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DIE ALONE (2024)
4 stars
Lightbulb Film Distribution. Digital Download/DVD/Blu-ray. 10th March
An engaging, more low key, character driven entry into the ubiquitous zombie sub genre, DIE ALONE is, at its heart, a tragic love story.
Like many recent horror entries this takes, as it’s jumping off point, a deadly virus – but this one turns dead people into undead creatures with their bodies mixed in with plants (though one assumes they aren’t vegan!). Ethan (Douglas Smith) and his girlfriend Emma (Kimberly-Sue Murray) are driving along an empty road at night in the rain. On the radio there is talk of the epidemic – and of the now familiar shelter in place orders. There is a crash – but when he awakens in the car Ethan finds he has a cast on his arm with Emma written in a heart on it. Luckily for him she is a doctor… but his other half is nowhere to be seen. He wanders around the abandoned buildings, presumably the result of the deadly illness, but he can’t find her. There is no one around.
That is until he spots a truck pull up – but the occupant shoots at him. He is rescued from certain death by Mae (Carrie Anne Moss). Ethan doesn’t know where he is, or where his girlfriend has disappeared to – so she takes him back to her house in the middle of nowhere.
We learn he has amnesia with snatches of memory with Emma – they were heading to an isolated cabin for safety. He is desperate to find her. Mae warns him of dangers out there. Of what are being called ‘The Reclaimed’. He gets to the cabin and finds Jolene (Amy Matysio) and her son there. That night they are attacked with only Ethan surviving.
Mae finds him and takes him back. With his amnesia is getting worse, she looks after him – but all is not as it seems… as the plot takes an unexpected turn. To say any more would spoil this heartfelt story which is believably played by Smith, as the lost and pining young man and Moss as his strong protector. Frank Grillo also appears later in proceedings.
Writer/director Lowell Dean is best known for the WOLFCOP movies, but this is much more seriously handled than those werewolf comedy horrors, with a clever script by Dean – this is well worth a watch.
Steve Kirkham
