Párvulos (2024) Film Review - Blood is Thicker than Water

In the aftermath of the Omega Pandemic, a devastating global catastrophe that has turned citizens into zombie-like monsters, a teenager named Salvador has become the caretaker of his younger siblings, Oliver and Benjamin. With limited supplies, the family hunts and eats whatever they can find. However, unable to let go of the past, they have decided to keep their zombified parents in the basement. The three eventually decide to try to train them, but when the two get a taste of meat for the first time, the family dynamic changes, and the brothers become divided on how to proceed.

Isaac Ezban’s Párvulos sets itself apart from the regular zombie fodder by focusing on family dynamics tested through great adversity. The need for survival becomes as much about food as it is about strengthening bonds and working together. The movie is dedicated to Ezban’s brothers, a sentiment that truly comes across in the dialogue and interactions of the cast. Párvulos may be one of the horror genres’ most sincere explorations of brotherhood.

The challenges the three brothers face, and as issues escalate, are the biggest draw to the production. Salvador, Oliver, and Benjamin deal with problems specific to the dystopian future they find themselves in, but more so to the regular squabbling between siblings. Adding the complexities of holding onto the past through zombified parents kept in the basement, it becomes a fascinating character study of love in extreme situations. Of course, this would not be attainable without the right cast, and the young actors that the viewer spends the majority of the runtime with, Farid Escalante Correa, Leonardo Cervantes, and Mateo Ortega Casillas, all give phenomenal performances that feel realistic and sincere.

Still from the horror movie Parvulos

Párvulos Offer a Unique Take on The Zombie Genre

As for the horror elements, what little there is is handled well. Not great, but well, the effects are crude, and the zombies are basic. Still, a few good moments of shock and nasty gore push aside noticeable budgetary restrictions and still provide those moments one would want from a horror movie. Other highlights include: An engaging and diverse score, A picturesque location for shooting, and a rather poetic send-off to cap off the movie (vague to avoid spoilers).

There is a lot of narrative strength Párvulos which makes it a wholly unique experience for the zombie-genre worth exploring. The above-mentioned positives and the keen and intelligently scripted focus on family dynamics save a production that is otherwise riddled with many shortcomings.

While Párvulos has its strengths and draws to the otherwise saturated zombie genre, it does struggle under the weight of some of its choices and its inability to stay consistent. Notably, a monochrome filter gives the entire production an ugly sheen. This choice to dull the visuals feels particularly erroneous when the beautiful forest landscape could have presented a sharp contrast to the horrors the young kids face.

Párvulos Struggles to Find an Identity in an Uncertain World

The other issue the movie faces is pacing, with the just under two-hour runtime making the movie a slight slog between its notable moments of humor, horror, or drama. The pacing issues are very pronounced when considering the pace picks up in the later half, both in intrigue and action.

Unfortunately, issues with pacing and visuals also highlight how much Isaac Ezban seems uncertain about the type of movie he wanted to make with Párvulos. While at its best when exploring family dynamics in trying times, the production does slight indulgences into horror comedy (with the training of zombie parents), social commentary, and gory horror. Yet these elements are under-pronounced and fleeting, which saps the appeal. Under a tighter runtime and more tonal consistency, Párvulos could have proven itself to be a true stand-out and must-watch zombie horror.

Párvulos was a slightly frustrating experience, with great moments, performances, and concepts dragged down by a lack of cohesion and an ugly visual presentation. What could have been “great” is just “good” under many unfortunate choices. Still, Párvulos’s unique approach to the zombie genre should give many reasons to check this one out.