We Bury the Dead (Blu-ray Review)
Director
Zak HilditchRelease Date(s)
2024 (March 17, 2026)Studio(s)
Various (Vertical Entertainment)- Film/Program Grade: B+
- Video Grade: A
- Audio Grade: A
- Extras Grade: F
Review
After a weapons test off the coast of Tasmania acts as a bio-EMP turning off the brains of the entire island’s population, Ava (Daisy Ridley), an American volunteer arrives looking for her husband. Supervised by the military, the volunteers are tasked with going door to door, looking for survivors but ultimately end up just pulling dead bodies out to be buried in mass graves. But the volunteers are warned from the start—some of the “brain dead” are coming back to life, staring off and grinding their teeth—nothing to worry about, just alert your military aid and they will “take care of it.” Teamed with Robin from DC’s Titans TV series (Brenton Thwaites), the duo eventually break from the group to go find her husband who is at the furthest Southern point and have a few adventures that reveal more about the “dead” and how they may not be as docile as the military is making them out to be.
Thanks to George A. Romero, so-called zombie movies act as allegory for things going on in our world. From civil rights to capitalism all the way to social media and the apathy that goes along with it—these movies all try and be something more. So, We Bury the Dead ends up being a zombie movie about loss, grief, the heartache of not being able to let go and the hard-earned closure that comes to those who can. Anchored by strong performances, superb effects (both visual and make-up) and appealing cinematography, We Bury the Dead is a slow boil but a quick watch and well worth the time (about an hour and a half).
Sadly, this is a bare-bones Blu-ray release—no extras—no trailer, no commentary, no BTS, nothing, nada, ziltch. Audio is presented is a nice English 5.1 (and 2.0) DTS-HD Master Audio and English SDH subs. Video is appealing but nothing to complain about or salute. I’m sure a somewhat loaded UHD 4K is probably forthcoming from an international label and I look forward to hearing about that release.
- Todd Doogan