We Bury the Dead (2024, Blu-ray) Review

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Studio:  Vertical
Release Date:  3/17/2026
Rating:  R
Film Grade:  C

The Story:  All human and animal life on Tasmania has been wiped out due to the accidental triggering of an experimental weapon deployed by the United States military.  Volunteers have been brought to the island to remove the victims from their homes and identify them prior to mass burial.  One of those helpers is Ava, whose husband was on a business trip at one of the country’s resorts at the time of the incident.  She’s briefed upon arrival that some of those killed by the EMP have mysteriously started moving on their own.  Not to worry, though, as they’re completely docile.  Besides, a simple flair will summon some of the military agents, who will quickly take the former humans back offline.  Could her husband have found some way to survive the disaster?

My Take:  We Bury the Dead is a typical zombie movie with a few different features that help it try to stand out.  Unlike most films in the genre, the contagion doesn’t spread, so there’s no fear of a mass onslaught of flesh-eating creatures spreading throughout the island.  Instead, the movie uses the setting to slowly reveal the relationship between Ava and her missing husband, Mitch.  As she makes her way through the island’s different settings, various remnants trigger flashbacks showing us different aspects of their former lives together.  While these moments add some depth to the story, they’re not a particularly interesting couple.  And what was meant to be a surprising turn in their relationship isn’t really all that shocking, making their story seem even shallower.

Ava is teamed up with two different volunteers along the way. The first can’t hack it and quickly decides to quit.  The second is Clay, a man who seems to almost relish the tasks at hand, and who also finds himself abandoned by his unprepared partner.  From battering down doors to alerting the military about a reanimated body, he approaches the work with an almost unrelenting gusto.  Ava will meet other characters along the way, with one particular sequence dwelling in poignancy and pathos, but it all ends up feeling rather rote.  The themes introduced are well-trodden rehashes of earlier movies.  From Romero’s various films to the more recent Days Later movies, the ideas and sequences feel lukewarm.  And the movie’s ending sequence is downright hokey.

The zombie designs are well done, with an appropriate creep factor that’s enhanced by a truly bone-chilling sound as they grind their teeth in the presence of the living.  It’s a nice touch that never failed to raise the hairs on the back of my neck as they appeared.  That said, many of the encounters are anticlimactic, as their physical threat is less prominent than one would expect for the genre.

Daisy Ridley, of Rey Skywalker fame, plays the part of Ava.  While her performance is adequate, she doesn’t quite nail the American accent.  There are moments of reflection that a more experienced actress would have imbued with signs of deep thought, but hers look more like opportunities to recall the next line.  She’s much better with the interpersonal scenes that hang on other emotions.  Brenton Thwaites’s portrayal of Clay is more one dimensional, not overly surprising in the limited number of things he’s given to do.  Mark Coles Smith hams it up in the role of a soldier with his own motivations, virtually undercutting the serious nature of the character.  These aren’t bad performances, but just adequate.

Visuals:  I couldn’t find any information on whether this was shot on film or digital but the movie features good contrast and deep blacks when needed.  There’s some splotchiness to facial details in low-light scenes.  Outdoor shots have an overall hazy and murky look, emphasizing the dire tone of the setting.  If you like lens flares, you’ll find plenty of happy moments here.  It’s a good, but not great presentation.

Audio:  The DTS HD MA 5.1 mix has some enveloping moments that add character, such as the creaking and groaning of the abandoned houses, pounding on doors, and occasional panning.  I couldn’t help but wish that it has an Atmos track, since there are helicopters, overhead footsteps, and other sounds that beg for the ceiling speakers to be used. 

The musical score features a lively non-linguistic vocal track, as has been popular these past few years.  In contrast, there are a couple of Handel’s operatic pieces, the first of which is juxtaposed against Ava and Clay as they break through the doors of houses, survey the contents, and move along.  A few pop songs are sprinkled throughout, with one adding a jaunty feel to their adventure.

Special Features:  None

Final Verdict:  A few interesting elements aren’t enough to raise this above the average zombie movie.  Ava’s backstory isn’t overly compelling and the others she interacts with never feel fully fleshed out.  The zombies are visually interesting and handled well enough, but it’s not exactly groundbreaking material.

Recommended for zombie film diehards and Daisy Ridley fans.  The brisk 98-minute runtime makes it an easy watch for the curious, just don’t expect to see much that is new or overly terrifying.

Flavorful Dialog:  "Did you know there was a chicken called Miracle Mike who went on living for 18 months after they chopped its head off?”



This review was written by a human without the use of AI.

My Review System:
JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
Elite Screens Sable Frame B2 117” Width with Infinitely Variable Height
Monolith by Monoprice HTP-1 16 Channel Processor with Dirac Live
Monolith by Monoprice 7x200 Watts Amp
Monolith by Monoprice 3x200 Watts + 6x100 Watts Amp
JBL Studio 590 for Left, Center, Right, Wides, and Rears
JBL Studio 580 for Side Surrounds
JBL Studio SCS 8 for Tops
JTR Captivator 1400 Subwoofer X 4
Panasonic DP-UB420 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
Oppo BDP-93
NVIDIA Shield Android TV - 4K
Xbox One X
HTPC Running madVR (work in progress)
Remote: URC MX-780
Mini DSP 2X4 HD controlling all subwoofers
APC S15 Power Conditioner with Battery Backup