The ending of Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires is a fitting send-off for the show's original cast, who are clearly too old to be playing monsters. So the last time I voluntarily watched a Disney Channel Original Series was reruns of High School Musical, which pretty much makes it clear that I'm too old for the movies the company is releasing today. So it should come as no surprise when I say that not only had I never seen any of the Zombie movies before, I'd never even heard of them. But this movie pleasantly surprised me.
While on its surface, this movie conveys the message that teamwork makes dreams come true—a Disney favorite—it also focuses on the pressure to perform well academically, trying to be the best version of yourself and what that entails, and, of course, most importantly, thinking outside the box and putting an end to ancient wars. After accidentally crashing their car due to a pulse that briefly interrupted Zed's Z-gang, the original gang finds themselves caught up in a war between the Vampires and the Daywalkers.
Director: Paul Hoen
Writers: Josh A. Cagan, David Light, Joseph Raso
Stars: Meg Donnelly, Milo Manheim, Malachi Barton
Vampires and Daywalkers have been fighting for generations because they believe the Bloodfruit, which keeps them alive, belongs to each faction individually. But the latest generation of young people from both factions has produced leaders who believe they've been fighting for too long. While searching for help, Zed ends up with the Daywalkers and Addison with the Vampires. This leads them to gather the two gangs in a camp, suggesting that if they work together to find the three keys that unlock the orchard, both sides can be saved and live in peace.
At the same time, Victor and Nova, the two young leaders of the Vampires and the Daywalkers, seem to have a secret connection. They've been having visions of each other, which has made them realize they must stick together, not fight each other. Upon seeing each other, they are completely shocked to realize they are real, not just mental images. It turns out the pulse Zed feels through the Z-band is caused by a collapsed tower. Now they have two problems to solve: one is the Orchard, which must be opened to keep the Vampires and Daywalkers alive, and the other is saving the zombies from the pulse.
Zed and Addison each try to be leaders in their own way. Addison wants to be captain of the cheerleaders, and Zed needs to improve his football skills to make the varsity team. However, this obsession has caused them to drift away from their families and have no time for each other. The film teaches us that you shouldn't constantly think about improving yourself if it means leaving your loved ones behind or neglecting the good things you already have. This is what they discover after reuniting the Vampires and Daywalkers. They are basically told that all kinds of monsters can live in harmony, with their gang being the greatest example. Zed and the girls rebuilt the tower with all their might and managed to stop the pulse, saving everyone at home as well. But at the top of the tower are two pieces of Moonstone, which created the Vampires and the Daywalkers. This is probably what keeps the Garden alive.
It's always the adults who cling to their old ideas, which keeps them closed off to things that might, in the end, help them. That's why they never bother to understand why the Bloodfruits die; they just want to shift the blame. Luckily, the kids are open-minded and realize they must unite, that they were always meant to work together to keep the Garden alive. The "pulse" of the Garden is the two Moonstones uniting. When the adults realize they've been working together, they show up to fight again, but end up burning the Garden down, leaving both sides with only one war.
In the ending of Zombies 4, Victor and Nova combine the two Moonstones at the risk of being considered traitors and banished, but they succeed. The Orchard revives with the arrival of rain, and the Bloodfruits regain their health, meaning everyone can survive and live in harmony. If only it were that easy in real life, right? This proves that Vampires and Daywalkers were never meant to be separated, and that the only way to keep things moving forward is by working together.
Which means they have no choice but to socialize and celebrate their differences. But the movie doesn't end there. Zed and Addison decide that they'll be okay, even if they don't become cheerleader captains or great football players, as long as they're happy with who they are. While we can't be sure the adults have completely changed their minds, one thing is certain: they must work together despite their issues. Every year, they must reunite during harvest time and work together for the Bloodfruit. But this means the separation of Nova and Victor, who feel they've finally found someone who understands them. Although they have plenty of time to think about the future, another problem arises after their romantic parting.
I haven't seen the other Zombies films, but I can see that what happens to Victor and Nova is similar to what happened to Addison and Zed. They're happy together now, but considering there are three other films before this one, there were surely other threats they fought together. Similarly, before the end of Zombies 4, there's a new threat for Victor and Nova. I suppose if they had visions of each other before, does that imply they have special powers? Honestly, it could mean anything.
From what I understand, the Zombies franchise will likely let go of the original cast and focus on new creatures: vampires and daydreamers. With Victor and Nova taking center stage, the new threat comes from water. An external entity that will likely force the vampires and daydreamers to work together. Water could mean many things; Maybe there are mermaids, maybe an underwater world, or maybe it's just a nature versus monsters situation. We'll have to wait and see, but one thing's for sure: zombie movies aren't over.
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