In DESCENDENTS, the planet’s air growls foul with a pathogen that turns its victims into zombies. The remaining humans live in domed cities, sending out the military to exterminate the infected on sight.
Growing up in this world is Camille, a nine-year-old girl who is immune from the virus; the zombies, in fact, won’t even attack her. Over time, she meets more children like her, and they build a community. But the military will not abide anything outside the domes to live.
I had mixed feelings about the film. It had some terrific elements, particularly the earth in ruins with its grainy, foul air. The basic story of a girl surviving in the wasteland, hiding from soldiers and zombies alike as they fought over what was left, was interesting. But the girl seems too detached from what’s going on. Too clean and well fed, almost like she walked out of the present to tour a Zombieworld amusement park that barely interests her. It seemed the director was striving for pathos, but sometimes, for me at least, the end result came across as bland, without real stakes or sufficient tension.
If you’re into zombie films, give it a go, but be warned. Despite the eye candy of the world building, the intriguing possibilities of the story’s setup, and the occasional flashes of action with some pretty interesting zombies, the end result comes across as sluggish and overstylized. A for effort and ambition, but more sizzle than steak.
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