After a catastrophic military disaster, the dead don’t just rise – they hunt. Ava searches for her missing husband, but what she finds is far more terrifying.
Chuck says:
Much like the shambling figures at their core, the zombie film has proved to be a relentlessly resilient genre. In the right hands, these features have been used to look at societal concerns since George Romero created the modern version of these creatures in 1968’s “Night of the Living Dead.” Issues of race, consumerism, class, media manipulation and government malfeasance have been put under the microscope by a variety of filmmakers, their points graphically driven home through the very nature of the genre.
Zak Hilditch’s “We Bury the Dead” touches on some of these concerns while examining the nature and process of grief. Traversing a familiar apocalyptic background, one woman puts herself in grave danger to find her husband, despite the fact that he’s likely dead, or worse, transformed into something who barely resembles the man she loves. The result is a portrait of hope, courage and resilience in the face of overwhelming despair.
The film opens with a premise, regrettably, not outside the realm of possibilities. An experimental weapon has been accidentally detonated off the coast of Tasmania by the American military. The result has been the annihilation of the Australian state’s entire population. However, initial assumptions that all are dead prove premature. Those who’ve ventured into the blast zone have found that some of the victims have become reanimated, becoming shambling, undead versions of their former selves. How much they understand and if they are able to make a full recovery is unknown. This will likely remain that way as the military has been ordered to shoot them on sight.
With this knowledge, Ava (Daisy Ridley) has traveled from America to join the government’s body retrieval program. She hopes to find her husband, who was in the country on a business retreat. Within her recovery group she meets Clay (Brenton Thwaites), a rather callous individual with a tired macho swagger. As they go about their work, encountering the dead and undead, the true horror of her husband’s situation begins to dawn on her.
Credit Hilditch for focusing on the issue at hand rather than concentrating on the brand of excessive gore and violence that clutters lesser genre entries. Providing just enough jump scares and shocking moments to keep horror fans satisfied, the director opts to generate chills the old-fashioned way. An inordinate number of scenes in the first half take place in wide-open, sunlit settings, making the claustrophobic scenes, using tight shots and minimal lighting all the more effective. This, and sharp editing, keep us on edge throughout.
Hilditch casts his zombies in a sympathetic light that generates more pity rather than fear. To be sure, they are dangerous and prone to violent outbursts. Yet, many are seen simply hiding in the shadows, gently rocking back and forth, uncertain what has happened to them or what to do. Their appearance is disturbing and their habit of grinding their teeth until they break is unnerving, but the director never lets us forget that the souls of the unfortunate lurk beneath this disturbing façade.
Ridley is solid throughout, bringing a sense of dogged determination to the role that makes her a sympathetic and believable heroine. This, as well as the film’s just-over-90-minute running time make for an engaging, brisk and rewarding experience. What Ava finds at her journey’s end is unexpected and casts her quest in a different light. The closure she’s sought proves to be a bitter pill to swallow, yet Hilditch provides her with a ray of well-earned hope that comes off as genuine rather than manipulated.
3 1/2 Stars
Pam says:
“We Bury the Dead” is a film I certainly did not have on my radar, but it emerges as one of those smart, chilling horror films that prioritizes atmosphere and storytelling over excessive gore or cheap jump scares. There is plenty of violence and shock here, but it never feels gratuitous as (pardon the pun) it’s not overkill.
The premise is immediately unsettling. A U.S. military test bombing goes catastrophically wrong, wiping out every living thing on the island of Tasmania; humans, animals, insects, everything. Ava (Daisy Ridley) joins a rescue and recovery team after learning that her husband, Mitch, was on the island during a business trip. The mission is grim but straightforward: identify and bury the dead, but ultimately Ava is trying to make her way to her hubby located at the epicenter of the disaster.
Then comes the film’s central complication. Some of the dead inexplicably return to life although “life” is a generous term. These reanimated bodies are not themselves and must be “re-killed.” Ava is paired with Clay (Brenton Thwaites), and together they are tasked with counting and burying bodies as she somehow convinces him to help her get to the epicenter, a trek that is wrought with literal bumps in the road and more danger and horrors far beyond what she initially imagined.
The director, Zak Hilditch, and cinematographer lean heavily on visual storytelling. The film is largely dialogue-light, which works in its favor, allowing tension, dread, and emotional weight to build through framing and movement rather than exposition. Ridley’s performance is physically committed and emotionally grounded, though her American accent occasionally falters. Still, her presence anchors the film effectively.
“We Bury the Dead” functions as much as an action thriller as it does a horror film, punctuated by genuinely unnerving sequences. It is the kind of movie that makes you squirm, flinch, and occasionally vocalize (yes, that was me) which could be a bit embarrassing, but I had the theater to myself, thankfully. And if you grind your teeth, stay away from me!
This film will not appeal to everyone, and there are a few plot holes that demand a degree of forgiveness, yet it distinguishes itself from typical apocalyptic zombie fare by aiming for something more reflective. Its final moments are unexpectedly profound, leaving the audience with more to contemplate than simple survival.
Against my expectations, I had fun which may be the film’s most surprising achievement.
3 stars
