We Bury the Dead - Nerd Alert Movie Review & Recap (Disney+)

I recently had a nice surprise from a flick currently streaming on Disney+. It's the 2024 horror drama We Bury the Dead, written and directed by Zak Hilditch. The film stars Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, Murder on the Orient Express) as Ava, alongside Brenton Thwaites (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Maleficent) as Clay, Mark Coles Smith (Beast of War, Kid Snow) as Riley, and Matt Whelan (Apex, Narcos) as Mitch. While it absolutely qualifies as a zombie flick, what makes the movie stand out is its emotional focus. This is not simply another story about surviving the apocalypse or escaping hordes of the undead. At its core, it is about grief, closure, and the desperate need to reconnect with loved ones after unimaginable tragedy.

The story follows Ava as she searches for her husband Mitch, who was attending a company retreat in Tasmania when the United States accidentally detonates an experimental weapon off the eastern coast near Hobart. No clue how this is possible, but given our current leadership, anything could happen. The catastrophic event wipes out countless lives, and Ava volunteers to help with cleanup and body disposal efforts on the outskirts of the disaster zone. Probably one of my favorite exposition moments is Ava's brief training. The Australian military in command of the operation describes some instances where the dead come bck to life. But don't worry, just alert them to the situation and they'll take care of it. What could possible go wrong? Ironically, as prophetic as this set up is, it does not turn out to be the big problem.

Regardless, Ava has little interest in her stated mission as her true purpose is far more personal. She intends to sneak into the restricted areas in hopes of finding Mitch and finally getting answers. As Ava’s journey unfolds, the film slowly peels back the layers of her life, her marriage, and her emotional wounds. With the help of her volunteer partner Clay, she eventually makes her way deeper into the restricted zone. What makes the undead here so fascinating is that they do not all behave the same way. Some are violent, some are passive, and others seem driven to complete unfinished emotional tasks from their former lives.

Ironically, several of the living prove to be far more dangerous than the undead haunting the landscape. Ava and Clay are later rescued by Riley, a military-clad survivor whose pregnant wife was caught in the blast zone. At first he seems like salvation, but his overwhelming grief and deteriorating mental state quickly make him unpredictable and terrifying. The movie does an excellent job showing how trauma and despair can destroy the living long before the undead ever do.

One of the film’s most haunting and beautiful moments comes when Ava takes shelter in an abandoned RV after being separated from Clay. Nearby are the deceased members of the family who once occupied it. During the night, she discovers the undead father outside making noise, only to realize he is attempting to bury his family before finally joining them in death himself. Ava helps him dig the graves and comes to understand the depth of his anguish. In a heartbreaking act of mercy, she puts him to rest permanently, allowing him peace alongside his loved ones. Moments like this elevate the film far beyond standard zombie horror. But, it also adds to the horror in that we never know what the motivation is for these undead.

When Ava finally reaches the resort where Mitch was staying, the film delivers emotional revelations rather than simple horror payoffs. She uncovers difficult truths about her marriage, confronts her own shortcomings, and ultimately comes to terms with both her husband’s death and the pain they carried together in life, including the sorrow surrounding their inability to have a child. The final act comes full circle in a surprisingly emotional and unconventional ending involving Riley’s undead pregnant wife. Rather than ending on cheap shock value, the movie concludes with Ava finally finding the peace and closure she desperately needed from the beginning.

This is exactly the kind of hidden gem that often gets overlooked on streaming services after release. Daisy Ridley delivers a strong performance, carrying the emotional weight of the film exceptionally well. At first, hearing her American accent felt a little distracting simply because I am so used to hearing her British accent as Rey in the Star Wars franchise, but that feeling faded quickly as the story pulled me in. By the end, the accent was the last thing on my mind.

Overall, We Bury the Dead is a thoughtful, emotional, and surprisingly unique take on the zombie genre. It balances horror with genuine human drama and delivers several strong twists and emotional turns that help separate it from typical undead survival stories. If you are looking for a zombie movie with real heart and substance, this one is absolutely worth watching.

Check out the trailer below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmPyNvrzF0A