Lisik Origin Point: A Filipino Zombie Story Unlike Any Other

By Boy Romero 

February 19, 2025, is when Filipino audiences will witness a zombie outbreak like no other. "Lisik Origin Point" isn’t just another undead cliche, it’s a high school revenge story turned survival thriller, fueled by personal loss, scientific horrors, and the chaos of an infection spiraling out of control. If you think this is just a Filipino version of All of Us Are Dead, you're wrong. Sure, both have high school students and a viral outbreak, but that’s about where the similarities end. Lisik Origin Point, directed by John Renz Cahilig, is doing something different.

Think All of Us Are Dead, but with a distinctly Filipino edge. The infected aren’t just zombies. They’re lisik, creatures with glowing eyes, raw aggression, and an eerie unpredictability. They don’t just bite. They stalk. They chase. They rage. And they don’t go down as easily as you'd hope.

"We didn’t just want to make a zombie show," says director John Renz Cahilig. "We wanted to capture that eerie, slow-burn horror, where you don’t even realize you’re in danger until it’s too late."

But what really sets Lisik Origin Point apart isn’t just the infected. It’s the way the outbreak unfolds. Most zombie stories drop you right into the chaos where everything’s already falling apart. This one takes its time. You get to feel the shift. One day, it’s just another school day. The next, there’s a kid coughing in class. Then a teacher who doesn’t show up. Then a rumor. And before anyone realizes what’s happening, normal life is slipping away.

It’s that slow, creeping dread that makes Lisik Origin Point hit differently. You’re not just watching people run for their lives. You’re watching them struggle to understand what’s happening. There’s no survival guide, no group of heroes magically figuring it all out. Just students, teachers, and families trying to piece things together as everything goes to hell.

"Our zombies don’t just exist to scare," notes executive producer Dominic Orjalo. "There’s something unsettlingly human about them. They move with purpose. They remember things. And that makes them terrifying."

For him, Lisik Origin Point is more than just a horror film. It’s a chance to showcase Filipino talent and prove that local stories can stand out on the world stage. Leading the cast are Nika De Guzman, Grace Rosas Tayo, and Jeremiah Allera, who bring depth and raw emotion to their roles as students caught in the middle of the outbreak. 

"We had to make our performances feel real, like how actual students would react if this were happening to them," says Nika De Guzman. "It’s not just about running and screaming. It’s about confusion, fear, and the weight of losing people you love."

Filipino culture plays a big role here too. You’ll see characters dealing with the outbreak while still worrying about things like strict parents, school expectations, and social status. There’s a sense of community, people trying to look out for each other even when they probably shouldn’t. And when the infection spreads, that cultural closeness turns into something horrifying. What happens when the people you trust the most start turning against you?

This isn’t just another zombie show. It’s about that moment before everything collapses. The fear of realizing the world you knew is gone but not knowing what comes next.

And that changes everything.