Production quality inconsistency is where this one falls apart. Some of the Make-Up and Effects work is good, a lot of it is very bad.
Same goes with the location sound, first scene in the diner is all over the place, as is the audio in the Caprice, where the window is wide open and there's no atmos track for the air rushing past.
Shots within the same scene have widely different exposure and grade, and as for the script, there's dialog in the car scenes that adds nothing to the plot, just an excuse for the writers personal diatribe.
A bigger budget wouldn't save this one, but a good production designer and 1AD could have turned it in to a good low budget or Indie monster flick.
39 Reviews
Average zombie flick which can be a Strain to watch at times
infidelreviewer23 December 2020
Its definitely no Dawn of the dead or World war Z. Weak dialogue, deplorable acting with some actors coupled with extremely poor special effects makes it an average watch.
When you watch a zombie movie, the priority should be blood, gore and tense edge-of-your-seat chasing scenes.
Unfortunately, this movie fails to hit on multiple levels. (CGI blood and blood that looks like water mixed with dark red ink is a definite no-no.)
That being said, lower your expectations and its good for a one time watch for the lovers of the zombie genre since there are other really terrible zombie movies out there.
When you watch a zombie movie, the priority should be blood, gore and tense edge-of-your-seat chasing scenes.
Unfortunately, this movie fails to hit on multiple levels. (CGI blood and blood that looks like water mixed with dark red ink is a definite no-no.)
That being said, lower your expectations and its good for a one time watch for the lovers of the zombie genre since there are other really terrible zombie movies out there.
Low budget zombie flick
mcummings-8909219 October 2021
It's a low budget zombie film made during a pandemic. I would say it's a straight to TV movie but it's also adult R/18 rated so unlikely to gain a prime time slot.
If you like the dawn of the dead movie or the walking dead you will likely find this reasonably entertaining otherwise it's not good but not comically terrible either.
If you like the dawn of the dead movie or the walking dead you will likely find this reasonably entertaining otherwise it's not good but not comically terrible either.
Do not believe the 6.5 rating
rqualls-8220923 December 2020
This movie popped up on a few sites. As per usual, I looked up a few that seemed ok. This has a high rating. What the hell. There weren't any comments. So, I'll give it a shot.
During the first few minutes, it was apparent that this was one slated for the 3 and below star group. Do not waste your time. It isn't even "so bad, it's good". It is just bad. Bad acting. Bad script. Syfy channel worthy special effects.
During the first few minutes, it was apparent that this was one slated for the 3 and below star group. Do not waste your time. It isn't even "so bad, it's good". It is just bad. Bad acting. Bad script. Syfy channel worthy special effects.
Garbage.
kricke02028023 December 2020
This movie is horrible and the reviews/ratings are littered with YouTube follower fakers giving it 10s. The acting is atrocious, special effects are poor quality, and the storyline is old and boring. If you've seen any other bad zombie moves lately, this one is no different. SSDD.
Gun enthusiasts good, everything else, not so much
HorrorFilmHellion10 December 2022
The movie itself is really not that good.. technical issues are distracting, most notably the sound mix seemed really out of whack and dubbing was basic and rough around the edges. I'll be honest, I probably would have skipped this generic sprinting zombie movie, but I was curious at what role Hickok45 was going to have in here. He and the other youtuber gun enthusiasts do not disappoint. Their handling of firearms is short, but good (minus the missing hearing protection). So, that's why I watched it, as that is what it has to offer for a low budget generic zombie flick. If you are not a gun enthusiast, then you'll probably gloss over this portion anyway, but it is what it is.
Not Awesome but not horrible
hem-0296922 January 2021
Have you been bit?
nogodnomasters20 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Just another low budget zombie film. Jesse (Jemma Dallender ) travels to Atlanta CDC to find her mom, meeting and killing folks along the way. The infection was caused by a virus vaccine, which apparently wasn't tested and something that was rolled out in just a few days given to most of the world. CDC doctors do not wear any masks either. If you are paranoid about vaccines, then you might buy into the gaping plot holes. Roy was a guy I loved to hate. They could have extended the diner scene a few minutes. Nothing special. Snarling aggressive fast moving zombie types.
Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.
Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.
Please, stop making garbage like this!
psxexperten24 December 2020
This movie is one of the worst directed, worst written, and worst acted zombie movies I have seen in awhile. Just skip it and find anything else. The ending, if u can even call it that, makes no sense, basically the movie just stops.
Stop making movies with your kids pocket money.
I just don't get what was the whole point, it just sucks so hard that I can't believe this has been done intentionally - surely something went horribly wrong somewhere, there has to be some excuse for the lack of any intelligence.
How bad can a movie get?
nikoskont23 December 2020
good movie
dalibortufekcic27 December 2020
Watch if you like guns
jan-hranac4 January 2021
First thing first, Night of the Dead type zombies are overdone a should be abandoned. It's not possible to do anything good with it anymore - not with a bunch of stars and millions of dollars, not with a bunch of amateurs and almost no budget. This also applies for comedies (Zombieland) or when a movie doesn't take itself seriously at all.
Now this one takes you for a little twist. First hour looks like amateur work which takes itself more or less seriously. Then the last twenty minutes come and let me tell you, I was blown away entirely. I loved it, it was exactly what I hoped for and why I watched the flick. Ironically, the first hour is what gives it its value (think cake and frosting).
The bottom line is, be patient and you'll be rewarded (if you like hickok45 and the others). Just watching all those legends do "what they do best" is absolutely delicious (like watching Darth Maul at the end of Phantom Menace).
zombie movie with such a high score
kaefab23 December 2020
Yeah right bring on the fake reviews, guess we have been in the zombie era for more then 20 years now and its insane that its not going away.
Seems this trend started in 2000 and is not giving up the amount of zombie movies been made during all this time.
This movie brings absolutely nothing new to the gender and its boring predictable in every way. Looks cheap and made for TV.
Seems this trend started in 2000 and is not giving up the amount of zombie movies been made during all this time.
This movie brings absolutely nothing new to the gender and its boring predictable in every way. Looks cheap and made for TV.
What's going on guys??
craig-624775 August 2020
Yeah, this was special alright...
paul_haakonsen12 December 2022
I happened to stumble upon the 2020 horror movie "Strain 100" by random chance here late in 2022, and seeing that it was a zombie movie, of course I had to watch it. I am a big fan of all things zombie, but unfortunately the movie genre with zombies is flooded by subpar movies. So I wasn't really harboring much of any expectations to this movie.
Writers Hassan Hussein and Todd Klick managed to put together a very generic script, as "Strain 100" was essentially every zombie cliché rolled into one movie. Yeah, there were so many generic zombie tropes throughout the movie that you quickly grow tired of watching it. So "Strain 100" wasn't a particularly great foray into the zombie genre.
The acting performances in "Strain 100" were amateurish. I have to be honest here, because they were rigid, wooden and amateurish, so you're not in for a grand cinematic experience of fine thespian performances. But hey, I bet the actors and actresses had fun doing this. I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble in "Strain 100", and that counts for something, as that is something I do enjoy when watching movies.
Now, with "Strain 100" being a zombie movie, then we all know that good special effects is a must for movies in this genre. And director Hassan Hussein's movie did not have good special effect, not even remotely. I will say that the effects were special, that's for sure. Especially the blood spray effects, those were so horrible to look at that you can't stop laughing. It puts even 1990s computer graphics to shame.
"Strain 100" came and went without much of a groan, much less leaving a bitemark. If you, like me, enjoy zombie movies, your time, money and effort is wasted, should you opt to sit down and watch "Strain 100".
My rating of "Strain 100" lands on a generous two out of ten stars.
Writers Hassan Hussein and Todd Klick managed to put together a very generic script, as "Strain 100" was essentially every zombie cliché rolled into one movie. Yeah, there were so many generic zombie tropes throughout the movie that you quickly grow tired of watching it. So "Strain 100" wasn't a particularly great foray into the zombie genre.
The acting performances in "Strain 100" were amateurish. I have to be honest here, because they were rigid, wooden and amateurish, so you're not in for a grand cinematic experience of fine thespian performances. But hey, I bet the actors and actresses had fun doing this. I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble in "Strain 100", and that counts for something, as that is something I do enjoy when watching movies.
Now, with "Strain 100" being a zombie movie, then we all know that good special effects is a must for movies in this genre. And director Hassan Hussein's movie did not have good special effect, not even remotely. I will say that the effects were special, that's for sure. Especially the blood spray effects, those were so horrible to look at that you can't stop laughing. It puts even 1990s computer graphics to shame.
"Strain 100" came and went without much of a groan, much less leaving a bitemark. If you, like me, enjoy zombie movies, your time, money and effort is wasted, should you opt to sit down and watch "Strain 100".
My rating of "Strain 100" lands on a generous two out of ten stars.
Watch if you aree a fan!
payupyou24 December 2020
Zombie
Stanlee10727 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This film tries and fails to be the contemporary Dawn of Dead. The problem I have with this film is that all the side characters are throw-aways in that you only get to know them superficially before they are inevitably killed. Without the emotional investment with those characters it makes for a poor viewing that plays out like a poorly pov computer game.
Strain 100 is like a mirage as from a distance it may look like a "real" film but on closer inspection it is nothing but a worn out storyline that may have been flogged to death.
Strain 100 is like a mirage as from a distance it may look like a "real" film but on closer inspection it is nothing but a worn out storyline that may have been flogged to death.
Worst movie I've ever seen
bradley-g-lang11 March 2023
I don't usually make blanket statements like "worst movie ever" because I haven't seen every movie ever made... But this is, without a doubt, the worst movie I've ever seen. Within the first 10 minutes, I could tell it was going to be 2 to 3 stars at best. Unfortunately it got worse from there. It's a pointless exercise to list all the bad things about this film, but among some of the lowlights are:
It may surprise some of you that I've never heard of the YouTube so-called "personalities" that feature towards the end of the film. However, it was quite obvious that that's what they were as one of them started advertising his YouTube channel!
One redeeming feature that saves this film from the ignominy of a single star was the zombie make up. I'm not talking about the special effects, which were atrocious of course, but the practical makeup for most of the zombies was quite good.
In summary, I hope this film ends several careers, among them the inept writer-director Hassan Hussein.
- John Manfredi (Roy, the diner owner) who is possibly the worst actor ever to grease the screen
- Robert Forte Shannon III (Brandon) who was neck-and-neck with Manfredi for that honour
- The poor sound, which required watching with subtitles to understand any dialog
It may surprise some of you that I've never heard of the YouTube so-called "personalities" that feature towards the end of the film. However, it was quite obvious that that's what they were as one of them started advertising his YouTube channel!
One redeeming feature that saves this film from the ignominy of a single star was the zombie make up. I'm not talking about the special effects, which were atrocious of course, but the practical makeup for most of the zombies was quite good.
In summary, I hope this film ends several careers, among them the inept writer-director Hassan Hussein.
This movie really isn't worth it -.-
theblackangel-x7 January 2021
An overall fun if somewhat flawed indie zombie film
kannibalcorpsegrinder11 April 2023
In the middle of a global pandemic, a group of friends discovers that the disease has unleashed a massive zombie plague on humanity with the infected overrunning the community and trying to turn others into similar creatures forcing them to band together to reach safety and stop the creatures.
Overall, this was a pretty solid indie zombie effort. One of the finer features here is the rather fun setup that offers a rather fun and likable touch on a topical explanation for everything. Introducing the touches of the virus coming in the midst of a global pandemic that was thought to have been cured and is instead the root cause of the spreading disease that's turned those infected into flesh-eating zombies allows this to come off with a fine topical touch. Seeing the panic in the citizens who are desperate for answers and instead told nothing by the government who are trying to placate them with answers they don't have starts everything off with the type of context that feels all too common after recent events which is what makes their interactions later on all the more enjoyable due to the initial starting point here. As well, the film also manages quite a lot to like with the slew of action scenes present here which bring about a rather fun time. Employing the running zombie trope here so there are plenty of tense and chilling confrontations as they come running out of everywhere to swarm their opponents while taking them out, there's a lot of really fun action here including the opening scenes in the woods, the house ambush, and the diner sequences. As things get taken out on the road and they manage to encounter the creature out on the open road, the action is quite fun as the series of shootouts and confrontations that take place makes for a great time here with the fun zombie make-up and cheesy gore moving this along rather well. These features are what manage to hold this one up for the few flaws on display. There are some issues here that hold this one down. The main factor that brings it down is the rather bizarre structure where this one seems to have no coherent throughline as it consists of a series of random encounters with random people before moving into a new featured setup which doesn't bring anything interesting to this story. It's all so haphazard and seems to be a loose collection of scenes which are brought together so weirdly that there's very little point to staying invested in anyone or anything that goes on with the way this has little connection to everything she goes into. This doesn't help due to the cheap look on display here with the somewhat laughable CGI featured here for the wounds and blood-spray which are immensely laughable how bad they look which are what bring this one down.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, and violence-against-children.
Overall, this was a pretty solid indie zombie effort. One of the finer features here is the rather fun setup that offers a rather fun and likable touch on a topical explanation for everything. Introducing the touches of the virus coming in the midst of a global pandemic that was thought to have been cured and is instead the root cause of the spreading disease that's turned those infected into flesh-eating zombies allows this to come off with a fine topical touch. Seeing the panic in the citizens who are desperate for answers and instead told nothing by the government who are trying to placate them with answers they don't have starts everything off with the type of context that feels all too common after recent events which is what makes their interactions later on all the more enjoyable due to the initial starting point here. As well, the film also manages quite a lot to like with the slew of action scenes present here which bring about a rather fun time. Employing the running zombie trope here so there are plenty of tense and chilling confrontations as they come running out of everywhere to swarm their opponents while taking them out, there's a lot of really fun action here including the opening scenes in the woods, the house ambush, and the diner sequences. As things get taken out on the road and they manage to encounter the creature out on the open road, the action is quite fun as the series of shootouts and confrontations that take place makes for a great time here with the fun zombie make-up and cheesy gore moving this along rather well. These features are what manage to hold this one up for the few flaws on display. There are some issues here that hold this one down. The main factor that brings it down is the rather bizarre structure where this one seems to have no coherent throughline as it consists of a series of random encounters with random people before moving into a new featured setup which doesn't bring anything interesting to this story. It's all so haphazard and seems to be a loose collection of scenes which are brought together so weirdly that there's very little point to staying invested in anyone or anything that goes on with the way this has little connection to everything she goes into. This doesn't help due to the cheap look on display here with the somewhat laughable CGI featured here for the wounds and blood-spray which are immensely laughable how bad they look which are what bring this one down.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, and violence-against-children.
Yes, it really is THAT bad.
donsimon-8567415 January 2021
This is not a good movie. Many scenes look like they were filled by a community college film class and they randomly grabbed people out of the hallway to "act" in it. I rarely leave reviews but this stinker gave me the urge to try to save others from my suffering.
Terrible Trash
ferdmalenfant24 December 2020
zombie movie with no brains
nindabob13 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
In like the first act the main character somehow manages to survive multiple zombie attacks and a car wreck but some how her clearly false eyelashes were still in place and her hair was perfectly blown out. So that's a fairly apt indication of this movie.
It was very meh. Standard zombie plot, the sound design wasn't very good, and some of the acting choices were... well they were choices.
Ending happens in a big deus ex machina that legit comes out of nowhere like i had to rewind justto clarify what in the hell had just happened.
It was very meh. Standard zombie plot, the sound design wasn't very good, and some of the acting choices were... well they were choices.
Ending happens in a big deus ex machina that legit comes out of nowhere like i had to rewind justto clarify what in the hell had just happened.
An Honest Review. A Long Review But For Good Reasons.
jayjsmith-4790218 January 2021
I admit I did watch this film because of a recommendation by Matt Carriker. A YouTuber, better known from Demolition Ranch, Off The Ranch, and Vet Ranch (Matt stars in this movie). I wanted to support Matt and a small indie film company, so I went into this with an open mind knowing it would not be a blockbuster movie. Although I am a fan of Matt's other work (mainly from YouTube), I cannot honestly praise something purely based on being a fan of Matt's other work. Therefore, I will share my honest opinion of Strain 100.
Sadly this movie did not live up to the hype and expectations, which surrounded this movie from following Matt's part in the film via YouTube. The audio quality, design, and production value are far below what you would come to expect, even for a budget film. In certain scenes, the dialogue is out of sync with the actor's lips (lip-syncing almost like a badly dubbed none English movie). The worst of which is in the dinner, when the owner has some crap cringey lines and delivers them in just the same crap and cringey way, and to make it worse, his lines are out of sync with his lips. Car scenes (when in motion with inside shots) are missing atmospheric sound effects with open windows. Silent dead air inside the car, except for a few dialogues, very basic 101 rules are missing. The videography is all over the place, with camera cuts not being consistent, bad angles, and strange lighting placement.
The script is amateurish (that's being kind). It's borderline boring, which you do not expect from an American action horror (even bad action horror movies give a little fear factor or excitement). A lot of the dialogue is bloated with filler rather than contextual or plot-based writing. As for the plot, or lack thereof? Honestly, I don't think there is one, and if there is a plot, I missed it. To say a virus went "bad" and turned everyone into flesh-eating zombies just doesn't cut the mustard with me as far a plot goes. I truly believe this movie is based on yet another zombie "shoot 'em up" (at best, it's almost like a parody zombie film, but without the comedic effect). However, the first 5 minutes were positive and possibly the best of the whole movie, but it sadly takes a steep downward spiral from then on. The first 5 minutes do have a tense thriller like feel, posing the right questions. In those opening 5 minutes, I was getting myself ready for a unique indie low budget movie on a virus type global pandemic (not that we need any more of that at this current time). I even gave it a positive eyebrow gesture as if to say: "ok, you have my attention." The imagery, the sounds, and the music were good. The edgy, real-world snap news footage of riots, martial law, society breaking down, and vaccines gave a sense of seriousness to the situation, and even the brief news reporter scene gave me high hopes for what's to come. Then the movie seemed to switch to something completely different, almost like I had switched over TV channels. The remainder of the film was woeful in comparison to those first 5 minutes, a real shame.
The actor's performances are varied, rating from very bad to dull to adequate. All of the none core characters are forgettable, annoying, boring, or inconsequential. The main characters do not fair much better. The "zombie" extras seem to have the greater of the performances. Their roles far outreach the actual casting and are more consistent. (Which sets the tone for the rest of the movie). The only character worth paying any attention to is Jesse, played by Jemma Dallender. Jemma seems to have the most acting experience, delivers what lines she has relatively well, bearing in mind how bad the writing is. Two other characters worth mentioning are Emma, played by Alexis Boozer Sterling, and Brandon, played by Robert Forte Shannon III. Both play into their roles well, Emma a waitress, who is the first none zombie Jesse comes into contact with after Jesse, fights off a zombie attacker inside Emma's house. Who turns out to be Emma's brother-in-law. They decide to work together and make their way to the diner where Emma works. Which is where they meet Brandon. Who appears to speak his mind and tells the truth, whether or people want to hear it. Brandon joins Jesse, Emma, and two others from the diner, as they head off to Atlanta to find Jesse's mum, who works for the CDC. Again the writing is pretty bad, but they make the most of what lines they have.
There was a moment towards the end, which I believe was one of the most unnecessary, cringey, and cheap directions the movie has, and it bears no relevance to whatever the plot is. I find it obscene and believe readers need to be informed further. I also was wondering why the movie company wanted this in the movie at all. During a shooting zombie scene towards the end, a 71-year-old real-world YouTuber called Greg Kinman, better known as Hickok45, "saves" Jesse and a little girl. He proceeds to shoot zombies, and after each kill, he says things relating to his actual YouTube channel (like a form of promotion to his channel). One of his many creepy lines is: "I hope none of those people were our subscribers." After all the zombies are dead, he goes to Jesse and the little girl and says: "Names Hickok45, names kinda strange huh, it's my YouTube name, you seen my videos right?" To which Jesse and the little girl both say: "no." Then, Hickok45 says: "Didn't think so, didn't think so." Then proceeds to laugh in an embarrassed sort of way. Yes, you heard me right, he uses his actual YouTube channel name, not his real name nor a fictitious name for the movie. The interaction between Jesse, the little girl, and Hickok45 is very out of place. You have two actresses staying in character, but then you have Hickok45, playing himself but asking them as if he is asking them in real life and not part of the script. It takes you so far out of context that it's awkward and a pretty stupid decision to include this as part of the actual movie script. His YouTube channel has nothing to do with the movie in any way, shape, or form. It serves no purpose to the audience to know Hickik45 is a YouTuber. Serves no purpose to the plot, script, or character relationship. It annoyed me hearing this pointless dialogue, which seems to only serve Hickok for promotional reasons. He got the part by being a known YouTuber for shooting guns, which doesn't entitle him to weirdly and awkwardly plug his channel. Also, Matt Carriker (the YouTuber I follow who also starred in this, and the reason why I watched it) plays a character called Lucas. Matt did not plug his YouTube channel, so why did they feel it was necessary to plug Hickok. You would think just starring in a film and having your name in the credits would be enough of a plug for you and your channel, or or even have your YouTube channel in the credits if you were that desperate. However, they felt it necessary to include it in the actual movie script.
It goes to show how unprofessional and shoddy this movie company is. Seemingly, they tried to make a cheap and poorly written "shoot 'em up" zombie film in the hopes of making an easy buck. They show no signs of passion or respect for the art and make a mockery of the industry by releasing this appalling excuse of a film. I feel sorry for the talented actors such as Jemma Dallender, Alexis Boozer Sterling, and Robert Forte Shannon III for having their names attached to such rubbish, even though they tried to make the most of a poorly directed film with a badly written script.
Overall, I give the movie 1 star. The movie started strong, with a good 5-minute opening, but bloated out in the middle with empty irrelevant filler with lots of boredom, bad audio, and questionable camera work. Fell flat at the end, but it didn't honestly have far to fall. This movie was a massive mistake from day one. It has awful writing, bad acting, lack of a plot, terrible sound design, and videography. Shallow practices and not to mention this has been in the making for at least four years (Matt's first video about his part was back in 2017), so you would have expected a lot more from a film that took over four years to make/release (budget film or not). I cannot and will not be recommending Strain 100. It will be a waste of your time, a waste of your hard-earned money. And will only encourage this movie company to keep making more of the same rubbish in the future.
Lastly, I can understand if people want to support Matt. I wanted to do the same thing, but there are many other ways of doing so (I will be continuing to support Matt via other means). However, I cannot stand behind this film. A bad movie is a bad movie, regardless of whether your favourite celebrity is in it or not. I am also not shaming Matt in any way either. I respect him for wanting to try something new, and this has no reflection on his acting ability or life choices. The movie just was not good, with or without Matt. It still would have been a bad movie.
An Honest Review By Mr. J. Smith
Sadly this movie did not live up to the hype and expectations, which surrounded this movie from following Matt's part in the film via YouTube. The audio quality, design, and production value are far below what you would come to expect, even for a budget film. In certain scenes, the dialogue is out of sync with the actor's lips (lip-syncing almost like a badly dubbed none English movie). The worst of which is in the dinner, when the owner has some crap cringey lines and delivers them in just the same crap and cringey way, and to make it worse, his lines are out of sync with his lips. Car scenes (when in motion with inside shots) are missing atmospheric sound effects with open windows. Silent dead air inside the car, except for a few dialogues, very basic 101 rules are missing. The videography is all over the place, with camera cuts not being consistent, bad angles, and strange lighting placement.
The script is amateurish (that's being kind). It's borderline boring, which you do not expect from an American action horror (even bad action horror movies give a little fear factor or excitement). A lot of the dialogue is bloated with filler rather than contextual or plot-based writing. As for the plot, or lack thereof? Honestly, I don't think there is one, and if there is a plot, I missed it. To say a virus went "bad" and turned everyone into flesh-eating zombies just doesn't cut the mustard with me as far a plot goes. I truly believe this movie is based on yet another zombie "shoot 'em up" (at best, it's almost like a parody zombie film, but without the comedic effect). However, the first 5 minutes were positive and possibly the best of the whole movie, but it sadly takes a steep downward spiral from then on. The first 5 minutes do have a tense thriller like feel, posing the right questions. In those opening 5 minutes, I was getting myself ready for a unique indie low budget movie on a virus type global pandemic (not that we need any more of that at this current time). I even gave it a positive eyebrow gesture as if to say: "ok, you have my attention." The imagery, the sounds, and the music were good. The edgy, real-world snap news footage of riots, martial law, society breaking down, and vaccines gave a sense of seriousness to the situation, and even the brief news reporter scene gave me high hopes for what's to come. Then the movie seemed to switch to something completely different, almost like I had switched over TV channels. The remainder of the film was woeful in comparison to those first 5 minutes, a real shame.
The actor's performances are varied, rating from very bad to dull to adequate. All of the none core characters are forgettable, annoying, boring, or inconsequential. The main characters do not fair much better. The "zombie" extras seem to have the greater of the performances. Their roles far outreach the actual casting and are more consistent. (Which sets the tone for the rest of the movie). The only character worth paying any attention to is Jesse, played by Jemma Dallender. Jemma seems to have the most acting experience, delivers what lines she has relatively well, bearing in mind how bad the writing is. Two other characters worth mentioning are Emma, played by Alexis Boozer Sterling, and Brandon, played by Robert Forte Shannon III. Both play into their roles well, Emma a waitress, who is the first none zombie Jesse comes into contact with after Jesse, fights off a zombie attacker inside Emma's house. Who turns out to be Emma's brother-in-law. They decide to work together and make their way to the diner where Emma works. Which is where they meet Brandon. Who appears to speak his mind and tells the truth, whether or people want to hear it. Brandon joins Jesse, Emma, and two others from the diner, as they head off to Atlanta to find Jesse's mum, who works for the CDC. Again the writing is pretty bad, but they make the most of what lines they have.
There was a moment towards the end, which I believe was one of the most unnecessary, cringey, and cheap directions the movie has, and it bears no relevance to whatever the plot is. I find it obscene and believe readers need to be informed further. I also was wondering why the movie company wanted this in the movie at all. During a shooting zombie scene towards the end, a 71-year-old real-world YouTuber called Greg Kinman, better known as Hickok45, "saves" Jesse and a little girl. He proceeds to shoot zombies, and after each kill, he says things relating to his actual YouTube channel (like a form of promotion to his channel). One of his many creepy lines is: "I hope none of those people were our subscribers." After all the zombies are dead, he goes to Jesse and the little girl and says: "Names Hickok45, names kinda strange huh, it's my YouTube name, you seen my videos right?" To which Jesse and the little girl both say: "no." Then, Hickok45 says: "Didn't think so, didn't think so." Then proceeds to laugh in an embarrassed sort of way. Yes, you heard me right, he uses his actual YouTube channel name, not his real name nor a fictitious name for the movie. The interaction between Jesse, the little girl, and Hickok45 is very out of place. You have two actresses staying in character, but then you have Hickok45, playing himself but asking them as if he is asking them in real life and not part of the script. It takes you so far out of context that it's awkward and a pretty stupid decision to include this as part of the actual movie script. His YouTube channel has nothing to do with the movie in any way, shape, or form. It serves no purpose to the audience to know Hickik45 is a YouTuber. Serves no purpose to the plot, script, or character relationship. It annoyed me hearing this pointless dialogue, which seems to only serve Hickok for promotional reasons. He got the part by being a known YouTuber for shooting guns, which doesn't entitle him to weirdly and awkwardly plug his channel. Also, Matt Carriker (the YouTuber I follow who also starred in this, and the reason why I watched it) plays a character called Lucas. Matt did not plug his YouTube channel, so why did they feel it was necessary to plug Hickok. You would think just starring in a film and having your name in the credits would be enough of a plug for you and your channel, or or even have your YouTube channel in the credits if you were that desperate. However, they felt it necessary to include it in the actual movie script.
It goes to show how unprofessional and shoddy this movie company is. Seemingly, they tried to make a cheap and poorly written "shoot 'em up" zombie film in the hopes of making an easy buck. They show no signs of passion or respect for the art and make a mockery of the industry by releasing this appalling excuse of a film. I feel sorry for the talented actors such as Jemma Dallender, Alexis Boozer Sterling, and Robert Forte Shannon III for having their names attached to such rubbish, even though they tried to make the most of a poorly directed film with a badly written script.
Overall, I give the movie 1 star. The movie started strong, with a good 5-minute opening, but bloated out in the middle with empty irrelevant filler with lots of boredom, bad audio, and questionable camera work. Fell flat at the end, but it didn't honestly have far to fall. This movie was a massive mistake from day one. It has awful writing, bad acting, lack of a plot, terrible sound design, and videography. Shallow practices and not to mention this has been in the making for at least four years (Matt's first video about his part was back in 2017), so you would have expected a lot more from a film that took over four years to make/release (budget film or not). I cannot and will not be recommending Strain 100. It will be a waste of your time, a waste of your hard-earned money. And will only encourage this movie company to keep making more of the same rubbish in the future.
Lastly, I can understand if people want to support Matt. I wanted to do the same thing, but there are many other ways of doing so (I will be continuing to support Matt via other means). However, I cannot stand behind this film. A bad movie is a bad movie, regardless of whether your favourite celebrity is in it or not. I am also not shaming Matt in any way either. I respect him for wanting to try something new, and this has no reflection on his acting ability or life choices. The movie just was not good, with or without Matt. It still would have been a bad movie.
An Honest Review By Mr. J. Smith
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