As the French saying goes, “Il n’y a pas d’avenir” — or, “There is no future.“In the face of the apocalypse, that’s indeed the literal perspective, and with the increasingly trying times we live in, those experiencing less severe but still headache-inducing issues might feel the same way about things, like a tiny apocalypse. The feeling of hopelessness has been explored on the big screen time and time again, both in a literal and figurative sense, and is particularly prominent in thezombie subgenre of cinema. Releasing today,Die Alonepaints a twisted picture of this genre with a savage brushstroke.
From writer-director Lowell Dean, the gruesome apocalyptic thriller also benefits from a strong turn bythe timeless Carrie-Anne Moss(though she still feels underutilized). WhileDie Aloneis a bit derivative of other post-apocalyptic movies, the surprisingly gory moments compensate for the occasionally thin script. The direction is also deliriously disorienting in a pretty good way, and the film incorporates some surreal moments, surprise twists, and even bits of humor that keep it moving well.
Toward Emma, Forever Ago?
In a dystopian future, a pandemic has ravaged society, leaving behind a landscape overrun by zombie-like creatures. A young man with amnesia teams up with a tough survivalist to track down his missing girlfriend. Along the way, they encounter a mysterious figure whose presence may unlock the secrets of the past.
Die Alonemaintains the badass-ery of Moss' image fromThe Matrixbut strips her of its iconic latex outfits and replaces them with gritty, dirt-encrusted attire marred by years of fending off an entirely different army of villains. Before we witness the monstrous beings — and even Moss' presence, for that matter — there’s young Ethan (Douglas Smith), who awakens from an awful nightmare with seemingly no recollection of how he got to this equally awful part of town when we first meet him. All he has is a bandage on his left arm that reads “Emma” with a heart around it, and off we go as he quests to find the long-lost love of his life.
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Long before 28 Days Later, Nightmare City, released in 1980 and directed by Umberto Lenzi, amped up the speed and savagery of the zombie film.
Through flashbacks revealed only in Ethan’s restless sleep, we see him fall head over heels with the young woman of his dreams (Kimberly-Sue Murray), as they navigate a U.S. overrun by a strange virus in the vein of28 Days Later. Along the way, Ethan is saved and helped by Mae (Moss), a graceful and seasoned presence whose soul is withering against the apocalyptic backdrop. But can you blame the crossbow and rifle-wielding survival expert’s soul for dying out? Hey, she still makes time for the finer things, such as dancing elegantly at night to the classics on vinyl once she brings the perpetually distressed Ethan to safety under her roof. But once the sun rises, they’re off to hunt for food again.
Carrie-Anne Moss & Frank Grillo Save the Day
Moss is reliably magnetic in her heroine role, and her humorous and awkwardly sexual chemistry with the younger Smith makes for a lovely balance against the gruesomely violent sequences that both precede and follow their more intimate moments. It’s a hoot seeing her own the screen and wield any number of menacing weapons throughout this new film of hers. It’s also a neat throwback to her work inMementoto see her helping an amnesiac with a broken memory.
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Then there’s Frank Grillo, who has a small but juicy enough supporting turn to fill the harrowing third act ofDie Alone. It’s as if director Lowell pitched him with, “Do your vintage Grillo grit, but with a cowboy edge. Get me?” His character Kai supplies an ominous plot development in the ever-revealing flashbacks, but it’s the kind of role Grillo can play in his sleep. Nonetheless, a splash of Grillo is better than none.
As for the rest of the feature, it might all feel a bit derivative of past zombie-laced horror bonanzas, and what amounts to a third-act twist is pretty predictable, but some surprising story beats might just be enough to keep you glued. From Quiver Distribution,Die Aloneis now available in theaters, on demand and on digital platforms like Fandango at Home and on Prime Video through the link below:
