Jeri Jacquin
Coming to theatres from writer/director Zak Hilditch and Vertical is the story of loss and a journey as WE BURY THE DEAD.
A military disaster in Western Australia has led to the most unusual happening as the dead seem to come back to ‘life’. Considered harmless and slow-moving, a large portion of the country is a quarantine zone. Families are grieving not knowing what has happened to their family members. Ava (Daisy Ridley) is one such woman looking for her husband who was on a business trip in Tasmania, when the outbreak happened.
The only way for Ava to go and find him is volunteering to go inside the quarantine zone to go from house to house bringing out the dead – and the living dead. Partnered up with Clay (Brenton Thwaites), a rouge that clearly isn’t worried about the dead and isn’t scared of those that aren’t. Once inside the zone, Ava makes her plan to get to the resort where her husband was last and is surprised when Clay decides to go along for the adventure.
Once on the road, the only thing that they must be concerned with are the military convoys on the road that could stop them from their trip. Stopping for break, they come face to face with Riley (Mark Coles Smith), clearly with the military who separates Ava and Clay while he figures out who they are and what they are doing on the road. Ava knows that this could end her search but her determination is stronger than anything that will stop her!
Ridley as Ava is a woman driven to find her husband by putting herself at risk to get to him. The emotion she carries with her is complex but it pushes her further and further down the road. She notices that the living dead seem to have something left unsaid but the further she goes down the road, there are changes. Each situation that comes up, Ridley gives her character moments of pure humanity and other moments pure survival and it works beautifully. It is riveting to watch her expression be so stoic in the midst of chaos, but then I think ‘that is exactly how I would be’. Trust is a detriment and complacency is deadly!
Thwaites as Clay has such a casual attitude toward what is going on clearing the dead, yet when he has a chance to do something exciting, he’s all in. There is a connection with Ava as to their goal with both having their own stories. Thwaites provides the film with that mysterious element of ‘why would anyone do this?’ in regards to going into the quarantine zone while also offering to go where no one is allowed. That’s the rebellious side of Clay and it balances Ava’s determination.
Smith as Riley – all I can say is wow! This is the part where I don’t talk about the story more because he does such an amazing job yet I want the viewer to experience it for themselves. What I can say is that Smith provides the unexpected element in so many ways. Smith is suspicious of everything and everyone adding yet another layer to an already complex story.
Other cast include Chloe Hurst as Katie, Kym Jackson as Lt. Wilkie, Dan Paris as Cpt. Vance, Salme Geransar as Pvt. Clarkson, Kim Fleming as the Colonel and Matt Whelan as Mitch.
Vertical Entertainment is a global independent distributor that offers a unique wealth of experience minus the studio costs. Film such as MY MOTHER’S WEDDING, I DON’T UNDERSTAND YOU, FIGHT OR FLIGHT and IN THE LOST LANDS are only a few of the film the studio has brought forward. For more please visit www.vert-ent.com.
Writer/director Hilditch explains, “There’s also something disturbingly poetic about the bodies we see throughout the film who simply dropped dead in the middle of whatever it was they were doing the moment of the pulse. This isn’t a virus; it’s people just going about their lives who simply stopped living due to a military mishap. The added element of the increasingly disgruntled victims who won’t stay down is one that I also think puts a fresh spin on the well-worn zombie genre and keeps the tension dialed up throughout. While themes of grief and closure are the beating heart of this movie, I want the audience to be terrified of this as a genre film, but a genre film that offers a different take on the well-worn zombie tropes.”
WE BURY THE DEAD is a unique and complex story in the zombie genre providing a different picture of dealing with the dead and living dead. What Hilditch has done is allow the groundwork to be laid by adding an uncustomary daymare in the realm of several issues. There is grief, loss, the unknown, chaos, suspicion, stealth just to name a few. Ridley, Thwaites and Smith are on their own, literally, to guide us through the formidable result of populace event under no one’s control!
Using Western Australia as the backdrop of the story allows for long stretches of road and quiet chaos watching the characters develop at their own pace, I love that. Steve Annis, Director of Photography, does an outstanding job of providing those visuals but I’d expect that knowing his work on the AppleTV+ series FOUNDATION (one of my favorites!). Jason Baird provides the very unusual look for the living dead that proves to be a tad frightening at first and then jaw dropping.
WE BURY THE DEAD is a unique and emotional journey that, for me, was unexpected and riveting. This is not an action packed, bloody and chaotic film but instead a slow burn that is urged on by complex human emotions that are both good, bad and frightening.
In the end – volunteer needed!
