Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End ending explained: Does Manel escape to the Canary Islands?

Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End is a Spanish zombie thriller film directed by Carles Torrens and written by Ángel Agudo. The screenplay is based on Manel Loureiro's 2007 novel of the same name, which is the first book in his Apocalypse Z book trilogy. Adrián Guerra and Núria Valls serve as the film's producers while Adriana Izquierdo serves as its executive producer.

Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End premiered at the Sitges Film Festival on October 5, 2024. It was released on Amazon Prime Video on October 31, 2024. The film's official synopsis, as per Rotten Tomatoes, reads:

"A strange disease has spread across the planet, turning people into violent creatures. Manel, who lives in isolation after the death of his wife, will have to manage to survive in this apocalyptic scenario with his cat."

At the end of the film, Manel successfully reaches the Canary Islands only to discover that the world's last refuge has also been overtaken by zombies.

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Does Manel survive the zombie takeover in Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End?

Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End centers around the lawyer Manel, who turns reclusive following his wife's death in a car accident. He isolates himself in his house for one year, during which, the outside world is gripped by a deadly virus outbreak. The virus, known as TSJ, spreads quickly through wounds or bites and turns humans into aggressive zombies.

To his utter horror, Manel discovers that the virus has taken all over Europe. The government's efforts to control the pandemic and transfer people to safe locations have all but failed. He steps out into the streets with his cat, Lúculo, as his only companion and begins frantically searching for supplies and other survivors.

As he witnesses the breakdown of society all around him, Manel wastes no time in planning his escape. But to where? He learns that the Canary Islands are the only place that hasn't been infected yet. Also, his sister Belén has evacuated to the Canaries with her husband and young son. So, Manel's only hope for survival is to reach the Canary Islands and reconnect with his sister.

Manel heads to the Arousa Estuary, from where survivors are being taken to the Canaries. But, he arrives too late and finds all the boats have already left. He then plans to sail away to Pontevedra in an inflatable dinghy.

On his way, Manel encounters a group of sailors on a ship. He joins the crew, led by Ushakov, and instantly connects with its only Spanish-speaking member, Victor Pritchenko.

After spending some time on the ship, Manel gets a bad feeling about Ushakov and decides to escape on a motorboat with Viktor. Ushakov's men shoot them down and injure Viktor in the process.

Manel somehow brings the injured Viktor to a hospital in Pontevedra, that he knows has a helicopter. They soon discover that the entire hospital is filled with infected people, except the nurse Lucia, nun Cecilia, and 3 children.

After Lucia treats Viktor's wounds, the group escapes in a helicopter just in time to evade the zombies and Ushakov's men, who arrive at the hospital looking for supplies. But they leave Cecilia behind after she gets attacked by a zombie during the commotion.

Viktor flies the helicopter toward the Canaries, while Manel calls his sister Belén to inform her about their arrival. However, she tells him not to come as the Canary Islands have become infected recently. In the final moments of the film, Manel appears teary-eyed at losing his last hope for survival and also worrying about his sister's safety.

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Cast of Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End

Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End features Francisco Ortiz as the protagonist, Manel. He is joined by José María Yazpik, who plays his friend and co-survivor Viktor Pritchenko. The film's other supporting cast members include Berta Vázquez as Lucía, Amalia Gómez as Gabriela, María Salgueiro as Sor Cecilia, Marta Poveda as Belén, and Iria del Río as Julia.

Furthermore, Yuri Mikhaylychenko plays Ushakov, Yaiza Macías plays Leila, Ana Garcia Molero plays Iria, Beka Lemonjava plays Ruso, and Jesús Lloveras plays the Spanish Prime Minister in the zombie apocalypse film.

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Watch Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End on Prime Video.