REVIEW: 'Zombies: Dawn of The Vampires' Clings To The Past When It's Time To Let Go

Moriba Forde
Jul 10
3 min read

The Zombies (plus a werewolf and a half-alien) bid farewell to Seabrook and went their separate ways in what was once believed to be the end of the supernatural musical franchise in 2022's Zombies 3. Now they are reunited to backseat drive the journey of new star-crossed lovers in Zombies: Dawn of the Vampires.

Zombies is arguably tied with Descendants as Disney Channel's current tentpole musical franchise. Dawn of the Vampires is Zombies' fourth movie, which follows Zed (not you, Power Rangers), Addison, Eliza, and Willa as they take a break from their college lives to go on a road trip. Their plans go off-road when they stumble upon secret warring nations between daywalkers and vampires. In true Shakespearean fashion, lovers on opposite sides strive to end the conflict with the help of the Seabrook gang.

Dawn of the Vampires has everything you would expect from a Zombies movie: infectious choreography, head-bobbing music, a vibrant atmosphere, a talented cast, and a story about segregation. That being said, it is the worst movie in the series as it tries too hard to revive a franchise that has been gone for five minutes with new blood while holding on to the original for dear life. The movie suffers from an identity crisis as a result.

Breaking Dawn

Zombies: Dawn of the Vampires ushers in a new generation of supernatural beings who happen to know how to sing and dance. English pop star Freya Skye as the daywalker Nova, and Villains of Valley View star Malachi Barton as the vampire Victor, lead the new generation in the familiar story of different races learning to accept each other after a lifetime of conflict.

They're both charismatic, talented, and display potential to lead a film series on their own. However, they have a weird dynamic with Milo Manheim and Meg Donelly's Zed and Addison, the original star-crossed soulmates. Nova and Victor are more fleshed out as the central characters, while Zed and Addison feel like an unnecessary presence in what's supposedly their movie.

As phenomenal as Manheim and Donelly are, Dawn of the Vampires does not do any favors for their characters. Zed and Addison don't do anything to push the story forward; they are there to remind everyone that this is a Zombies movie, and Victor and Nova are their younger selves in a spiritual sense. Seeing them together is like seeing parents trying hard to connect to their children. It is as awkward as you can imagine, given how their ages are not far apart.

Movement, Music... Magic

Despite so much young talent being wasted, Dawn of the Vampires shines bright with the music and dance choreography. Those redeeming qualities make this film worth watching once. Paul Coen is no Kenny Ortega, but that does not stop him from harnessing the amazing powers of performers to deliver a musical that is a worthy rival to Descendants.

It is impossible to remain still when you hear songs like "Don't Mess With Us" or "The Place To Be". As for the dance choreography, it is nothing short of hypnotic. The spotlight is generously shared with the background performers in each dance number. They may not have words, but they say everything we need to know about them through their sheer power of rhythm.

Please Just Pass The Torch Already

Zombies: Dawn of the Vampires is proof that the saga of the characters we met in the first three movies is over. We said goodbye once, we do not need to say it again, especially in such an awkward manner. Dawn of the Vampires would have been better off as a spinoff instead of a sequel. The story has potential, visuals are stunning for a kids' TV movie, and the cast is ripe with talent, so having the future weighed down by the past is a disservice to everyone involved in the production of this movie.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

About Zombies: Dawn of The Vampires

Premiere Date: July 11, 2025

Executive Producers:

Writers: Josh A. Cagan, Joseph Raso, David Light

Director: Paul Hoen

Production: Bloor Street Productions, Night Zone Productions, Disney Branded Television

Distribution: Disney +

Cast: Milo Manheim, Meg Donelly, Malachi Barton, Freya Skye, Julian Lerner, Kylee Russell, Chandler Kinney, Swayam Bhatia, Lisa Chappell, Jonno Roberts, Mekonnen Knife

Synopsis: After their summer road trip takes an unexpected detour, Seabrook’s zombie/cheerleader-alien sweethearts Zed and Addison inadvertently become camp counselors to two opposing monster factions — Daywalkers and Vampires. As tensions flare between the rival groups, the Seabrook crew must convince Nova, a Daywalker, and Victor, a Vampire, to try to unite their warring worlds to prevent a greater threat that endangers them all.