The Dead
A stranded American lieutenant and an AWOL West African soldier cross a zombie-ravaged landscape in a desperate search for rescue, family, and a way home.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- bleak
- foreboding
- harrowing
- late night horror marathon
- zombie movie double feature
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film a passionate, atmospheric, and distinctive low-budget zombie thriller whose African setting refreshes familiar genre conventions, though its writing, performances, and routine story drew criticism.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Brian and Daniel travel from a crash site through villages, plains, and military camps while seeking transport and family.
The outbreak is depicted across West African villages and military camps, with critics noting the disturbing metaphorical implications of Africans killing each other.
The isolated travel, armed stand-offs, barren plains, and frontier-like encounters give the zombie film a western inflection.
American lieutenant Brian Murphy and AWOL African soldier Daniel Dembele cooperate while pursuing separate hopes of escape and family reunion.
Films like The Dead, and why
The Night Eats the World
Shared zombie survival horror, bleak post-apocalyptic journey, and emphasis on physical endurance over comedy or satire.
28 Days Later
Shared grounded zombie horror, isolated survivors, escalating dread, and grim emotional stakes.
Night of the Living Dead
Shared low-budget zombie filmmaking, survivalist atmosphere, and a stark focus on ordinary people confronting an undead outbreak.
The Rover
Shared western-inflected survival thriller structure, barren landscapes, and tense encounters with relentless pursuers.
Movie Details
- Directors
- Jonathan Ford, Howard J. Ford
- Release Date
- 2010-08-30
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Rating
- 5.5 / 10 (197)
Cast
- Julia Scott-Russell
- Rob Freeman
- Ben Crowe
- Dan Morgan
- Prince David Oseia
- David Dontoh
- Glenn Salvage
- Howard J. Ford
- Jonathan Ford
- Mark Chapman
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Dead about?
- A stranded American lieutenant and an AWOL West African soldier cross a zombie-ravaged landscape in a desperate search for rescue, family, and a way home.
- What is The Dead like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Dead as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Dead violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Dead as graphic.
- What did critics think of The Dead?
- Critics broadly found the film a passionate, atmospheric, and distinctive low-budget zombie thriller whose African setting refreshes familiar genre conventions, though its writing, performances, and routine story drew criticism.
- Which films are like The Dead?
- Films with a similar feel include The Night Eats the World, 28 Days Later, Night of the Living Dead, and The Rover.
- How long is The Dead?
- The Dead runs 105 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Dead?
- In United States, The Dead streams on MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel.
