‘We Bury the Dead’ Blu-ray Review
Stars: Daisy Ridley, Brenton Thwaites, Mark Coles Smith, Matt Whelan, Chloe Hurst, Kym Jackson, Dan Paris | Written and Directed by Zak Hilditch
Ever since George A. Romero basically wrote the rulebook for modern zombies, filmmakers have been trying to put their own spin on the undead. The genre has had its ups and downs over the years, but thanks to the runaway success of The Walking Dead, zombies have once again become the go-to playground for horror storytellers.
Enter We Bury the Dead, a slightly different beast in a genre that often leans hard into gore over substance. Starring Daisy Ridley, this one dials things back and swaps relentless carnage for something a bit more introspective. Yes, there are undead lurking about, but the real focus is on grief, loss and a woman trying to piece together what happened to her husband. It’s a slower, more emotional take, which helps it stand out… even if it occasionally feels like it’s holding back from going full horror.
After a catastrophic military disaster, the dead don’t just rise – they hunt. The military insists that they are harmless and slow-moving, offering hope to grieving families. But when Ava (Daisy Ridley) enters a quarantine zone while searching for her missing husband, she uncovers the horrifying truth: the undead are growing more violent, more relentless, and more dangerous with every passing hour.
Ridley, best known for swinging a lightsaber as Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and its sequels, gets a chance to stretch a bit here. And to her credit, she carries the film well, grounding it with a performance that leans more into drama than genre theatrics.
On the physical side, Vertical Entertainment brings the film to Blu-ray with a solid, no-frills presentation. You’re getting a 1080p transfer in a 2.39:1 aspect ratio, alongside DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and a Dolby Digital 2.0 option. Subtitles for the hard of hearing are included too. Visually, it’s clean and sharp, with no noticeable artefacts, and the audio does its job without any hiccups. In short, it looks and sounds exactly as it should.
But here’s the kicker… extras. Or rather, the complete lack of them. No commentary, no featurettes, not even a token trailer. For a genre that usually thrives on behind-the-scenes content and fan extras, it’s a bit of a letdown, making the release feel barebones.
Still, if you’re in for a more character-driven take on the zombie formula, there’s enough here to make We Bury the Dead worth a watch. Just don’t come expecting a stacked Blu-ray package to go with it.
*** 3/5
We Bury the Dead is out now on Blu-ray, in the US, from Vertical Entertainment. You can also check out our review of the film’s UK release right here.
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