To what lengths will we go to deal with our grief? What if our questions of ‘what if’ can’t be answered? Worse, what if it’s an answer we don’t want? We Bury the Dead (2026) asks these questions within the context of a story featuring a unique take on zombies that doesn’t always fully commit to it’s true potential.
Ava (Daisy Ridley) volunteers to clean up bodies after an “experiment”/explosion of an American weapon off the coast of Tasmania kills everyone on the island. Some of the dead have risen, and Ava hopes to find her husband, who was on the island for a work trip during the detonation (in whatever form he may be). Soon Ava sets out with another volunteer, Clay (Brenton Thwaites), to outrun the Australian military and travel across a decimated Tasmania.
During their journey, Ava and Clay come across a soldier named Riley (Mark Coles Smith) and, while the two are initially worried he’ll turn them in, Riley has his own plans. While all the performances in We Bury the Dead are great, Mark Coles Smith stands out, his take on Riley uncomfortable in even the most casual of interactions (let alone the dark turns the movie takes after his introduction).
Ridley’s Ava is an introspective character that is often shown deeply considering her past and present, often digesting a situation before reacting, and the movie emphasizes that without dragging. Ridley fits the role perfectly, shifting from quiet consideration, to intense fear or sadness, to survival mode, and landing them all. Her character is never too much of one of those for too long, showing a dynamic range (of character and actor) that sells her journey.
We Bury the Dead struggles in some of the flashback moments, and, personally, I disliked they way the movie tries to wrap things up. But if you’re looking for a spotlight on how we deal with grief, with some interesting zombies and good performances, then We Bury the Dead is for you.
