Ziam
| Ziam | |
|---|---|
 Promotional release poster | |
| Thai | ปากกัด ตีนถีบ |
| Directed by | Kulp Kaljareuk |
| Screenplay by |
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| Produced by | Nattapong Suriya |
| Starring |
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| Distributed by | Netflix |
Release date |
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| Country | Thailand |
Ziam (Thai: ปากกัด ตีนถีบ) is a 2025 Thai action horror film directed by Kulp Kaljareuk. The film stars Mark Prin Suparat, Nuttanicha Dungwattanawanich, and Wanvayla Boonnithipaisit. It was released globally on Netflix on July 9, 2025, and combines elements of martial arts and zombie survival horror. The film received attention for its fast-paced action sequences, Muay Thai choreography, and dystopian setting.[1]
The film released worldwide on Netflix and received a positive reviews from critics also it reaches number 1 spot on Netflix's top 10 movies worldwide.[2][3]
Plot
[edit]In a dystopian future, the world suffers from food shortages and disasters caused by climate change, with melting ice caps releasing bacteria millions of years old. Thailand has barely managed to stay afloat thanks to innovative but risky experiments like insect breeding and is ruled in a decrepit condition by a police state.
Singh, a former Muay Thai fighter, wants to return to his hometown of Chiang Dao to start a quiet life with his girlfriend Rin, a doctor. On his final mission, Singh travels to Bangkok with his superior, Kriang, to deliver containers carrying fish from a sunken freighter on behalf of VS Corporation, a powerful agricultural company. Unbeknownst to them, the fish is contaminated by an unknown pathogen, which makes a senior official of VS ill. He is taken to the hospital where Rin is working and dies before reanimating and biting patients and staff, starting a zombie infection that leads to the hospital being locked down. Learning of the announcement over a PA system, Singh sneaks into the hospital and fights his way to search for Rin, who is hiding upstairs. Along the way, he meets Rin's friend, a boy named Buddy who tells him to incapacitate the zombies by hitting them in the head.
The military orders commandos to rescue Vasu, the head of VS, who is in a secure location of the hospital alongside his wife Anne, who is confined in a hospital in a coma for an incurable disease, before blowing up the hospital with pre-planted explosives to prevent the outbreak from spreading. Rin, who had previously taken care of Anne, manages to reach his room. Vasu guarantees Rin's safety in exchange for taking care of Anne, only to abandon Rin when the commandos arrive with their own medic to extract the couple. Meanwhile Singh and Buddy reach the latter's mother Meena, a nurse at the neonatal ward. Meena tells Singh of Rin's whereabouts and entrusts Buddy to his care before sending them away. As Buddy tries to return, Meena reveals herself to be infected and reanimates in front of them before devouring the infants in the ward, prompting Buddy and Singh to leave.
After being abandoned by Vasu, Rin is cornered by zombies but is rescued by Singh and Buddy. As they try to escape, Singh is shot by the commandos who take Rin after the zombies kill their medic. As Rin is led away, Singh recovers and knocks down the commandos before collapsing from his injuries. As Rin treats him, Singh proposes to her and promises to return to Chiang Dao with her. Buddy discovers that the one of the commandoes has reanimated, forcing Singh to throw a molotov cocktail at him. The resulting fire activates the hospital's sprinklers and inadvertently reactivates the dormant zombies who chase after Singh and his group. As they escape, they come across Vasu and Anne, who had been bitten when the commandos were attacked. Vasu, believing that Anne has reawakened, allows himself to be overwhelmed by the zombies.
Singh, Rin and Buddy make their way to the hospital's helipad, where the remaining commandos have landed a helicopter. Singh stays behind to divert the zombies to the hospital's car park, but is trapped by a swarm of zombies inside a car, forcing him to detonate an explosive which kills the zombies. Singh manages to escape and reach the helipad, but again decides to stay behind to stop more zombies following Rin and Buddy, who have been extracted by the commandos. As the helicopter takes off, Rin and Buddy tearfully watch as Singh fights the zombies before the building is demolished by the explosives.
Rin arrives in Chiang Dao and is seen pondering while wearing Singh's ring. In a mid-credits scene, Singh is shown to have survived by seeking shelter inside a storage tank and kills a zombie as he emerges from the rubble of the hospital.
Cast and characters
[edit]
- Prin Suparat as Singh, a former Muay Thai fighter
- Nuttanicha Dungwattanawanich as Rin, a hospital doctor and Singh's girlfriend
- Wanvayla Boonnithipaisit as Buddy, a child survivor
- Johnny Anfone as General Chai
- Pimmada Boriruksuppakorn as Nurse Meena
- Jason Young as Dr. Niran
Production
[edit]Kulp Kaljareuk directs the film by the script written of Nut Nualpang, Weerasu Worrapot, Vatanyu Ingkavivat, and Chonnatee Pimnam.[4]
Director Kulp Kaljareuk explained to Netflix that they want to explore what it's like to fight zombies using Muay Thai and he also add that No CGI was used to create a raw and gory flesh, he said that each zombie is crafted with just makeup. They also used practical effects on the film and they emphasize the action sound to standout. And the title of the film comes from the Thailand’s historical name, Siam, but with a “Z” for zombies.[5]
Release
[edit]The film was released in Netflix on July 9, 2025.[5]
Reception
[edit]The film received positive reviews and climb to top in every charts globally after release.[6][7] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 83% of 12 critics' reviews are positive.[8]
Mary Kassel of Screen Rant gave the film a rating of 5 over 10 and she said; Ziam comes close to hitting upon something new, but it retreats back to safer territory every time.[9]
Gavia Baker-Whitelaw of Inverse gave the film a positive feedback and wrote; Derivative it may be, but there’s always an audience for “cool guy kicks a bunch of monsters in the head,” and director Kulp Kaljareuk knows how to keep that audience happy.[10]
Jim Vorel of Paste gave the film a rating of 6.2 over 10 and said; This isn’t vintage Tony Jaa, but most of the fight scenes–particularly when Singh has a human opponent to square off against rather than just a zombie charging him–are satisfyingly and unsparingly brutal.[11]
Alan Jacques of Limerick Post gave the film a rating of 2 over 5 and he wrote; This Southeast Asian flick has plenty going for it but, sadly, it doesn’t take any risks or try and break its ghoulish mould. It’s let down by a halfhearted final act, while setting itself up for what will probably be a reserved and rather disappointing sequel, and proves as memorable as an Irish Eurovision entry.[12]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Fuge, Jonathan (July 14, 2025). "Netflix's New Action Horror Movie Proves to Be a Must-See Thanks to Blood, Guts & Martial Arts Glory". MovieWeb. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ Thomas, Olivia. "In Just 1 Week, Netflix's New Zombie Film Is Already 1 of the Top Streaming Movies Worldwide (& You Need to See It ASAP)". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ Lauder, Edward (July 20, 2025). "Netflix's new dystopian thriller viewers call a '10 out of 10' is topping the charts". Hello!. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ Sweta Behera, Snigdha (July 9, 2025). "Ziam review: Netflix's Thai Zombie thriller is predictable with Martial Arts twist". WION. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ a b Navarro, Meagan (June 27, 2025). "'Ziam' Trailer – A Muay Thai Fighter Battles Zombie Outbreak in Netflix Action-Horror Movie". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ Yang, Katrina (July 19, 2025). "Netflix's Train To Busan Replacement Immediately Soars To Global Charts In Just Days After Release". Screen Rant. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ Ramachandran, Naman (April 21, 2025). "Zombie Horror Unleashed: Netflix Southeast Asia Unveils 'The Elixir' and 'Ziam'". Variety. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ "Ziam". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ Kassel, Mary (July 9, 2025). "Ziam Review: Netflix's New Thai Zombie Thriller Is A Fun Ride That Doesn't Take Any Risks". Screen Rant. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ Baker-Whitelaw, Gavia (July 9, 2025). "Netflix's Latest Zombie Movie Is The Next Plausible Step For The Genre". Inverse. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ Vorel, Jim (July 10, 2025). "Ziam Certainly Does Punch Some Zombies in The Face". Paste. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ Jacques, Alan (July 20, 2025). "Film Column – Ziam". Limerick Post. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
