Horror Movie Review: Stalled (2013)

Stalled is a 2013 British zombie horror/comedy that sees a maintenance man get trapped in a woman’s toilet cubicle when a zombie outbreak occurs during a Christmas office party.

Starring Dan Palmer who also wrote the screenplay. Stalled is a hell of a lot of fun with some great acting, decent visuals & some really heart-felt moments. The premise might be basic leaving you wondering how it can sustain itself for 84 minutes. However by time it ends you’ll be more then satisfied.

W.C is a mild-mannered man who just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. An everyday hero, so to speak, his handling of the situation is both endearing & funny.

A film mostly set inside a bathroom might seem as an excuse to make lots of toilet related jokes but instead we get a certain level of smart humour. While not exactly hilarious it will make you chuckle on occasion & bears many similarities to Shaun of the Dead.

Aside from the comedic moments, Stalled also lays on the gore nicely too. The zombies are the classic Romero style but they are hungry beasts & very violent when they see their prey. In attempts to get out of his predicament W.C tries many different things resulting in some nicely done tense moments.

One such moment sees him using a ladder as a bridge to try & reach his toolbox sitting on the sink. It’s a slow & wobbly process as he precariously balances above the grasping hands of the desperate dead.

What helps makes Stalled such a compelling watch is its music, filled with impact & adding serious emotional depth. For a film that doesn’t try to take itself too seriously the moments when it does really hit hard. W.C’s own personal journey throughout is one that you can get behind & you’ll be desperate to see him get out of this alive.

It’s only real faults relates to its opening 15 minutes that is a little bit too slow & an odd dream/dance sequence in the middle that is a bit too silly. It makes up for this though with a final scene that is just perfect.

Don’t let the synopsis of Stalled put you off, it’s a compelling, fun, endearing & clever watch. Oh & it’s got zombies in it.