Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead (2014)

A talented mechanic prepares to battle his way through hordes of flesh-eating monsters after his sister is kidnapped on the eve of a zombie apocalypse.

Director:

Kiah Roache-Turner

Writers:

Kiah Roache-Turner (screenplay), Tristan Roache-Turner (screenplay)

Stars:

Jay Gallagher, Bianca Bradey, Leon Burchill

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jay Gallagher	...	Barry
Bianca Bradey	...	Brooke
Leon Burchill	...	Benny
Keith Agius	...	Frank
Berynn Schwerdt	...	The Doctor
Luke McKenzie	...	The Captain
Cain Thompson	...	Kelly / McGlaughlin / Zombie
Damian Dyke	...	Soldier Thompson / Soldier at End #1
Yure Covich	...	Chalker
Catherine Terracini	...	Annie
Meganne West	...	Meganne
Beth Aubrey	...	Charlie
Sheridan Harbridge	...	Cherry
Damion Hunter	...	Benny's Brother Tony
Alfred Coolwell	...	Benny's Brother Mulla

Storyline

Barry is a talented mechanic and family man whose life is torn apart on the eve of a zombie apocalypse. His sister, Brooke, is kidnapped by a sinister team of gas-mask wearing soldiers & experimented on by a psychotic doctor. While Brooke plans her escape Barry goes out on the road to find her & teams up with Benny, a fellow survivor - together they must arm themselves and prepare to battle their way through hordes of flesh-eating monsters in a harsh Australian bushland.

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Plot Keywords:

zombie apocalypse | australian | one word title | zombie | gas mask | 

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Horror

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

During filming, a serious accident occurred that nearly caused the death of Bianca Bradey's stunt double, she undershot her jump from the back of the lab truck onto the bonnet of the zombie truck and was nearly run over, fortunately she was unharmed.

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Goofs

After the doctor is attacked and he shoots the zombie in the head, the zombie's brain are splattered everywhere and half of his head is missing (around 01.08.42) The zombie is shown again in same position (around 01.08.53), but after a few seconds, when the doctor says to Brooke: It's time, and he starts dancing towards her, we see the zombie, only this time, his head is completely intact and no brains are splattered on the floor (around 01.09.30).

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Quotes

Benny: [upon firing his shotgun] Oh shit, he wasn't a zombie?
Barry: No he fucking wasn't!
Benny: Is he alright? Is he ok?
Barry: His head is fucked!

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Connections

Referenced in El Rato Muerto: Top 20 películas de Zombies según un Zombie (2019)

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Soundtracks

Get Down Tonight
Performed by KC & The Sunshine Band
Written by Harry Wayne Casey & Richard Finch

User Reviews

A wildly inventive DIY zombie filled ride

It's great to see not only the spirit of DIY filmmaking but Ozploitation cinema alive and well in the form of the Roache-Turner brothers (Kiah the director, Tristan his co-writer) blood filled and over the top zombie carnage horror/actioner Wyrmwood: The Road of the Dead, a film that was clearly a labour of love for these aspiring filmmakers and a film that in recent months has grown quite the reputation on the festival circuit that has seen the filmmaking duo well and truly become the next big thing in the local industry.

Filmed from my understanding over a number of years on a budget that was more than likely made up of family, friends and everyone else in between, there is no questioning that this is an unpolished film but at the same time a film that you can't help but appreciate on a level where you understand that the limitations set before the filmmakers failed to derail a film that is at its core a hugely energetic and often fantastically inventive tale. While we all know that the zombie genre of film and TV has virtually been done to (pardon the pun) death over many years Wrymwood has enough OTT ideas, violence and the Aussie humour we all know and love to keep us glued to our zombie guts covered seats for it's pretty quick fire 90 or so minute run time and in an age of films that look to cover up there budgetary flaws it's a joy to see Wyrmwood reveal in its roots.

Every part of Wyrmwood feels as though it could've been made in your backyard and in anything but a negative it gives the overall sense that this is a film that is truly its own beast. It's glorious to see the Roache-Turner brothers use the locales at their disposal to great effort from the wilderness through the "road of the dead" this is a tale that feels Australian and benefits from it while the movies performances range from impressive through to never passing acting school yet it doesn't bring the film down, it in fact brings it to a new level of enjoyable even though what your witnessing is akin to watching a friends high school media production.

With some off the wall ideas (mind controlling zombie hordes, zombie blood as a new source of fuel, just to name a few) and with an impressively constructed yet whole heartedly home grown production Wrymwood is indeed a film in a league all of its own. There are myriad problems with the film, mainly some downright lame scripting and some pretty lacklustre acting but when things click in this blood splattered ride they certainly work to a very high level. On the back of this effort you'd suggest that the Roache-Turner brothers most certainly do have a career ahead of them that hopefully sees them given a much bigger stash of play money that would no doubt see them craft some wickedly inventive and entertaining cinematic moments.

3 pieces of steak to the face out of 5

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Details

Official Sites:

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Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 February 2015 (USA)

Also Known As:

Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead

Filming Locations:

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$111,141

Company Credits

Production Co:

Guerilla Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1