Tina Romero breaths new life into the zombie genre with Queens of the Dead, a movie about Brooklyn drag queens surviving the apocalypse.
The late, legendary George A. Romero made the zombie genre a global phenomenon through his series of movies, from Night of the Living Dead to Dawn of the Dead, and beyond. He explored pretty much every facet of human survival, offering plenty of social and political commentary through his bloody narratives. This brings us to his daughter Tina Romero’s debut feature film, Queens of the Dead, which harnesses the spark of her father’s legendary vision, combined with her own unique and creative flair.
Queens of the Dead follows a group of drag queens who are cooped up and trying to survive when the zombie apocalypse breaks out in Brooklyn. While the premise is relatively simple, like all Romero movies, it contains all the social commentary you’d expect. Notably, this one leans heavily into influencer culture and humanity’s insatiable need to be glued to our phones, both alive and undead, apparently.
Romero’s direction is stylish; she has a vision and she doubles down on it. The movie is bursting with colour and character. Even the zombies themselves take on a distinct greenish tint, reminiscent of George Romero’s zombies in Dawn of the Dead.
The cast of queer performers are all a joy; I was most impressed by Tomás Matos, who puts in a particularly electric performance. You’ll also be obsessed with Katy O’Brian as Dre, an aspiring drag impresario, with one of the more emotional arcs of the film. No matter who’s on the screen, you’ll laugh-out-loud.
Romero deliberately places plenty of easter eggs throughout the movie, all linked to her father’s work. “This is not a George Romero movie,” one character says. It’s absolutely a Tina Romero movie, and George Romero would be proud.
It’s also a picture to make the entire queer community relish in joy. That said, I can’t see it being for everyone. If you want a more serious and thought-provoking zombie film, definitely look elsewhere, but if you want to chill out and experience a deliciously good time, Queens of the Dead is absolutely the movie you want to watch.
