Director: Manuel Carballo
MPAA Rating: NR
Film Pulse Score: 6/10
While it certainly contains issues, Manuel Carballo’s The Returned still manages to provide a fresh spin on the slightly tired zombie genre. In a world where those infected are kept from turning with daily injections, the film takes a metaphorical look at their discrimination, while still providing a suspenseful and ultimately satisfying watch.
After the supply of anti-zombie treatments are found to be in short supply, the world is thrown into chaos with governments gathering up all those classified as “the returned,” and transporting them to containment facilities. These individuals are those who receive treatment for a zombie bite before the infection completely takes over the host. The returned can lives their lives normally, with the exception of needing an injection every single day. If they miss even one dose they’ll turn and need to be killed.
Emily Hampshire plays Kate, a highly skilled doctor that works with those making the transition from infected to returned. This is probably a good thing considering her husband, Alex (Kris Holden-Ried), is a returned. After the shortages are announced, Kate and Alex must do everything they can to procure more doses before it’s too late.
Although it may be looked at as a zombie film, the film plays more like a drama, featuring a couple dealing with a deadly illness and the persecution caused by said illness. One could easily remove the zombie virus and replace it with HIV and the struggle would be very much the same.
This concept of living in a society where those infected are able to live normal lives until their supply runs out makes for a very compelling and, at times, very tense film. Unfortunately, the momentum periodically gets interrupted with some heavy bouts of exposition. From TV clips to medical presentations, it feels unnecessary to explain that much and would have been more effective to let the viewer figure things out organically.
The Returned also opts for an uncharacteristic ending that proves to be maddening, sad, and surprising. Although it probably should have ended five minutes earlier, the twist did make me yearn to find out what happens next.
Despite its flaws, The Returned sets itself apart from typical zombie movies by removing the survival and action aspects and focusing more on the dramatic elements between characters. Although there’s very little gore and no scenes involving hordes of infected barreling down streets, it’s still a contemplative and tense thriller.
