An asteroid hits Northern Japan (Hokkaido) as young teenage girl Kika is nearly killed by her psychotic mother and her uncle when she has her heart ripped out. The resulting asteroid ash cloud begins to infect the population through inhalation turning them into blood crazed zombies with the source of the infection being Kika’s mother who is made the Zombie Queen. Each zombie has an antler shaped tumour protruding from the front of the skull. Before long 6 million people have been infected and a wall is built to seperate the rest of Japan from the infected area. Kika has been given an artificial mechanical heart whilst her undead mother keeps her daughter’s real heart inside her body which had a big hole after the asteroid struck her body! Captured by the government along with other people, Kika is given a chance of freedom by the Prime Minister – to go on a dangerous mission to the infected area to hunt and kill the Zombie Queen.
From cult gore master Yoshihiro Nishimura comes his 2010 splatter fest Helldriver. His previous movies have included such blood soaked classics as Tokyo Gore Police, Mutant Girls Squad and Vampire Girl vs Frankenstein Girl so if you’ve seen them you know what to expect in this movie. If it’s a coherent plot you’re after then go elsewhere but if you’re after a thrilling and crazy ride then you’ve come to the right place. I absolutely loved Helldriver. It’s such a manic movie – very creative in it’s set pieces and it has wonderful gross makeup effects. Be prepared to see a deluge of blood onscreen! It’s also very funny in places such as when Kika and her companions are attacked in their van by a wave of disembodied zombie heads falling from the sky! Another wacky scene involves a zombie baby being used in a slingshot attack on a person. The opening credits doesn’t even appear until 48 mins in the movie!
Even though this is a low budget horror, it’s incredible what Nishimura has achieved in this movie. He throws everything including the kitchen sink to create an imaginative storyline. You’ve got to give him credit. He knows what he’s good at and I always look forward to each new project of his to see if he can up the gore factor even more. He sticks to his tried and tested formula in each new movie and yet they never get boring……well not for me anyhow.
Helldriver is right up there as one of Nishimura’s best with 2 hours of madness for your enjoyment. A perfect mix of comedy and horror. Highly recommended.
Sadako’s Rating: 4 stars out of 5
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