“ZombieCon: Volume 1” — Low-Budget Mayhem Meets Cosplay Chaos- Review

Cosplayers turn undead in Kyle Valle’s indie horror comedy ZombieCon: Volume 1.

Independent filmmaking is one of the hardest things to pull off — and when it comes to zombie films, that difficulty level goes up tenfold. But for director Kyle Valle and his team of indie upstarts Erin Aine and Manny Luke, the spirit of DIY horror is alive and kicking (and occasionally, biting). Their film, ZombieCon: Volume 1, now available to rent on Prime Video, is a love letter to geek culture, cosplay fandom, and the undead apocalypse — stitched together with ambition, grit, and a whole lot of heart.

The story centers around a group of anime and comic book nerds who find themselves in the middle of a zombie outbreak after a cosplay competition. What starts as a celebration of fandom quickly becomes a supernatural showdown when an unexpected act unleashes an army of mystical undead — less viral infection and more voodoo gone wrong.

That choice alone shows Valle’s awareness of zombie film history. Long before 28 Days Later or World War Z, the genre’s roots were steeped in mysticism and reanimation rather than science. ZombieCon taps into that lineage while remixing it for a modern, pop-culture-saturated audience — think Superbad meets Zombieland at Comic-Con.

The film’s energy is undeniable, even when the execution wobbles. It leans hard into its nerdy premise, referencing everything from Dragon Ball Z to Attack on Titan, though some of those nods might raise an eyebrow or two from hardcore fans. There’s a genuine enthusiasm in every frame, even when the dialogue or effects don’t quite land. And that’s the paradox of ZombieCon: it’s rough, scrappy, inconsistent — but it’s also alive with the kind of creative passion you can’t fake.

Performance-wise, the cast gives it everything they’ve got. Nicole McAuley (Nutty Professor, Star Trek: Voyager) stands out as “Mama Bear,” grounding the chaos with a mix of veteran poise and sly humor. The younger cast brings intensity and charisma, even when the script’s tonal shifts — from geek banter to stoner comedy to end-of-the-world panic — threaten to throw things off balance.

From a filmmaking standpoint, Valle’s team understands their limits and plays within them. Smart editing, practical effects, and contained set pieces make the most of what’s clearly a shoestring budget. When the film keeps it simple, it works. When it tries to stretch too far, the seams show — but that’s part of the charm.

Ultimately, ZombieCon: Volume 1 isn’t trying to compete with Train to Busan or The Walking Dead. It’s trying to prove that indie horror still has room for nerdy originality, community filmmaking, and the kind of absurd fun that reminds us why we fell in love with horror in the first place.

So yes, it’s a 2 out of 5 — but an earned 2 out of 5. It’s the type of project that deserves to exist, if only because it’s made by people who love what they’re doing. And when ZombieCon: Volume 2 arrives, we’ll be there to see how far this team can level up.

“You can’t call yourself a horror fan if you’re not rooting for the little guys. ZombieCon may stumble, but it never stops moving — and neither should its creators.”