The Cured (2017)

A disease that turns people into zombies has been cured. The once-infected zombies are discriminated against by society and their own families, which causes social issues to arise. This leads to militant government interference.

Review

I was a zombie, and then I got better. An odd premise to be sure. And for us, the film was a game of two halves. The writing and direction are solid. David Freyne (feature debut) does a good job and the setting of Ireland is a masterstroke. The film feels enclosed, tight knit. It feels personal. And combined with the performance of lead Sam Keeley (Monsters: Dark Continent) works miracles. A personal story, The Cured is very much a societal portrayal of discrimination, and bleak it is. Yes, there is an underlying zombie movie here, but aside from the grand third act, it really isn't played on.

A meditative look at the future, most of the film is quite sad.

Then there is the performance of Tom Vaughan-Lawlor (Avengers: Endgame) who does an exceptional job of ramping the slight backstory of rebellion (or terrorism) until it becomes the main thrust of the film. He proves himself a fantastic antagonist.

When the third act hits, it hits hard. The violence, desperation, and action leap to the fore and the film gives the implied "zombie apocolypse" scenes that viewers will want in payoff.

Overall it's a great indie flick. It's emotionally engaging, has some decent scares and gore, and is a fitting film to sit alongside Dawn of the Dead.

But then there is the downside. I don't know why - maybe it is me - but Ellen Page doesn't seem to be able to put in an engaging performance as much as she used to. Flaunted as the lead and star-power on display, Page puts in little more than a 'turned up for the pay-check' performance (much like Flatliners). It's a shame, because going back as far as Hard Candy, she certainly was one to watch. It just brings the film down a peg.

Either way, it is a good film and worth watching. Both in story and spectacle, the payload is there. It's a far better zombie film than most made these days.