Fast zombies are not a must. Sometimes, it’s a nice novelty. However, as a subgenre of horror, the notion that zombies express the feeling of creeping dread and inevitability is what it is about. The slowness can actually make the fear more terrifying when done correctly, allowing it time to settle in for long drawn out moments of silence while holding one’s breath. This is where “Handling the Undead” earns its place as being among the best zombie movies ever made.
In her first feature film, Norwegian director Thea Hvistendahl has made a “drama with horror elements,” according to the official plot summary; yet even when indulging in iconic horror scenarios like cabin in woods or woman bathing alone, this film does so quietly and sadly. Comprising three distinct storylines, which merge together eventually into one cohesive narrative, there are several shots in each part that speak volumes silently and are aesthetically pleasing at the same time. There is little or no conversation here, everything is casted in an overcast grey light.
The muted cinematography suits the interesting premise: What would happen if people really started rising from their graves? “Handling the Undead” was adapted from John Ajvide Lindqvist’s novel he also authored “Let Me In” (the basis for Matt Reeves’ American vampire remake) and “Border,” both of which took similarly grounded approaches to supernatural storytelling. The characters’ responses during this freaky electromagnetic occurrence which displays itself as static on radios interfering with migrating birds fight patterns seem plausible too.
Meaning they cry all day and go mad overall. Mahler (Bjørn Sundquist) hears his dead grandchild knocking inside his casket without raising his voice at all. A spade appears somewhere at hand for unearths him immediately after that thought crosses his mind. When Elisabet (Olga Damani) walks out of her grave and into Tora’s (Bente Børsum) arms, the latter is shocked but happy. When David (Anders Danielsen Lie) is told by a doctor that his girlfriend Eva (Bahar Pars) had died and now she is not anymore, this information confuses him. Instead, however, he only keeps the optimistic part of the physician’s statement in mind.
Adding Renate Reinsve, the “worst person in the world” star, as the mother of the boy who does not die would result into a symphony of icy agony and false hope that stretched over 97 profound minutes. We in the audience know it’s going to be bad for them. I’ve seen one of these movies before. It makes the scenes where people hold on to their corpses very sad because they don’t look right. Elisabet’s back is purple from blood lying in her coffin, but some others are downright George Romero zombies.
Hvistendahl’s film is driven by such brittle sensation, making even absorbing and captivating at moments. The pace? Let’s say it moves slowly (the unsympathetic term is ‘sluggish.’) This actually helps build suspense Hvistendahl gets plenty of suspenseful mileage out of dark hallways framed with static shots but also tests viewer patience during those moments when she can’t seem to make anything click. These instances are few enough not to shatter completely this tonal spell Hvistendahl has labored so hard to conjure within her movie. However, considering how slow-moving this movie is overall, they still constitute mistakes that “Handling the Undead” cannot afford to make. If you stay up past midnight then do not watch this particular zombie flick!
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