I’ll be straight: Netflix dropped Ziam with almost no fanfare—and that’s surprising. Martial arts–fueled zombie bloodbaths are a rarity in today’s streaming glut. As someone who’s tracked the genre from Romero’s Night of the Living Dead through Walking Dead fatigue, I’m always on the hunt for “the most violent zombie film you’ll see this summer” powered by practical effects.
Setting the Stage for Blood and Bones
Ziam throws Muay Thai fighter Singh and his doctor girlfriend into a Bangkok hospital as an outbreak erupts. Instead of “shoot it in the head,” survivors punch, elbow and knee zombies into unconsciousness. It’s an angle the genre has rarely exploited since the earliest shamblers shuffled on screen.
Practical Gore Meets Martial Arts
Director Kulp Kaljareuk doubles down on makeup, prosthetics and on-set squibs over slick CGI. Picture the squirting arterial spray of early Peter Jackson or the visceral combat in The Raid—only here you can almost smell the sweat and blood. It’s the kind of hands-on horror Netflix originals often lack.
Stealth Release or Sleeper Hit?
Unlike big-budget franchises, Ziam slipped onto Netflix without a global marketing blitz. That stealth drop could spark word-of-mouth cult status—think how Train to Busan rode fan buzz to international success—or vanish under the platform’s content avalanche.
Gamer-Friendly Carnage
Fans of Left 4 Dead, Dead Island or Sifu’s hand-to-hand combat will appreciate a fight system that values skill over ammo clips. Ziam turns survival into a high-stakes brawler’s puzzle, trading gunplay for close-quarters combat with the undead.
Conclusion: A Potential Cult Classic
Ziam may not top Netflix’s marquee slate, but its blend of Muay Thai and old-school practical gore has the chops to stand out. If you’re craving raw, up-close violence and real FX, this hospital-set mayhem—premiering July 9—deserves a shot. At the very least, it’s proof the zombie genre still has room for bold experiments.