We Bury the Dead (2026)

We Bury the Dead is one of those movies where I can appreciate what the filmmakers are trying to say without feeling like the experience fully works as horror. The idea of a woman searching for her missing husband in the aftermath of a catastrophic disaster is a strong starting point. Adding the possibility that some of the dead are returning gives it an unsettling layer, and Daisy Ridley has enough presence to carry a movie centered on grief and uncertainty.

I liked that it wasn't simply trying to repeat the usual zombie formula. The story is interested in the aftermath of loss, and there is a sadness running through the whole thing. The characters are surrounded by evidence of what has happened to thousands of people, so the horror isn't just about an infected person suddenly appearing. There's a sense of a world trying to deal with something enormous and incomprehensible.

The problem for me was the pacing. A slow-moving story can work when the tension keeps developing, but this one took too long getting where it was going. I kept wanting the film to use its premise more effectively. There are moments when something threatening happens and it becomes exciting, but too often the story settles back into a rhythm that doesn't have enough urgency.

The performances and atmosphere do some heavy lifting. I appreciated the contrast between the large-scale catastrophe and the very personal reason the main character is out there. That's the part of the film that makes it more than another zombie movie. Still, I found myself more interested in the ideas behind it than what was happening on screen.

The ending was another frustration. After spending so much time on the journey, I wanted a conclusion that justified that investment, and I didn't feel like I got one. I understand that not every horror story needs a tidy resolution, but this one didn't leave me with the impact I was hoping for.

We Bury the Dead is a thoughtful film with some effective elements. I just wish it had moved with more purpose and delivered a stronger payoff. As much as I wanted to connect with it, the experience didn't quite get there for me.

We Bury the Dead sounded like it could be an interesting zombie movie, but I had a hard time staying involved in it. I understood why the main character was looking for her husband, and I felt bad for everybody dealing with the aftermath of the disaster. The story has a lot of sadness in it. The problem was that it moved so slowly that I spent too much of the movie wishing something would happen.

I don't need nonstop action, but if I'm watching horror, I want to feel like the story is building toward something. Here, it seemed like we'd get an interesting or scary moment and then everything would slow down again. I found myself waiting for the next part instead of worrying about what was happening to the people. That's never a great sign for me.

Daisy Ridley was good, and I could understand what was driving her character. Losing someone you love and not knowing what happened to them is awful, and the film does make that clear. I also liked that it wasn't just a bunch of people running away from zombies. It was trying to do something a little different with grief and loss, and I can appreciate that.

Unfortunately, appreciating the idea and enjoying the movie are two different things. The tone was heavy, and there wasn't much to balance it. There were times when I wanted a little suspense or a reason to feel excited about the next scene. Instead, I kept thinking about how long we'd been watching.

I was especially disappointed by the ending. After all that buildup and all the time spent on the journey, I wanted to feel like it had been worth it. I didn't get that feeling. I don't need every story to finish happily, but I do need some kind of payoff for sitting through it.

I can see why someone who likes slower, sadder horror might connect with this more than I did. The acting is good, and the premise has something interesting underneath it. It just wasn't enough for me. I finished feeling like the movie had taken too long to tell a story that didn't give me a satisfying ending.