Amazon’s 118-Minute Post-Apocalyptic Action Thriller Takes Prime Video’s No. 1 Spot Despite Mixed Reviews

Prime Video has a new streaming chart-topper, and it brings together two crowd-pleasing ingredients: military-style combat and zombie horror. Released on October 30, Apocalypse Z: New World quickly climbed to No. 1 on both the U.S. and global movie charts, continuing the story of one of Amazon’s successful Spanish-language films.

The sequel expands the scale of the original, trading a more personal survival story for a larger mission involving armed expeditions, dwindling resources and enormous hordes of infected. Its rapid rise on the platform suggests strong audience interest, although the critical response has been far less enthusiastic.

A Dangerous Mission Beyond Europe’s Last Safe Haven

Inspired by Manel Loureiro’s popular novel series, Apocalypse Z: New World takes place six months after the events of Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End.

The first film focused largely on one man’s struggle to stay alive in a world devastated by zombie-like creatures. The sequel broadens the perspective, following a group of survivors trying to protect what remains of their lives.

The story moves to the Canary Islands, now among the last safe places in Europe. But that refuge is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain as essential supplies run short. A special expedition is therefore assembled to travel to the mainland and search for resources.

The mission becomes even more complicated with the arrival of Roberto, whose motives are not entirely clear. What begins as a military-style operation soon turns into a fight for survival, as the group faces huge numbers of infected while tensions grow among the survivors themselves.

With intense gun battles, rescue operations and fast-moving hordes, the film places a much greater emphasis on large-scale action than its predecessor.

That approach has clearly helped it attract attention on Prime Video. Within days of its October 30 release, Apocalypse Z: New World reached the top of both the U.S. and worldwide Top 10 movie rankings, according to the streaming charts cited by the original report.

Is the Sequel as Strong as the Original?

The sequel brings back several familiar faces, including José María Yázpik as Pritchenko and Berta Vázquez as Lucía. Lúculo, the cat who became a memorable part of the first film, also returns. Carlos Alcaide joins the cast as Roberto.

Running for 118 minutes, Apocalypse Z: New World is a broader and more action-packed production than the original. While the expanded scale means it feels less intimate, the film compensates with more elaborate set pieces and larger confrontations.

Not everyone, however, has been convinced by the change in direction.

At the time of the original article’s publication, the film had not received enough reviews to earn an official Rotten Tomatoes score. The critical responses available were mixed, with some reviewers describing it as “boring.”

One of the more positive assessments came from Miguel Ángel Romero of Cinemanía. He praised the film’s increased scale and technical ambition, highlighting its practical effects and the use of multiple camera crews and drones to create its larger zombie sequences.

Audience reactions have also varied. Some viewers have criticised the film as derivative, while others have enjoyed it as an entertaining zombie adventure. One viewer even noted that, despite watching a foreign-language production, they remained engaged throughout.

The contrast between its chart performance and divided reception makes the sequel an interesting streaming success: it has attracted a substantial audience, even as opinions about its quality remain far from unanimous.

Could the Zombie Franchise Continue?

For now, there has been no announcement confirming whether the story will continue beyond its second film. However, Loureiro’s original literary series consists of three novels, leaving additional source material that could potentially support another instalment.

Whether Prime Video decides to develop a third film remains to be seen. In the meantime, viewers can revisit the story from the beginning by streaming both Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End and Apocalypse Z: New World on Prime Video.

With its larger action sequences, escalating threats and divided audience response, the sequel has already made a strong impression on the platform’s charts. Whether it can match the appeal of the original is another question entirely.