Zombadings 1: Patayin sa Shokot si Remington (2011) Plot Summary & Timeline

Remington (Martin Escudero), a young boy from the small town of Lucban, has a habit of loudly calling gay men “Bakla!” during his childhood, often making fun of them without understanding the impact of his words. His mischievous behavior takes a dark turn one day at the cemetery when he encounters a grieving drag queen named Pops (Roderick Paulate). Remington taunts Pops about his sexuality, provoking the drag queen into a chilling curse, predicting that Remington would grow up to be gay by his 21st birthday, a warning that would soon come to pass.

As the years go by, an alarming series of murders targeting gay men begins to plague the town, but the police, including Remington’s mother, Fe (Janice de Belen), and her partner, Mimi (Mailes Kanapi), struggle to find the culprit. Remington, now a twenty-year-old man, openly seeks to understand the strange happenings around him. During a visit to a crime scene, he unexpectedly encounters Hannah Montano (Lauren Young), a young woman who recently returned home. Intrigued, he tries to get to know her, but she quickly distances herself after discovering his identity and recalling his childhood teasing of her late father, which causes her mother, Mrs. Montano (Eugene Domingo), to become hostile toward him.

Remington’s attempts at building a connection are further complicated during a street basketball game when he notices a mysterious presence—a shimmering pink scarf-shaped aura that seems to mock him, a manifestation of the curse. His focus wavers momentarily until an errant basketball hits him, signaling that the curse’s influence is growing stronger. Determined to pursue Hannah, Remington volunteers to help paint her newly furnished house, but she rejects him once again, revealing that he once mocked her father for being gay, leaving him in the depths of her resentment.

That night, Remington dreams vividly of his childhood curse. In his dream, he and his best friend Jigs (Kerbie Zamora) are bathing outdoors when a muscle-bound man wielding a razor with a butterfly tattoo on his chest attacks him, leaving him with hairless legs. When he wakes, he finds his legs shaved and scars—signs that the curse has begun to physically manifest. His father, Ed (John Regala), notices his son’s altered appearance during a drinking session with his homophobic friends, Suarez (Daniel Fernando) and Serge (Leandro Baldemor). Ed proudly declares that his son is now a “real man” who should pursue women, unaware of the curse’s true nature.

Meanwhile, the murders persist, and Remington discusses his dreams with his mother, trying to piece together clues. She questions whether he might be secretly gay, which he vehemently denies, though he admits to feeling confused about his true desires. His mother urges him to consider studying in Manila, worried about his future, but Remington remains silent on his true feelings.

As the killing spree continues, Remington experiences more nightmares where he is kidnapped, paddled, and having his tongue pulled out by the same strange attacker. He begins to understand that his dreams are warnings, and he notices his behavior changing—his mannerisms becoming more feminine, and his wardrobe evolving to match his new identity. Despite his efforts to hide it, these changes affect his relationship with Hannah, who begins to see him in a different light. She falls for the new version of Remington, sensing his inner conflict but also his vulnerability.

In his desperation, Remington seeks help from Georgia (Nar Cabico), a local gay helper, and even tries to consult an albularyo to find a cure. They travel to Pops’ mansion, where they confront the drag queen and learn from him that he was responsible for the curse, though he admits he does not know how to reverse it. Pops performs a seance with the group, summoning the spirits of murdered gay men. The spirits reveal that the curse can only be broken if a fully heterosexual man chooses to become gay willingly and takes the curse’s burden on himself.

The group then sets off to find a suitable person to take Remington’s place, but they are thwarted when Suarez, Remington’s godfather, who possesses a “gaydar” gun, reveals himself as the murderer. He kills Pops, and a chaotic scene ensues involving the resurrection of Pops and other murdered drag queens—whose spirits, now turned into zombies called “zombadings,” start attacking townspeople in a humorous yet ominous turn.

With time running out, Remington, Hannah, and Jigs rush to his birthday party, desperately asking others if they are willing to take on the curse. Most refuse, leaving Remington resigned to his fate until Hannah passionately tells him that true strength lies in fighting prejudice and that he is not truly the curse’s victim—he is simply misunderstood and worthy of acceptance. Her words rekindle his resolve to fight the curse and embrace his true self.

The climax reaches a chaotic crescendo as the town is overrun by the “zombadings,” and Remington reunites with his father, who steps between him and Suarez to protect him. As Suarez prepares to fire his gaydar gun, Remington’s father boldly declares that he is not gay—challenging the assumptions. During the confrontation, Serge (Leandro Baldemor), one of the homophobic friends, is attacked by zombies and tragically dies, leaving Suarez to mourn his passing. This moment of genuine affection causes Suarez’s gaydar to malfunction, leading him to accidentally kill himself, ending his reign of terror.

In a heartfelt exchange, Remington explains his plight to his father, who, despite initial hesitation, agrees to become gay himself in order to break the curse right before midnight. As his father transforms, normalcy is restored in Lucban. Remington plans to leave for Manila to pursue his studies, while Hannah begins working on her dream of establishing a dormitory. The town recovers, with Serge and Suarez buried under a shared grave, and Pops’ spirit and his fellow drag queens opening a hat shop in an undisclosed location, hinting at their everlasting presence.

The story concludes on a humorous yet touching note, as somewhere in Lucban, a tricycle stops in the street, revealing a gay man stepping out. A passing boy loudly proclaims to his mother that he sees a beautiful gay man, causing her initial offense. However, the boy quickly clarifies that the man is indeed handsome, leading to a warm, accepting ending. The film closes with a lively Bollywood-style musical number featuring Remington’s now-gay father, portrayed by [John Regala], celebrating love and acceptance in a colorful, joyous spectacle.