Review of Panic in Year Zero! (1962) by Michael G — 15 Aug 2009

For a movie about the apocalypse, Panic in Year Zero came across as claustrophobic. It's reasonably groundbreaking for its time on a gruesomeness level with a rape scene and by actually showing dead bodies.

This movie reminded me of a modern zombie movie without the zombies. Although nothing truly stands out as far as acting or direction's concerned and everything seems to inexplicably get wrapped up conveniently, Panic in Year Zero isn't a bad watch.

The worst thing about this movie is undoubtedly Les Baxter's Mancini-esque score that couldn't be more distracting or inappropriate if it was performed entirely with kazoos. If nothing else it made me anticipate the film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" all the more.