Review: ‘Die Alone’ is a puzzle set in the post-apocalypse
‘Die Alone’ follows a young man with amnesia’s quest to find his missing girlfriend in a zombie-riddled world.
In post-apocalypse pictures, it’s not unusual to see people sticking together even when it’s complicated or not in their best interests. Humans crave closeness and camaraderie so much, it can override their survival instincts, force them to do things against their nature or lead them into clearly dangerous situations. Some people can’t stand the idea of being alone, so they cling to those around them even harder, particularly when knowing someone becomes a rarity and the prospect of finding a replacement is scarce. In Die Alone, zombies are thinning the population, but a lone woman takes an interest in a young man with amnesia.
Ethan (Douglas Smith) wakes up after a car accident, unable to remember how he got there or what happened to his girlfriend, Emma (Kimberly-Sue Murray). He has amnesia with only fuzzy memories of before the crash. While wandering around an abandoned town, he’s picked up by Mae (Carrie-Anne Moss), a hardened survivor, who takes him back to her farmhouse to recover. There, they’re safe from the unstoppable zombies taking over Earth. The plant-based virus has many believing its nature’s way of reclaiming the planet. But there’s something suspect about Mae’s behaviour and Ethan won’t rest until he’s reunited with Emma.
This is a play-by-its-own-rules zombie picture. Initially conceived 10 years ago, writer-director Lowell Dean went through many iterations over the years in response to other film releases to try and keep it fresh. While the virus still animates the dead and spreads through wounds inflicted by carriers, there is a unique quality in that the infected grow moss, plants and trees from their decaying, yet still mobile bodies. Creatures that don’t frequently move meld with the earth, while a man attacks them that has a small tree sprouting out of his head. They’re also impervious to bullets and bludgeonings, which only temporarily slow them down even when the brain is destroyed. Nonetheless, they are still innately driven by a hunger for human flesh.
Ethan’s amnesia brings a Memento element into the narrative (which coincidentally also co-starred Moss). Whether he falls asleep or passes out, each time Ethan wakes up it’s without any definitive memories, except that he was in an accident and needs to find Emma. The location and timeline of the pandemic are deliberately vague, though hints are dropped throughout the picture. Consequently, the flesh-eating monsters serve more as a backdrop for a thriller that invites audiences to unpack the clues and discover the truth about Ethan’s past. In the meantime, Mae is justifiably cautious when interacting with Ethan, while also definitely hiding something from him.
The film boasts some excellent Canadian talent, pairing Moss and Smith together for their third time, though this is the most screen time they’ve shared. Living in a world that surrounds her with death and uncertainty, Moss portrays a sharp and toughened woman with turbulent emotions who is ready to react at the drop of a hat. Conversely, Ethan’s fractured mind requires Smith to be vulnerable as he’s easily influenced by the more experienced Mae, prompting concern from viewers.
Director: Lowell Dean
Starring: Carrie-Anne Moss, Douglas Smith and Kimberly-Sue Murray
