Zak Hilditch’s We Bury The Dead is a simmering Australian zombie thriller that dodges many of the usual genre clichés by delivering more contemplative twists. Yep, rather than leaning solely on relentless undead terror, the film places greater emphasis on nuance and thoughtful takes. That’s not to say the zombie encounters aren’t present or effective. Trust me, there are several, and they can be genuinely unnerving. Though, they never quite reach the ferocity of something found in the 28 Days Later films. Instead, what truly sets the movie apart is its commitment to being guided by emotion rather than fear. At the center is Daisy Ridley, perfectly cast as Ava -the woman whose journey grounds the entire story. Her character study unfolds with layers of self-discovery, sorrow, and devastation, and Ridley navigates it all with a steady, controlled performance that resists any temptation to slip into over-the-top scream-queen theatrics. She’s a deeply wounded soul searching for meaning in the wreckage of her life. As you might have guessed, the film’s thematic core revolves around intense grief and the desperate search for closure. In many ways, the zombies function less as monsters and more as a metaphor for the unresolved. So, for anyone seeking gruesome, blood-soaked, adrenaline-spiking zombie thrills, this likely isn’t the film for you. We Bury the Dead is a human-focused horror drama that intentionally steps away from standard zombie-action spectacle - and it’s all the better for it!