Movie Review: Daisy Ridley Holds Onto Hope in the Zombie Thriller ‘We Bury the Dead’
Daisy Ridley delivers a restrained and emotionally grounded performance in the zombie thriller ‘We Bury the Dead,’ a film that favors human resilience over genre spectacle.
Peter Lawson|Senior Editor
Dec. 30, 2025
‘We Bury the Dead’ offers a contemplative take on the zombie genre, anchored by a quietly powerful performance from Daisy Ridley that reframes survival as an act of emotional endurance rather than physical dominance. Set in the aftermath of a devastating and unexplained outbreak, the film follows Ridley’s character as she navigates a world stripped of structure, safety, and certainty, where the presence of the undead is less shocking than the persistence of grief and moral fatigue among the living. Rather than relying on constant action or graphic horror, the film adopts a measured pace, allowing moments of silence, reflection, and hesitation to carry as much weight as moments of danger. Ridley portrays a protagonist defined by restraint, conveying fear, exhaustion, and determination through subtle expressions and controlled movement, reinforcing the film’s central theme that hope survives not through heroics but through small, deliberate choices. The direction emphasizes atmosphere over spectacle, using desaturated visuals, abandoned landscapes, and minimal dialogue to create a sense of isolation that feels both intimate and oppressive.
Zombies remain an ever-present threat, but they function more as a backdrop to the film’s exploration of loss, responsibility, and the ethical compromises required to keep going. Supporting characters serve as mirrors to Ridley’s journey, representing different responses to catastrophe, from emotional withdrawal to ruthless pragmatism, without overwhelming the narrative’s focus on internal struggle. The screenplay resists the temptation to overexplain the origins of the outbreak, instead prioritizing character psychology and the slow erosion of trust and certainty, a choice that may frustrate viewers seeking clear answers but ultimately strengthens the film’s emotional resonance. Sound design and score are used sparingly, heightening tension through absence rather than excess, while the film’s climactic moments feel earned precisely because they are understated. ‘We Bury the Dead’ does not aim to reinvent the zombie genre, but its commitment to emotional authenticity and its refusal to sensationalize violence give it a distinct identity, and Daisy Ridley’s performance ensures that the story lingers as a meditation on grief, perseverance, and the fragile decision to keep hoping when the world has already ended.
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