Zombies Go Docile for 32 Seconds at a Time in Shudder’s Virus :32

In Shudder’s zombie thriller Virus: 32, the undead go dormant for about a half-minute after every attack, giving survivors 32 seconds to escape.

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Shudder is now streaming the chilling zombie thriller Virus: 32 from Latin American horror maestro Gustavo Hernandez (The Silent House), and we have an exclusive clip from the film to give you an idea of what it’s like. In the movie, zombies are driven by a compulsive need to inflict violence but go dormant for about 32 seconds after attacks. In our clip, which you can watch below, one infected person approaches another who’s confined to a wheelchair as young Iris (Paula Silva, In the Quarry) watches on from her hiding spot.

Along with Silva, the film stars Berlinale Silver Bear winner Daniel Hendler (Lost Embrace). It’s produced by Sebastián Aloi’s Aeroplano in Argentina and Hernández and Ignacio Garcia Cucucovich’s Mother Superior Films in Uruguay.

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Gustavo Hernandez wrote and directed Virus: 32. Previously, Hernandez had impressed fans and critics with his feature debut The Silent House (La casa muda), which premiered out of Cannes’ Directors Fortnight in 2010 to international acclaim. That was followed by Local God (Dios Local) premiering at Fantastic Fest in 2014, as well as You Shall Not Sleep (No dormiras) in 2018 at Tribeca.

You can read the official synopsis for the newest film from Hernandez below.

In Virus :32, a virus breaks out and a chilling massacre rages through the streets. The sick become hunters, and only calm their fever by unscrupulously killing all those not yet infected. Unaware of this, Iris (Paula Silva, In The Quarry) and her daughter spend the day in the sports club where Iris works as a security guard. When night falls, their fight for survival beings. Their only hope of salvation arrives when they discover that after each attack, the infected seem to stop for 32 seconds of calm before attacking again.

Virus :32 Was Loved by Critics

After more than a decade of The Walking Dead and its various spinoffs, it can be a challenge for filmmakers to capture horror fans’ attention with new zombie movies. Gustavo Hernandez was onto something by adding a fresh gimmick to the genre, presenting new rules for the zombies along with the catch that they can go docile for half-minutes at a time. Most critics who’ve reviewed the film were satisfied, landing Virus: 32 with an impressive 93% fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes; its audience score was also fairly strong at 80% fresh.

These zombies are also aggressive and fast when they are active, making them less like The Walking Dead and more akin to the terrifying infected we see in films like 28 Days Later. This makes the zombies much more terrifying for many viewers, adding to the good reviews garnered by Virus :32 for bringing this kind of horror back to zombie fiction. Just be warned that the movie is not light on the violence so don’t expect Gustavo Hernandez to take it easy on these characters.

Virus :32 is now streaming on Shudder. You can check out the full trailer for the film below.

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