We Bury The Dead
review by Bobby Blakey
Zombie flicks have been dominating the horror genre for years and show no signs of slowing down. The latest We Bury The Dead comes from These Final Hours and Rattlesnake director Zak Hilditch and stars Daisy Ridley, Brenton Thwaites, Mark Coles Smith, and Matt Whelan. Could this new take on the undead bring something worth rising for or should it have stayed buried?
We Bury The Dead follows a catastrophic military disaster where the dead don’t just rise - they hunt. The military insists they are harmless and slow-moving, offering hope to grieving families. But when Ava enters a quarantine zone searching for her missing husband, she uncovers the horrifying truth: the undead are growing more violent, more relentless, and more dangerous with every passing hour.
One of the hardest things to do is bring something new to a genre that has already set expectations and guidelines fans expect. The zombie world has had so many takes that both work and fail miserably that it seems there isn’t much left. This film finds a way to put a new spin on the idea that mostly works when it doesn’t fall back into the usual tropes of the genre.
Initially the story is strong and engaging as things are set up and the tension of this new world is set up. It’s not a horror film by any means despite the context of the subject matter but does bring a few moments to keep the zombie fans pleased. Ridley is great in the film, bringing depth and emotions to her character, making you feel her pain and desperation. It’s a contrast to the bigger performance by Thwaites who sports more bravado and carelessness, making their dynamic more interesting.
Had the film stuck to their story and journey to find her husband I think the
unique idea would have kept the film in that special place, but it derails in a different direction for a bit that felt more by the numbers. It is still engaging and offers up more of the action and showcase of the usual idea that humans are more of the monsters than the undead, but it felt like something we have seen over and over. Thankfully there is a decent enough twist to the ending that brings it all together in way that is still satisfying.
This is likely not the kind of film you are expecting it to be and that could be a good thing. There are plenty of engaging elements to the film about the human spirit, grief and survival that work more than it doesn’t. I wish it had found another way to get us to the ending but applaud them for trying to give us something new in a genre that feels like old hat.
Decide for yourself and check out We Bury The Dead in theaters now from Vertical.
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