I think We Bury the Dead is quite a great film. I am a massive sucker for the zombie genre, and very specifically apocalyptic films set in a functional society that has been rattled. I know—what a very niche thing to love. I also find the allegories and emotional presentation of love, grief, despair, seeking closure, and the wicked feelings found throughout a relationship to be especially compelling, with the zombie genre acting as its guide. Delivered through the excellent performance of Daisy Ridley and the way this film tackles the situation presented to the audience, it is able to make this world feel deeply tainted, with the buildup of loss growing heavier as it goes on, all within a tight 95-minute runtime.

Due to the catastrophic detonation of an experimental weapon from the United States military off the coast of Tasmania, several hundred miles are affected, killing hundreds of thousands of people. The weapon is not designed to cause massive widespread destruction at long distances, but instead emits an electromagnetic pulse that kills all life forms within its radius. It is discovered that some individuals come “back online” after being killed, and as time progresses, many of them become increasingly hostile. Daisy Ridley’s character, Ava, volunteers to be part of the body retrieval unit in order to gain access to the quarantine zone. During her time there, she eventually meets Clay, played by Brenton Thwaites, who ends up helping her along her journey 200 miles south to the resort where her husband is staying.

We Bury the Dead is quite a depressing tale throughout, but the addition of Clay allows the story to breathe a bit more, especially given his fairly opposing personality in comparison to Ava. The weight of what she expects to find is something seen in most of the characters encountered along her journey. She goes through each day with a constant sense of uncertainty, while nearly everyone she meets already knows what happened to their loved ones or has received the closure they were seeking. Clay, however, is volunteering for reasons outside of searching for someone and is instead working toward a form of redemption that we get to witness. He and Ava ultimately build off one another and learn from their many past mistakes.

This film is nothing like what one might gather from the marketing. It is certainly tense, but it is not filled with big action or constant thrills. We Bury the Dead is a drama/horror that uses zombies to guide its story rather than define it. The film is very centered on Ava and her mental distress. Several flashback scenes are shown throughout, giving the audience a deeper dive into why she so desperately seeks to find her husband, as both have made many mistakes throughout their marriage, with his trip to Tasmania leaving many things unresolved. By the end, it feels utterly defeating for Ava. Partially, she is not a great person near the end of their marriage, but neither is he. Their love begins prosperously, faces issues, and after what is the most vibrant feeling in the world, falters.

The undead are presented in a fairly interesting way as well, which is refreshing to see within the genre. Another strong aspect is how even the military involved in the cleanup is essentially just as unaware as the volunteers. An experimental weapon causing this is something nobody can truly predict as time passes. The undead are initially said to be docile, and eventually, we learn they begin to exhibit hostility. Given the allegorical nature of the film surrounding relationships, from what I remember, the undead who do exhibit signs of aggression are almost entirely male, with the exception of maybe one, while the rest remain largely docile by the end.

If I had to guess, the budget for this might be around $15–$20 million. However, the cinematography, locations, set design, and practical effects look quite incredible. Even at its worst, We Bury the Dead is still rather great to look at, with broad landscapes and a descent south where fires rage across the horizon.

I’m certainly the audience for this film, and many people won’t be—and that’s okay. I think the biggest disservice would be not giving this film a chance to see if it draws you in. A few months ago, when the first teaser trailer came out, I was very excited, and having now seen We Bury the Dead, it met the expectations I had. For me, it is incredibly solid, with nearly everything very well knit together to deliver a strong and emotionally resonant film for the month of January.