Pontypool - Almost a new take on the zombie genre (almost)

We've seen comedy zombie films, zombie films where the undead run, romantic situations between human and zombie and children's zombie stories (yes, seriously - watch 'Paranorman' - it's actually pretty good fun!).  Anyway, you may be wondering if there's anything new anyone can bring to the genre, especially with 'The Walking Dead' on every year.  However, at least 'Pontypool' has a crack at trying something at least a little different.

In a small snow-covered Canadian town, a local radio host goes to work one morning to talk about lost cats and traffic reports over the air, only to find that he's soon reporting on something much more troubling.  Yes, you guessed it, some sort of zombie apocalypse is going on out there.

'Pontypool' could almost be a stage play, seeing as it's filmed effectively in one single location, i.e. the snowed-in radio studio.  I could see it working like that, too.  Therefore, the film doesn't really have much of a budget - what with its single location and gore which, although acceptable for the genre, is nothing you haven't really seen before in any previous zombie film.

However, what it lacks in special effects of big action set-pieces, it makes up for with its leading man, Stephen McHattie.  He plays DJ 'Grant Mazzy' and I think most of us would find it hard to believe after watching his performance that he wasn't also a disc-jockey in real life.  Seriously, he's that good!  If ever a man was 'believable' as a character it was him and the film rests heavily on his shoulders.  And, fortunately he can clearly carry the 'burden.'

Now, you're probably expecting that the one location will soon be under siege from hordes of the undead with the humans inside doing their best to barricade themselves in.  And you'd be right.  Nothing new with the genre so far.  However, what makes it a little different than most is the fact that the 'zombie virus' - so often transmitted through bite or blood - is now transmitted through words.  Yes, honestly!  And that one change to the mythology actually makes the film different enough to make it well worth a watch, even if you're getting tired with the usual tropes associated with the genre.

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that