Wild Zero (1999) User Reviews

Guitar Wolf Rules!!

[rainking_es · 5/10 · 16 March 2007]

The Beatles had "A hard day's night", the Ramones had their "Rock and Roll Highschool", The Who had "Quadrophenia", and the Japanese rocker Guitar Wolf has this "Wild Zero".

Tetsuro?? does not try to fool anyone, "Wild Zero" is a product that's perfect for those who love the dirtiest rock and roll and zombies movies. Guitars, motorbikes and tons of blood!! OK, this film didn't changed for good the history of cinema, but it's so goddamn funny to see the adventures of Guitar Wolf and his partners.

*My rate: 5/10

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Wild Zero

[Scarecrow-88 · 5/10 · 10 November 2010]

Take a trip to SurrealLand as a rock'n'roll band, whose leader is Guitar Wolf(along with fellow members Drum Wolf and Bass Wolf), help other frightened folks defend themselves against zombies, created thanks to an alien invasion(in the form of flying saucers, we never see actual alien lifeforms). These walking corpses are extra blue(amplify the color scheme of the zombies of Romero's DAWN to the nth degree), lumber and lurch, stiffly surrounding unfortunates who can not get away. Masashi Endô is Ace, a major fan of Guitar Wolf's band, helping his hero upend a nefarious business exec named Captain(Makoto Inamiya)who wants to muscle his most popular group around, becoming an anointed blood brother. Ace is given a whistle by Guitar as a means to call whenever he's in a state of emergency and needs assistance. Ace meets Tobio(Kwancharu Shitichai)at a gas station, inadvertently halting a heist. Toshi and Hanako(Yoshiyuki Morishita and Taneko)are a married couple always arguing and bickering, scared out of their wits when their family member is devoured by zombies. There's included a Yakuza boss and weapons dealer in the cast of humans either warding off zombies or becoming members of the undead. The romance between Ace and Tobio gets more than a bit interesting when he discovers she is not exactly the "girl" he thought she was. Guitar Wolf's band are a Japanese equivalent of a band like Jet, slick hair constantly combed, leather jackets and black shades. Guitar Wolf's guitar never leaves his person, almost another body part he depends on(it does come in handy more than one occasion). Such bizarre moments include a once human couple, shortly after becoming members of the undead, lovingly embracing, Guitar Wolf killing a mass of zombies using "electrified" guitar pics, and Captain equipped(thanks to Guitar, never quite explained as to what this lead guitarist and singer gets such powers)with supernatural electromagnetic powers, firing lighting bolts of great intensity from his eyes. Most of the gore is in tacky CGI form, heads exploding from gunfire(how bullets could take off either half a face or an entire skull is beyond the realm of realism)mainly. Lots of punk music(reminiscent of The Ramones, to me)blaring away in the background. There are many moments where the movie just goes off the deep end such as how Ace is able to battle zombies all around him with little more than a crowbar and Guitar Wolf using his guitar(with a hidden sword in its handle)to destroy a giant space ship.

A real piece of trash

[The_Void · 5/10 · 16 September 2004]

I love zombie films, and I love rock bands; so Wild Zero is definitely a movie for me. Until you consider that the movie is a load of rubbish, that is. Of course I realize that is the point; the movie is trash, and it knows it is; but it isn't trash in a good way, it's just ridiculous. Many stupid elements are thrown in, and the only reason for that seems to be to make the film more ridiculous. The central character, Ace, isn't a likable guy, not even in an Ash-from-the-evil-dead sort of way, he's just irritating. The movie is, basically, just a meandering mess in which many silly and gory sequences are strung together, with little or no cohesion at all. When going into a film like this (a self-proclaimed piece of trash), you can't expect a great screenplay and a logical plot; but even from bad films, I've come to expect better.

Wild Zero is directed by a music video director, and this is blatantly obvious throughout the movie. It basically is just one long music video, with things popping up here and there simply to try and entertain the viewer; and that's another thing - the movie isn't very entertaining. Usually for a film like this, despite low production values, one can say, "at least it was entertaining", but for a lot of it's 98 minute running time; Wild Zero is boring, and at times even painful to watch. The scene in which two zombies 'fall in love' springs to mind immediately for the painful part of the film - it's not big, it's not clever; just stupid. And then there's a thing with a girl that turns out to be a guy. The movie professes that "love has no boundaries, nationalities or gender". This message completely lost in a trash film such as this, and it comes across as just being there to make the film more stupid. In a film like "The Crying Game", a message like this can, and does work; but come on, not in a silly zombie film - please! Another bad thing about is this movie is the band; Guitar Wolf. If you're going to make a trash movie with a rock band, at least make it a cool one. Guitar Wolf comes across as being a boring bunch of idiots in this film.

That's not to say that Wild Zero is completely devoid of positive aspects. There is a hilarious short conversation about who has seen the classic "Night of the Living Dead", and some of the zombie attack sequences are good; mostly due to the heavy gore, which is always nice to see. The movie also features an impressive arsenal of weapons, from rocket launchers to shotguns to broomsticks. However, none of these things are enough to save this mess. It isn't destined to be a cult classic because it simply isn't that good. It's maybe worth watching if you're a die-hard fan of ridiculous movies, or if you really love the better side of Asian horror (as opposed to the boring ghost story side), but otherwise I recommend leaving this alone and seeing the superior Asian zombie flick; "Bio-Zombie" instead, which is silly in all the right places.

Hey-Ho! Let's Go! THE greatest Japanese rock'n'roll zombie movie ever made!

[Infofreak · 20 February 2003]

I love rock'n'roll and I love zombie movies, and 'Wild Zero' combines the two into a fantastically entertaining and energetic movie that I'm certain in years to come will be regarded as a trash classic. I usually like my zombie movies to be serious, but in this case I didn't mind the silliness at all. In fact I absolutely loved every minute of it! Cult Japanese trio Guitar Wolf, who deftly mix punk, rockabilly, garage and surf influences, star in this impossible to categorize fun fun fun romp which jumps genres as fast as Johnny Ramone changes bar chords. Masashi Endo plays Ace, a major Guitar Wolf fan, who helps the band out of a tight spot with a nasty promoter. Guitar Wolf give him a whistle and tell him to use it if he's ever in a jam. Little does Ace know he'll soon be stuck in the middle of a rampaging zombie horde! Believe me, there is has been nothing quite like this movie ever before. It's stupid but GOOD stupid. No, make that GREAT stupid. I thought it was absolutely wonderful and if Ed Wood, Lucio Fulci, Link Wray and The Dickies mean anything to you then this is ESSENTIAL viewing! I'm usually wary of sequels but if 'Wild Zero' ever has one I'll be queueing up to see it!

Energetic low budget zombie sci-fi trash

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 4 December 2016]

I think three words sum up this little low-budget movie from Japan quite nicely: An insane movie. Yes, it's a Z-grade production, ultra trashy and seriously demented, with no real plot or explanation for the events which play out before us. Nevertheless this is a film which is impossible to dislike. Imagine a combination of the plots of INDEPENDENCE DAY and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, crossed over with a major rock-and-roll influenced film, which plays for laughs more than anything else, and you're halfway to realising the truth behind WILD ZERO. This crazed offering sees a group of god-like rock 'n' rollers (played by Guitar Wolf, who are playing themselves, if you see what I mean) fighting off tons of Romero-inspired zombies, all with a coolness which is impossible to believe.

The other plot elements and characters are thrown into the plot somewhat haphazardly: there's an alien invasion of UFOs thanks to some startlingly good CGI effects; there's a tender romance story between a would-be rocker and a pretty girl with a dark secret; there is a fair amount of head-exploding zombie bloodshed for those who enjoy that kind of thing; lots of sweary, annoying characters who end up getting eaten; a gay bad guy with a bad dress-code; and much, much more. Things culminate in a truly explosive finale, involving rocket launchers, grenade launchers. and a zombie who can shoot electric killer rays out of his eyeballs. It's incredible. The film has both highs and lows and is a little unfulfilling if you're looking for linear narrative, but so much inventiveness and energy has been thrown into the action that, as I said earlier in this review, it's actually impossible to dislike (I tried, and failed).

I never knew rock 'n' roll was that powerful?

[lost-in-limbo · 6/10 · 30 April 2005]

Ace a wannabe rocker saves his favourite band from being killed by a sleazy club manager and in doing so he becomes their blood brother and so he can call on them when he needs help. While this happened, aliens are invading earth and turning people into zombies. So now Ash and a girl he meets are caught in this carnage, but Guitar Wolf is on his way to help Ash out, but also the sleazy manger is on Guitar Wolf's tail for taking something of his.

Well, this surreal film mostly comes across as one big music video clip, because of the impact that the dynamic soundtrack had, the disjointed plot and some of the filming techniques. This is an eccentric and quite wacky Japanese Zombie film. A lot of elements are thrown into the mix: Action, Romance, Horror, Sci-fi, Comedy and Musical- but I found this campy trash to be rather enjoyable.

You can easily see the influences of Romero's Trilogy of the Living dead movies throughout this film. With the way the zombies act and look to some familiar scenes and ideas thrown up. Though don't be expecting any type of satire or social commentary, but just plain silliness, brainless action and Rock 'n' Roll! With its abundance of over-the-top gore, blood splattering, zombie munching, loud explosions, tacky situations, lame dialogue, clichés aplenty, extreme screaming of rock 'n' roll, comical moments, high-octane soundtrack, live music shows, computerised zombie blasting, dazzling special effects and flamboyant and coooool characters, there really is never a dull moment to be had. So just switch off your brain for a more pleasurable viewing!

The performances are nothing tremendous, but they fit the bill. They don't seem to be taking it seriously, though Guitar Wolf plays himself and comes across quite the opposite and being your stereotypical super cool rockers in their black leather clothes, black shades and styled up hair. The band members' Bass and Drum Wolf play themselves as well. Masashi Endô as the leading man Ash comes across as a quirky rock 'n' roll fan. Shitichai Kwancharu as the innocently sweet Tobio, who has a secret and Inamiya Makoto as the cynical manger Captain, who loves his short shorts.

Plot wise, it's a break-neck pace love story of boy encounters girl and he then discovers courage to rescue her from the zombies, where true love conquers evil… with some added help from his rock 'n' roll buddies. So not much is explained of why the aliens turned people into zombies. We don't see any aliens, but just UFOs floating in the sky. It has some incoherent sub-plots going on about other characters, but they all come together halfway through the film. Though none of it truly explains what you're seeing, but more on the people's actions and how they became in this messy situation. So the screenplay comes across as quite muddled and the climax was a tad impotent.

Overall it does have some appeal to it and a real sappy moral to the story ''Love has no limits of nationality or gender''. With it being delivered in quite a cheesy way. You can just tell a lot fun went into making this film and it's shows on screen.

Well, we learn that rock 'n' roll will always save the day and that's all that matters… right?

"rock & roll has no boundaries, race or gender" (Guitar Wolf)

[quinolas · 6/10 · 11 March 2002]

This is a mess of a film. Tackiness impersonated and completely unoriginal. YET rather than by its gore I was most impressed (almost moved) by some of its infantile ideas about love. Such as the love after death story of a couple who become zombies or Guitar's Wolf reproach to Ace (who just found out that Tobio, a girl? he just met, is in fact a boy) that Rock & Roll has no boundaries, race or gender. So he then decides to go and rescue her/him from the zombies and live together happily. This is a breath of fresh air from the always-homophobic macho-minded components on these sorts of films The real fun, though, comes from the creepy and weird music producer character and his interesting selection of clothing. Guitar Wolf on the hand cannot act or played (stick to Thee Michelle Gun Elephant instead).

Less Than Zero.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 2/10 · 16 May 2018]

Recently having a good run of viewing movies I've been meaning to watch for ages,I decided to take a look at the titles I'm hoping to sell after viewing. Buying this (thankfully cheap) due to it being a bit pricey online, I got set to count the "wild" zeros.

View on the film:

Made on a budget lower than the band members quiffs,co-writer/ (with Satoshi Takagi) director Tetsuro Takeuchi & cinematographer Motoki Kobayashi attempt to play Sci-Fi/zombie Horror and weird Road Movie notes all at the same time. Shot on flat digital video,Takeuchi fails to light any of the Grindhouse sparks on offer,with the Psychobilly songs played by the band (whose faces are stuck in mildly disinterested mode) being badly mashed In the audio,and the zombie/UFO effects looking cheap and grotty. Attempting to go for a dreamy vibe in the screenplay, the writers instead turn it into a nightmare, via none of the characters being given a distinctive edge,and the Sci-Fi/Horror elements being left to hit bum notes.

The great psycho of them all!!

[cornjob-2 · 10/10 · 17 October 2002]

Wild Zero is not a perfect movie. It is beyond perfection. It has transcended into a realm of unbelievable excellence. If I rated things on a scale of stars, 1-10, it would receive a million billion.

Weak acting? Goofy special effects? These comments are probably from people who thought Braveheart and Gladiator were good movies. Wild Zero is the type of movie that is impossible to criticise. You watch Wild Zero and your blood will pump, your adrenaline will ransack your brain, your tender--I have said too much.

After all, this is rock 'n' roll jet movie. Guitar Wolf, the group, prove themselves to be inhuman in their sheer ability to be cool. With trash and chaosssssss!!!!, the last twenty minutes will blow your mind. This is the feel good movie of eternity. There is thrill, speed and stupid zombies. There are exploding heads, random alien encounters, and even more sudden and inexplicable gaining of superpowers.

There is no adrenaline rush that is more rush than this film once it kicks into motion. But don't think it is all brutality of screen, as the movie has poignant moments and an important message on love and growing up. Of course, you could also sit back and be terrified by the Captain's draw-string shorts (pejoratively nicknamed "the junk trunk" by my group of friends).

Watch this movie with friends or watch it alone. It's just more fun when you can see your friends' minds be blown. But if you see a Guitar Wolf movie this year--nay, if you see a movie in this lifetime, see Wild Zero! Rock 'n' roll!!

(Note: Some phrases in this review were lifted from the video box. See if you can go through and pick them out)

Not half as awesome as its sounds unfortunately.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 5/10 · 10 January 2012]

A Japanese movie about a Japanese rock band, against a bunch of aliens and zombies. How could this movie not be awesome? Well, by hardly featuring any zombies and aliens, unfortunately.

It's a Japanese movie alright, which means that it's being filled with a bunch of weirdness. Weird looking- and behaving characters, odd situations, an unusual visual style. No, don't think you could call this movie just for everybody but even those that are more familiar with- and like the Japanese style of film-making, will most likely end up feeling slightly disappointed by this movie.

It's a movie that for some odd reason decides to focus way more on its characters, rather than on some good or fun zombie/alien action. The movie really has a whole bunch of characters in it and it follows multiple ones of them, throughout the entire movie. After a while I had no idea who all of them were any more and whose side they were on or what they wanted exactly. Needless to see this isn't exactly the most compelling movie to watch and it's perhaps also lacking a good and likable main hero in it.

The movie just never lives up to its potential, until its final 10 minutes, or so, come along. Now why couldn't the rest of the movie had been more like that as well? It is then that the gloves are off and the movie decides to go all out with its action, gore and effects.

Not that the effects or its gore are that great though. As a matter of fact, it looks like it comes straight out of an amateur movie, done by a couple of teenagers in their basement, on their home computer. But perhaps you also need to take into consideration that this is an 2000 movie. Special effects back then were of course not as advanced and easy to use as it is now days.

It's a somewhat of an amusing movie but still really too flawed and filled with too much wasted potential to call this a good movie. It just never fully succeeds in what it is trying to achieve.

5/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

The Ultimate Rock-N-Roll Movie!

[shyquixote · 10/10 · 25 December 2004]

I've noticed noticed a lot of negative commentary about this movie by people who obviously are totally lacking in rock-n-roll spirit, and their effete reviews should not stop people from going out and watching this movie for themselves.

This movie is for everyone and anyone who: has an interest in B-movies, has an interest in garage rock/punk/rockabilly/rock-n-roll, enjoys drinking and laughing.

Wild Zero is equal parts Rock-N-Roll High School, Plan 9 from Outer Space, and Night of the Living Dead. It boasts an amazing soundtrack (equal parts Japanese and American bands), a cast that is long on "cool" and short on Oscar potential (just like a B-movie should be), and an excellent mix of camp and schlock horror.

Featuring the band Guitar Wolf (a real band by the way, who lack a certain level of musicianship, but more than make up for it with rock-n-roll attitude) and Ace (Masashi Endo, who does have acting talent) the movie takes us on a ride through an Ed Wood/George Romero wasteland that features a hell bent for leather biker attitude. The plot is no thinner than any other B-movie, and actually carries a rather broad minded message about acceptance and values.

If Wild Zero has one flaw, it is the editing (and not the acting as some people have commented. I speak Japanese and live in Japan. The acting is no worse than that presented on typical Japanese television dramas, and indeed Masashi Endo and Makoto Inamiya have certain comedic and manic talents that will perhaps be expanded upon in the future. The movie also features Morishita Yoshiyuki, who looks like the Steve Buscemi of Japan.) The editing is a bit slack at best, and the movie contains about 10 minutes of "dead" footage.

Apart from that, Wild Zero is exactly what you need for an fantastic evening with friends, beer, and perhaps pizza or take-out sushi. The Wild Zero drinking game (do a search) comes highly recommended.

Don't expect to see Citizen Kane, and don't expect to see the Citizen Kane of B-movies, but do expect to see a B-movie that deserves an enshrined spot in the pantheon of cinema for it's unique combination of flavours horror, camp, rock-n-roll, japan, and boundless love.

If you've watched it and didn't get it, watch it again, but this time turn the volume UP! and drink more beer!

This movie is not suitable for fans of Kenny G, Right Wing Republicans, and people who avidly follow the advice of Martha Stewart.

RRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKK-NNNN-RRRRRRRRRRRRROLLLLLLLLLLL!!

Wild One

[Tweetienator · 7/10 · 14 October 2021]

Wild Zero got some really good and funny parts, but we get also some filler time here and there and the movie loses than a little bit too much of momentum for my taste. Anyway, wild punk and rock 'n' roll tunes, a punk rock band fighting against an alien invasion and zombies, some decent massacre (a little sip of gore), and even the masterly use of a bazooka and some guitar picks as Shuriken (throwing stars) - if that sounds attractive to you, Wild Zero will do for you. Strange, bizarr and wild mix, one of those trashy movies of Japanese origin, that you just like or you don't. My recommendation: take your seat and take off with Wild Zero.

Pure schlock

[yojimbo999 · 1/10 · 20 February 2002]

Just had to add a comment since every Tom Dick and Harry seems to be pouring praise on this film. Look, folks, it's a bad film, okay? It's a rip-off of every zombie flick that has ever been made. It's badly acted, badly directed (and I would add badly written, only I doubt if there was anything "written down" when they shot this thing). I love bad movies. I love Grade-Z films, but there's a very big difference between stupid Grade-Z films and just bad Grade-Z films. This one was just BAD, and I dare to say that many of these people who likes this film so much likes it on the basis that it's foreign and thus it MUST be good (or even good-bad, if you know what I mean). Face it, folks, you're deluding yourselves. The only way you can enjoy this film is if you're drunk or doing something other illegal substance. this is the kind of movie that gives "low-budget films" a bad name. If Robert Rodriguez was dead, he'd be rolling in his grave right now. The simple fact that people just looooooves this film and hates Rodriguez's "El mariachi" is because Rodriguez is American and this film is Japanese, therefore... Well, you know. Pretentiousness ain't just for snobby film critics. Fanboys do it just as well.

The Most Stunning Japanese Rock Zombie Flick Ever

[elysiumjoe · 11 October 2004]

I was told by some friends of mine, "You have to see this movie. It will rock your face off." They were right.

Wild Zero is without a doubt the most amazing Japanese Rock Zombie flick ever.

If you believe that rock and roll is here to stay, that greasers should roam the streets of Japan, and that extraneous characters should be disposed of as quickly as possible and turned into zombies, then this film is for you.

The exploding zombie head budget is high in this film, but the writing budget seems to have suffered as a result. With zombie flicks, though, you pay your money and you take your chances.

Disappointing.

[BA_Harrison · 4/10 · 30 December 2008]

I love zombie films, I love weird Japanese cinema, and as Joan Jett used to sing, I love rock 'n' roll. So why don't I love Wild Zero, a weird Japanese rock 'n' roll zombie film?

On paper, it certainly sounds like a dream come true for fans of outrageous horror: the unique plot sees garage rock band Guitar Wolf fighting a plague of zombies, an alien invasion, and a be-wigged, hot-pants wearing club manager with a grudge against the band, and during the course of the film, viewers are treated to such extraordinary sights as a deadly plectrum attack, a gun-toting babe in sexy Burberry outfit, a bad guy who can shoot electricity from his eyes, zombie love, and a rather unorthodox affair between Guitar Wolf's biggest fan and a she-male called Tobio!!

In reality, however, Wild Zero is a lot less memorable than it sounds: the unusual elements do not gel particularly well, and the result is a disjointed film that is definitely less than the sum of its parts. It is further handicapped by some pretty iffy digital effects (including several very crap CGI head explosions) and some of the most laughable zombie make-up in film history.

In fact, the whole affair feels very much like a calculated ploy to attract a cult following, and I suspect that many of those who sing its praises feel obliged to do so, lest they should be deemed 'uncool'. Personally, I prefer my cult films to have a less manufactured vibe.

Still, it's not ALL bad news, I suppose: the film has loads of energy, the soundtrack is pretty good, and Burberry babe flashes her norks.

3.5 out of 10, generously rounded up to 4 for IMDb.

ToBiO !!!!! ToBiO !!!!! ToBio !!!!

[CelluloidRehab · 8/10 · 13 January 2005]

Guitar Wolf, Bass Wolf & Drum Wolf are the triumvirate of rock 'n roll cool. They face the greatest foe of rock 'n roll : Squares. Square are best epitomized by the Captain, who dresses in an all white, skin tight outfit at the beginning (also has a nice mop-top). Apparently he enjoys wearing short shorts (BAD THOUGHT ... unclean... unclean). He and those that he represents don't care about rock 'n roll, they only care about money and power.

One might think this is a typical rock 'n roll movie, but it isn't. After our initial showdown between the squares and the Wolf Trio, the movie takes an unexpected twist. This movie then turns into a survival horror movie. It seems that aliens are involved and they are bringing back the dead. So we end up with the Captain versus the Wolf Trio, in the backdrop of a zombie plague/alien invasion. The supporting cast consists of yakuza henchmen, bungling thieves (one of which is a Japanese Steve Buscemi impersonator and another who is a Japanese Margaret Cho impersonator), a female arms dealer, our hero who's trying to be like Guitar Wolf (Ace), Ace's "female" love interest (Tobio) and layer upon layer of various gray zombies.

This movie is a lot of fun and a twist on the zombie movie genre. The music is great. It has a rock n' roll in-your-face feel. I think Guitar Wolf provided the entire soundtrack. Some of the great scenes where the music is blasting and zombies are dropping left and right, you just want to scream and kick down some doors. A funny innovation in this movie is the pee cam (like Miike's turd cam). The finale is quite over the top. Remember watch this movie, kick ass and chew bubble gum. If you need to drink milk, put some cocaine in it first.

RIP Billy.

-Celluloid Rehab

A sorry excuse for a cult film

[HarryWarden · 1/10 · 18 April 2003]

In the tradition of 'Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park' and other lousy band films, we have 'Wild Zero' - a self-proclaimed hyper-active rock n' roll zombie adventure from Japanese punk band, Guitar Wolf. If I were to describe to you the things that unfold in the film (naked women, zombies, UFOs, ect) you would be jazzed as hell to see this film. I was.

But, man... it looks like people are just too easy to please, because aside from a few inspired moments, this film is EMPTY!

'Wild Zero' was made by a music video director who publicly claimed that movies don't interest him in the slightest. Believe me...IT SHOWS! I'm not a snob who over-analyzes film structure, but I do know that a fun cult movie needs to do more than randomly strung together wacky and hyperactive scenes. There may be a lot going on here, but as a whole, this movie is a whole lotta nothing!

Skip this overrated hack-job and go watch 'Versus' again.

Made me want to put my hair in a quiff and scream "Rock and Roll!!"

[Hateincarnate · 10/10 · 8 October 2001]

I went into this film not expecting much and came out with the biggest smile on my face. I thought it was a good movie and then someone asked me what it was about, at that point, as I was going through some of the most ludicrous scenes I've ever seen in cinema I realised it was a truly excellent film. There is something for everyone - assuming everyone loves exploding zombies, alien space ships, wierd love stories and Rock and Roll. Yup I think I'm going to put my hair in a quiff, buy a motor bike that spits a couple of feet of flames and learn to play an electric guitar whilst screaming Rock and Roll!

Not Really That Good

[NIXFLIX-DOT-COM · 5/10 · 31 August 2003]

WILD ZERO is a zombie film, but a zombie film made by the Japanese using some of the zombie conventions pioneered by Romero and sprinkling the whole thing with Japanese, well, tastes. Which means WILD ZERO is constantly silly, mostly perplexing, and all inconsequential.

Zombie films don't get any more odd than WILD ZERO, which takes the take in a number of categories. As with most things Japanese, the Yakuza is involved. But this time we also get a rock and roll band and some shady club promoters. It's all very silly, and confusing for anyone unfamiliar with Japanese films.

In the end, WILD ZERO was made for the niche zombie crowd. No one else should watch the film, because they won't "get" it.

5 out of 10

(go to www.nixflix.com for a more detailed review of this movie and reviews of other foreign films)

Best Rock N Roll Action Horror Comedy Movie EVER!!!!!!

[maxxpowers69 · 27 October 2003]

*****************Spoilers Ahead*********************

What do you get when you cross the action zombie mayhem of Dawn of the Dead with the gender bending love of The Crying Game, mix in the frantic action-comedy found in a Tarrintio film and mix in Japan's answer to the Ramones? You Get Wild Zero, the greatest punk rock action horror comedy ever made.

Wild Zero is the story of Ace a young wanna-be punk rocker. One night after a show, he accidentally saves the life of his favorite band Guitar Wolf. In reward for his good deed the lead singer, also called Guitar Wolf, gives him a magic whistle. Blow the whistle and Guitar Wolf will come to your rescue. Meanwhile cadres of small alien space ships move into a town a few miles away and turn all of the inhabitants into zombies. This just happens to be the town where Guitar Wolfâ?Ts next show is, and Ace is headed on the way there.

Ace meets a sexy ehhh person on the way and falls in love. He gets attacked by zombies and has to save hisâ?¦ehhhâ?¦girlfriend. He blows his whistle and Guitar Wolf, some arms dealers, thieves (including one who could only be described as a Japanese Steve Buchimi) and Ace kick some zombie butt.

Wild Zero is a great blend of action, comedy, and Rock N Roll. It's a fun action packed thrill ride that well keep you laughing on the edge of your seat. It has good action, great special effect, and amazing cinematography. This film makes a perfect midnight movie.

Go out right now, find this movie, get some friends together, get some beers (or maybe some saki) and watch this movie. I cannot more highly recommend this film.

Ace in a (deep, deep) hole

[mar9 · 3/10 · 24 April 2002]

This is a lurid piece of cult schlock from Japan, that combines the following elements: rock 'n roll, drugs, bikes, guns, UFOs and zombie flesh eaters, in a combination that makes about as much sense as a caviar vindaloo.

Criticising this film may seem unfair, seeing that it sends itself up about as energetically as it possibly can, and considering the mish-mash of a plot, self-parody is this film's only option. If this film tried to take itself seriously, it would easily reach the bottom of the cinematic pile.

Among the many flaws in "Wild Zero", acting is probably the most obvious. Unfortunately, the zombies give the best performances in this film. Most of the actors with speaking parts in this film either cannot act at all or can only do it badly. It is also riddled with continuity errors, and is probably the worst edited film I can remember. The music is another minus. I thought bad rock 'n roll disappeared from monster movies after the 60s, I was wrong. Imagine The Saints without talent, or The Ramones lacking charisma and minus one or two chords, and you're getting close to the standard on display here.

To be fair, the movie has a positive message about tolerance at its centre, and a couple of impressive manga-like images are thrown up on screen during the action sequences. But at the close I would caution anyone if they intend seeing this film; it could do your head in.

Awesome

[AwesomeWolf · 10/10 · 15 January 2005]

I know I use the word 'awesome' frequently in my reviews, and frequently refer to other movies as some "the awesomest movies ever" (see 'Battlefield Baseball' or 'Volcano High'). I can't help it if I watch all these awesome movies. This is where 'Wild Zero' comes in: Simply put, 'Wild Zero' is so indescribably awesome that it defies the description of 'awesome'. There is no other way to describe the awesomeness that is 'Wild Zero'.

'Wild Zero' is a documentary starring Japanese rock band Guitar Wolf. I wouldn't have thought it to do be a documentary, but Guitar Wolf said it was so*, and who am I to doubt them? They saved us from zombies and an alien invasion. All hail Guitar Wolf! 'Wild Zero' starts with Guitar Wolf (the guitarist, not the band) enraging a night-club owner, and in the middle of a stand-off, Guitar Wolf (the band) are saved by a wannabe rocker named Ace. Guitar Wolf (the guitarist) pledges to be a rock n' roll blood-brother with Ace, handing him a whistle only to be used when Ace needs the help of Guitar Wolf. On his way to a gig in Asahi, Ace and other random characters are attacked by zombies. Now only Guitar Wolf can save the world from zombies and aliens. Awesome.

I noticed other users referring to this as the 'ultimate B-movie' and whatever. I disagree. This is the ultimate awesome movie. Well, it would be if it wasn't a documentary. Either way, 'Wild Zero' has everything that all aspiring awesome movies need: rock n' roll, zombies, many exploding heads, guitar-swords, and the best reference to 'Psycho' ever. Ignore all comments about acting, Guitar Wolf are just being themselves (with alcohol and swearing toned down, so I've read). Awesome.

10/10 - some people might disagree with my comments. 'Wild Zero' may not be a well-made 'movie', but it is so incredibly awesome, and in the end, awesomeness is what really matters.

*Ok, I found that from a website reviewing 'Wild Zero'. I read through a few interviews with Guitar Wolf, and they didn't specifically say that, although they did similar things. In fact, everything they had to say was awesome.

expected better

[eyesofsociety · 5/10 · 29 December 2003]

ok i just saw this movie and all i have to say is

WHAT IN THE.

ok this movie runs in the same line as Junk though there's more comedy in it. the soundtrack was cool if it wouldn't have faded the music so much. i have a feeling though this movie might be excellent when drunk. lol. oh man and i was expecting another bio zombie type movie, but that didn't happen.

GUITAR WOLF AAAAOOOO

ROCK N ROLLLLLLLLL!!!!

[InzyWimzy · 10/10 · 22 June 2002]

This is a zombie film in a class by itself!!

The story's not so much the highlight but everything else is. You've got a lot of gruesome zombies, guns blasting, skull bashing, and of course: rock and roll!! Guitar Wolf is ultimate cool in this one as he manages keep his composure no matter the circumstance. He's even better when performing with his buddies Bass & Drum Wolf (what cool names!!). There are lots of characters in this one: Ace whose most entertaining moments come when he speaks to his "idol". You have to love his innocent naivete too! The scummy boyfriend guy reminded me of a japanese Steve Buscemi. There's a lady who packs a gun a knows how to use it. I laughed during the shower scene when she gets so p***ed off over her torn clothing!! Also, the question of the origin of the zombies is unanswered and most of the characters are perplexed too, except for the Wolfs interestingly enough.

Wild Zero is a weird, bizarre film that is very entertaining. The soundtrack alone sets the tone for the movie and is very catchy (ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR!!). It looks like cast and crew had a blast making this film. I'll definitely watch this one again.