We Bury The Dead (2026)

We Bury The Dead (2026) is a slow burn post apocalypse film centered on grief more than horror. Directed by Zak Hilditch, best known for smaller projects like 1922 and Rattlesnake, this is his first step into a larger American production. You can feel the restraint in the direction, sometimes to the film’s benefit and sometimes to its detriment. The pacing is deliberate, almost stubbornly so, and while the mood is consistent, it rarely escalates into anything memorable.

Daisy Ridley, best known for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, carries the film as a woman searching for her missing husband who may or may not have turned into a zombie. Ridley is solid and emotionally grounded, doing the best she can with minimal dialogue and long stretches of quiet reflection. Her performance is never the problem. If anything, she is the primary reason the movie remains watchable.

The supporting cast is where the film struggles. Nearly every side character is written as painfully one note, existing only to deliver a single personality trait before fading into the background. The main sidekick, in particular, feels like the physical embodiment of the phrase “hell yeah,” offering enthusiasm instead of depth. These characters never feel like real people, which undercuts the emotional weight the story is clearly aiming for.

The cinematography is one of the stronger elements. The camera lingers on empty landscapes and decaying environments in a way that reinforces the isolation of the world. It is well shot and visually competent, even if the imagery alone cannot compensate for the lack of narrative momentum.

In the end, We Bury The Dead is fine but forgettable. It is slow, competently made, and anchored by a strong lead performance, but the flat supporting characters and restrained storytelling prevent it from leaving much of an impression. Result: C+

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