A zombie apocalypse in Nollywood sounds like the kind of risk the industry has long needed. With Alive Till Dawn, producers Uzor Arukwe and Leo Obienyi attempt to push into largely unexplored territory, signalling a welcome appetite for new genres. But while the film’s ambition is clear, its execution raises questions about whether the risk fully pays off.
The story begins with a mysterious incident involving toxic waste dumped into a river, setting off a chain reaction that leads to a zombie outbreak. Survivors; including a police officer, a stranded young woman, and a group of armed robbers find themselves trapped in a police station, forced to work together to survive the night. The premise is solid and the opening sequence creates intrigue, hinting at environmental negligence as the cause of the outbreak.
The film then shifts to Alex, a university student and daughter of a divisional police officer, just as the outbreak intensifies. From there, the narrative leans into survival drama, testing loyalty among the characters as they search for a way out.
Despite its promising setup, Alive Till Dawn struggles to generate genuine tension. The film aims for horror but rarely creates fear or suspense. Several zombie attack scenes come off unintentionally comedic, particularly moments meant to be terrifying. A key sequence involving Alex’s father, now turned zombie, lacks the emotional or visual weight needed to land its impact.
Makeup and visual effects play a crucial role in selling a zombie film, and while the effort here is visible, the results are inconsistent. The zombies rarely feel convincing enough to sustain dread. Combined with uneven sound design and dialogue delivery, the film often feels closer to a crime drama with horror elements than a fully realised zombie thriller.
Character development is another weak point. For a survival story to resonate, audiences need emotional investment in the relationships on screen. Alex’s grief over her father’s death, for instance, should carry significant weight, but the earlier father-daughter dynamic is not developed enough to make the moment land.
One scene that does register emotionally is Isaac’s death, particularly his simple line: “I don’t want to die.” It is one of the few moments where the film slows down enough to acknowledge the human cost of the chaos. Still, the emotional hierarchy in the narrative feels uneven, especially when compared to Alex’s reactions to other characters.
Nollywood’s horror catalogue remains small but notable. Films like Ojuju (2014) and Idia (2025) leaned into local myths and folklore to ground their stories. Alive Till Dawn, by contrast, adopts a more Western zombie template without fully adapting it to a Nigerian context, which weakens its sense of place.
Performance-wise, Sunshine Rosman delivers a steady turn as Alex, maintaining emotional consistency even when the script falters. Uzor Arukwe, playing the robber leader Badu, is less consistent. His performance sometimes feels strained, particularly in dialogue delivery, though his character remains memorable for how effectively he irritates both characters and viewers.
Technically, the film has flashes of strength. Certain camera movements, especially during chase sequences in confined spaces are effective and show attention to visual storytelling. However, sound design and music choices often undercut tension rather than enhance it. Dialogue is occasionally inaudible, while screams and background noise overpower key moments.
Alive Till Dawn is a bold attempt to expand Nollywood’s genre range, and that ambition deserves recognition. But the film highlights how difficult it is to execute a convincing zombie story without strong technical grounding and character depth. The idea is compelling, and the effort is evident. The result, however, is a film that sparks curiosity more than satisfaction.
Release Date: January 30, 2026
Runtime: 1 hour, 35 minutes
Streaming Platform: Cinema
Director (s): Sulaiman Omotola Ogegbe
Cast (s): Uzor Arukwe, Chisom Agoawuike, Micheal Dappa, Sani Muazu and Shine Rosman.