Queens of the Dead Review: A Blood-Soaked Laugh Riot With Real Heart

People throw the word 'camp' around like confetti, but real camp is intentional. It takes control, tone, and a straight face while chaos swirls. Tina Romero walks right into that minefield with confidence in 'Queens of the Dead' and somehow dances through it in heels. Yes, it’s a zombie movie about drag queens. Also yes, it absolutely slaps.

The setup

A massive warehouse party packed with drag queens, club kids, and assorted frenemies is vibing... until the apocalypse crashes the party. Suddenly, personal beefs take a back seat to survival, and everybody has to weaponize their glitter, guts, and whatever else is handy to fend off a swarm of undead. It’s a big, rowdy ensemble, and the movie keeps all those plates spinning without dropping the fun.

The cast clicks from minute one

• Katy O'Brian as Dre: the no-nonsense anchor who holds the room (and the plan) together
• Jaquel Spivey as Sam: the vulnerable heartbeat of the story, terrified and brave at once
• Riki Lindhome, Jack Haven, Cheyenne Jackson, Margaret Cho: all sharp, all funny, all game
• Nina West, Dominique Jackson, Eve Lindley: each gets a proper moment to steal the spotlight
• Quincy Dunn-Baker: plays the token straight guy who shows up clueless about non-binary pronouns and, frankly, most 'gay stuff'... and the film handles him with surprising care

O'Brian and Spivey have that perfect push-pull chemistry: grounded toughness meets jittery, big-hearted energy. Everyone else brings the claws and the feelings in equal measure. It isn’t just quips and shade; these characters feel like actual messy friends with history, which makes the bites land harder when the zombies start tearing in.

Tina Romero isn’t playing tourist in horror

Being George Romero’s daughter could have been a weight. Instead, Tina Romero turns it into a flex. This isn’t some stitched-together tribute reel; it’s a knowing, bloody wink to the family legacy that still stands on its own sequined feet. She’s got the timing for horror-comedy down cold: how far to push an outrageous gag, when to swing sincere, and when to go full geyser.

The straight guy subplot you expect to hate... actually works

Quincy Dunn-Baker’s character could have been an easy punchline or a disposable body for a quick laugh. The movie doesn’t take that route. It gives him a learning curve and lets him earn his place. It’s a small thing, but it signals how much the film values nuance amid the spray of crimson.

'I get it'

That’s the moment for him, and it’s the film quietly planting its flag: this is more than a cute concept. There’s a brain and a beating heart under the glitter.

Style, blood, and beats

The jokes land early and often. Shannon Madden’s neon-soaked cinematography nails the club’s grit-and-glam vibe, making the whole thing shimmer even as it rots around the edges. When the outbreak hits, the movie goes hard on practical gore: buckets of bright red blood, clever kill gags, and almost no dull CGI shortcuts. The soundtrack thumps with club beats that lock in with the action. The craft across the board is tight.

So, should you see it?

If you’re into queer horror, you basically have to. If you’re not, this is still a blast: funny, bloody, and surprisingly tender. 'Queens of the Dead' cares about its characters, respects its audience, and knows exactly how to juggle outrageous and sincere without dropping either. It’s in theaters now, and it’s worth the trip.