MadS / Shudder

This Shudder Must-Watch With A 93% Rotten Tomato Rating Has Reinvented Zombie Horror

'MadS' will change the way you watch zombie movies.

By

Shudder’s high-intensity zombie flick, MadS, is a cross between Possession (1981), and Climax (2018), and with 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s sure to become a genre classic.

Released in 2024, MadS unfolds over a single night as three teenagers descend into a living nightmare. The trio has just graduated and a celebratory night of pills and partying turns horrifying after a traumatic event changes everything. But is it real, or just a bad trip? The film flirts with two potential gimmicks—questioning reality and the one-take format—but then shatters expectations to set a new bar for zombie horror.

The “is this real?” trope often kills stakes, making horror feel toothless (see: Lost’s infuriating finale). But MadS plays it right—the disorientation is terrifying, but the threats are real. Likewise, the one-shot approach (yes, it really is a single shot) can feel like a stunt, but here, it’s masterfully used to heighten tension and direct focus.

What truly sets MadS apart is its fresh take on the zombie sub-genre. Instead of mindless monsters chasing humans, we watch victims fight to escape themselves. Turning into a zombie feels like demonic possession, with characters desperately resisting both their own transformations and a drug-fueled spiral. The cast makes it all painfully believable. Each actor delivers a raw, gripping performance as fear, delirium, and possibly even a government-engineered virus take hold.

MadS had me on edge for its entire runtime. Stream it now on Shudder.


About the author

Benjamin Pratt

Benjamin is a lover of poetry, live theater, and great movies. He lives at home with his cactus collection and fiancé.

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Friday, July 18, 2025

Your Daily Devotional 7/18/2025: He Heals the Brokenhearted

Devotional Message God doesn’t just acknowledge our brokenness—He personally heals it with His divine touch. The pain you are feeling, whether it be the anguish in your heart, the desperation in your voice, or the confusion in your mind—His tender, compassionate care extends towards our deepest emotional and spiritual wounds. Not only for the ones […]

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