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.
In “We Bury the Dead,” an accidental detonation of an experimental weapon by the United States off Tasmania’s eastern coast devastates the city of Hobart. What follows is even more disturbing: reports emerge that some of the dead have begun to rise, regaining motor skills and—at times—turning violent. Ava Newman (Daisy Ridley), an American physiotherapist, volunteers with the Australian military’s mission to retrieve and dispose of bodies across the affected region. Unbeknownst to her superiors, Ava intends to continue south to Woodbridge, a remote coastal community, where her husband Mitch (Matt Whelan) had been traveling for work. The couple parted on uneasy terms, and Ava is determined to find him—alive or dead—to seek the closure she desperately needs. Joined by fellow volunteer Clay (Brenton Thwaites), Ava sets out on a perilous journey through roads teeming with both the dead and the undead.
Much of the film’s promotional campaign promised a fresh perspective on the undead. For the most part, it delivers. One particularly poignant scene finds Ava discovering a camper van containing the bodies of a family—two parents and their children. After gently moving the bodies outside to rest, she is awakened by the sound of digging. She glimpses the father, now undead, methodically preparing four graves for his wife, his children, and himself. He notices Ava but does not attack. Instead, she joins him in his somber task. When the graves are ready, they bury the children and the mother, and the father quietly seats himself at the final grave, turning his back to Ava. Understanding his silent request, Ava ends his suffering and lays him to rest alongside his family. The moment is rendered with restraint and grace—a testament to the film’s ability to evoke emotion without resorting to sentimentality.
Visually, the film is striking. Cinematographer Steve Annis crafts haunting images of ruined cities, desolate landscapes, and the rugged, windswept coastline of Woodbridge. The interplay of beauty and decay is captured with a keen eye. Writer-director Zak Hilditch constructs a tense, emotionally resonant narrative, anchored by a compelling performance from Daisy Ridley, who more than proves her ability to carry a film. A word of warning: those sensitive to certain sounds, particularly teeth grinding, may find some sequences uncomfortable—the undead’s persistent habit in this regard is portrayed vividly, and while not unbearable, it does lend an added layer of unease to the viewing experience.
Now available on Blu-ray™ and DVD
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