The Returned

Manuel Carballo's new zombie movie plenty of thrills , chills , gore and blood . This zombie thriller stars a good cast such as Kris Holden-Reid , Emily Hampshire , Claudia Bassols , Melina Matthews , Barry Flatman and Shawn Doyle . It is set in a post-zombie world , a place where a deadly zombie virus has infected mankind , but a single cure has been found . As a treatment called the "Return Protein" can stop the spread of the virus if injected quickly after infection, but cannot cure it . With injections every 36 hours, the "Returned" are able to live as though they were never bit, despite the virus still coursing through their veins . When it is discovered that the protein stock is running low , chaos hits the streets. Returned who run out of the protein turn to zombies and disasters , protesters turn to killers as they try to rid the streets of the returned, and right in the middle of it all are Alex and Kate . With daily injections, the "Returned" are able to live relatively normal lives, but with brutal attacks at the hands of Anti-Return groups and rumors that protein stock is running low, the world is again on the brink of chaos . In the midst of this turmoil are Alex (Kris Holden-Ried) and Kate (Emily Hampshire), a young , successful and enviable couple that are hiding a long held secret – Alex is Returned . As death and fear run rampant , Alex's secret becomes known and when the retroviral drug is running out , then chaos and destruction burst .

This zombie thriller ¨The Returned¨ from Spanish genre hub Filmax and being professionally shot by director Manuel Carballo . The film utilizes the opening credits sequence to address the conventions of the genre , only to completely move away from them for the rest of the movie . A mostly unnecessary flashback sequence—that is never returned to again until it's required to do some third act heavy lifting—gives horror fans what they come to expect from anything zombie related : blood , guts , screaming , gore , guns , more blood and horror as the dead become fearsomely undead . The Returned takes this idea , blows it up a bit, and then does something fairly intriguing . It decides not to be a zombie terror movie at all , in fact it is more a thriller than a horror flick . The main premise results to be the following : the viral outbreak that led to a zombie apocalypse has come and gone , and society is attempting to move forward . A cure of sorts was discovered that brings the recently infected back to normal, but the injections are needed on a daily basis . Nice acting from Emily Hampshire as Kate a leading doctor in the field of zombie virus' and Kris Holden Reid as Alex , a musician with a dark secret, he is a Returned ; both of whom must fight for a chance to live before he becomes a zombie .

Javier Salmones cinematography is excellent , creating a frightening and scary atmosphere , he's expert on sombre photography . Atmospheric musical score by Jonathan Goldsmith fitted perfectly to suspense , action and terror . This is a Canadian-Spanish co-production between Ramaco Media and Filmax or Fantastic Factory . Filmax is run by the Catalan producers Julio Fernandez along with his brother Carlos Fernández , being a successful company in charge of production horror/SF movies such as ¨The machinist¨, ¨Darkness¨ ,¨Stranded¨ , ¨Faust¨ and ¨The nameless¨, among others . The filmmaker Manuel Carballo is a fine Spanish director , he began as a camera assistant for Filmax/Julio Fernández in ¨Rottweiler¨, ¨Romasanta¨ , ¨Beyond Re-Animator¨ and ¨Dagon¨ . Manuel Carballo has directed a few films as ¨El Ultimo Justo¨ (2007) , ¨La Posesión De Emma Evans or Exorcismus¨ (2007) and TV Series as ¨Trece Miedos¨ . Furthermore , he directed Shorts : ¨Diminutos del Calvario¨ and ¨Seiken¨ .

The Returned (2013)

I'm sure every screenwriter is straining to find a way to tap into the zombie movie craze while it's hot. So here's the latest twist—an antidote exists for zombie-ness. Those who are now safely taking their medication are no longer zombies and are dubbed "the Returned."

Of course, these are prejudiced against, and of course there is a constant search for enough medicine to go around—but I'm getting ahead of myself. The main point is that now we can have the threat of zombies without quite having zombies. So maybe this isn't a zombie movie after all!

Except it is, and cleverly so. The leading woman is a doctor who is aware the shortage of medicine—and someone she loves (unnamed here) is one of the Returned, so it matters very much. Tension builds nicely in a couple of different ways, and the general mood (mostly avoiding the usual grotesqueness) is steadily intense. It's good stuff, and a nice surprise. I'm not sure why the overall rating is so low.

This is a Spanish production with a mostly North American cast, so it's basically a low budget fringe film. It doesn't feel like it, however, so expect something solid. Canadian Emily Hampshire is the leading actor, and she gives it all credibility. If there is a weakness here it might be a lack of adventure—the plot follows its logical line closely and the small turns of events are not surprising, quite.

Still, it's well enough done I say, watch it if you are inclined to this kind of movie at all. Or to a quieter kind of zombie plot.

I have been wondering: where do all these zombie films come from? This one comes from Canada. Like everything else, genres come and go in cycles. Fortunately, this is one of the better in the cycle, if it is even a zombie film at all.

Very good news: this isn't a 'found footage' mess, so those of you, that like me prefer real movies, will be pleased.

In an interesting twist a 'new' take is offered on the 'zombies have problems too' theme. Early on we find that a serum that keeps the undead alive and normal is running out. What to do! From there we are treated to a very nice thriller.

In fact, thematically this could easily seen as a thriller and not a zombie movie. If you are one that must wince as you avoid the screen during some of the bloodier flesh-consuming relatives to The Returned don't worry. Very little of that untidy stuff.

For a small budget we get some pretty fair production. Nice camera work, nice score, all filmed in Canada where apparently one gets quite a bit for their money. And, the dreary Canadian background seems very fitting, nice and gray.

Though no one in the cast really stands out they all perform very well together. Unlike other small budget films there isn't that actor or two that is such a 'clinker' that the whole production suffers.

Overall, very watchable, on par with the better made for television stuff. I have read that some feel the ending is a bit shocking, but I can't agree with that at all. The plot is developed nicely by that point and all fits together very well for me.

Well-made story of the politics of controlling a plague. This is a thinking man's horror movie: An allegory for HIV/AIDS and similar viral outbreaks, this virus makes its victims into zombies: They're crazed, they spread the virus through biting, and to kill them requires shooting them in the head. But zombies and their gore are rare in this movie. Rather, the focus is on potential zombies, infected people who are kept normal though daily injections. The virus isn't curable, but it is manageable, but only if society supports the victims with expensive drugs, and only as long as each victim is responsible about taking their daily dosage. These factors make the infected a time bomb, a hypothetical that becomes a more urgent reality with rumors that the drug is running out. The story is personalized by Alex and Kate, who show the battle to control the disease, the consequences of not doing so, and the societal impact on their personal lives. Unlike most zombie movies, this one does not focus on the standard action scenes of zombies swarming, eating people, and getting slaughtered with ever more creative head wounds. Nor is this a dystopian future depicting the breakdown of society from a planet overrun by the infected with a few living humans struggling to survive. Rather this horror is psychological: controlling a plague, caring for loved ones, balancing the good of the few with the needs of the many, and the desperate acts this necessitates. Well written and well acted, this is a gem in the horror genre.

After a zombie outbreak, the infected people survive due to a vaccine made of the the spinal fluid of dead zombies and they are called "Returned". Dr. Kate (Emily Hampshire) works in a hospital and is responsible for the wing of Returned". There is a rumor that the vaccine is running out and Kate secretly buys vaccines from Eve (Melina Matthews), who is the responsible for the storeroom. Kate's beloved husband, the musician Alex (Kris Holden-Ried), was infected and only Kate and Alex's brother Jacob (Shawn Doyle) and his wife Amber (Claudia Bassols) knows. When the vaccine runs out, the government brings the infected people to quarantine centers while research a synthetic vaccine. However, Alex and Kate flee to Jacob's house in the countryside expecting that Alex survives until the synthetic vaccine becomes reality. But when Alex's wallet is stolen, Kate's last hope is to get some vaccines from the director of the hospital where she works. Will she succeed?

"The Returned" is among the best zombie movies with a dramatic and credible story and outstanding direction and performances. The behavior of the human beings feeling despair for the situation with beloved ones is impressive and realistic. The dark conclusion is predictable but also perfect. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Retornados" ("Returned")

Note: On 21 Aug 2020, I saw this film again.