Ziam – Movie Review | Netflix (3/5)

ZIAM on Netflix is a new Zombie movie with a Martial Arts twist, as the main character is a Muay Thai fighter. The worldbuilding is good, but the characters are too underdeveloped for my liking. Read our full Ziam movie review here!

ZIAM is a new Netflix zombie movie with a Thai martial arts twist. While this story is about the actual zombie outbreak, the world it happens in has already been wrecked by climate change.

As entertaining as this movie is, I needed a lot more focus on the characters and what made them tick. We do get some input, but just not nearly enough, which is a real shame. However, I did really love the final zombie twist, so points for that.

Also, the runtime is just around an hour and a half, which also works in its favor.

Continue reading our Ziam movie review below. Find the movie on Netflix from July 9, 2025.

Zombies vs a Muay Thai fighter

In Ziam, we meet a young man, Singh, trying to make a living by being a driver and the security detail for the truck he’s driving. As a Muay Thai fighter, he is uniquely qualified for the job.

As we’re in a post-apocalyptic future where hunger is rampant due to climate change, transporting anything is dangerous. Think Mad Max but in Thailand. Also, this Netflix movie isn’t about transporting stuff.

That’s just where the story begins, as the product they’re transporting ends up kicking off a zombie outbreak.

Most of Ziam plays out in a hospital. This is where someone is taken when very strange symptoms occur. Unfortunately, he’s infected with something that turns him into a zombie, and not only does he turn quickly, but he is also a superfast zombie!

Think Train to Busan, though that South Korean zombie movie had a much stronger character-driven story thanks to its well-developed characters.

A rescue mission begins

It turns out the main character (the Muay Thai fighter) has a girlfriend, Rin, who works as a doctor in the hospital experiencing the outbreak. As soon as he hears of trouble at the hospital, he’s off to try and rescue her.

Obviously, he doesn’t know that a zombie outbreak is happening. He just needs to make sure she’s safe.

This is, of course, just the overall contours of the storyline, but it’s all you need to know before watching it. If you enjoy zombie stories and martial arts fight sequences, then you’re in luck with Ziam.

Also, there is a great zombie twist showing the origin and evolution of these new zombies in a fascinating way.

Will there be a Ziam 2 on Netflix?

With the ending of Ziam, it’s difficult not to think that a Ziam 2 is already in the works. The ending certainly makes a Ziam sequel feel not just possible, but planned.

As always with Netflix, we know that if it’s a hit, more will come. And this zombie movie certainly has everything needed to be a hit.

As soon as we get word of a Ziam 2 being greenlit by Netflix, we’ll be sure to update you.

Watch Ziam on Netflix now!

The director of Ziam is Kulp Kaljareuk, who also produced the Netflix miniseries Master of the House (2024), so it’s someone already in the Netflix family. This Thai Netflix production is of a great quality and has both well-made CGI and practical effects.

WHY THE TITLE ZIAM?

The title has a dual meaning as “Siam” is the former name of Thailand, while exchanging the letter S for a Z refers to the Zombie element of the story. So essentially, it refers to this being a Thai Zombie story.

The director also serves as a screenwriter alongside Vathanyu Ingkawiwat, Nut Nualpang, Chonnatee Pimnam, and Weerasu Worrapot.

I should mention that while I appreciate the idea of bare-handed combat, it does pose a problem when you’re fighting zombies. Fortunately, much of Muay Thai fighting happens using elbows, but I still feel his hands were often way too close to their mouths.

Maybe that’s just me?!

In any case, I enjoyed seeing Mark-Prin Suparat as Singh and Nychaa-Nuttanicha Dungwattanawanich as Rin. As a zombie thriller, the movie works well in intensity. I just wish there had been more focus on character development. That would’ve improved the overall experience for me.

Ziam premieres on Netflix globally on July 9, 2025.

Details

Director: Kulp Kaljareuk
Writers: Nut Nualpang, Weerasu Worrapot, Vatanyu Ingkavivat, Chonnatee Pimnam
Cast: Prin Suparat, Nuttanicha Dungwattanawanich, Wanvayla Boonnithipaisit, Johnny Anfone, Pimmada Borriruksupakorn, and Jason Young