall.