Colm McCarthy directs Paddy Considine, Gemma Arterton and Senna Nenua in this zombie apocalypse thriller told from the perspective of a half infected child.

At times compelling, then at other moments cliched, this 2000AD / Vertigo inspired zombie movie fails to catch the creep of Romero nor match the relentless action bleak of 28 Days Later or World War Z. It feels very much like a spin off from one of those recent superior films – and while that is satisfying in bursts and often ambitious in its attempts to find beauty in the corpse strewn wastelands – it would struggle to seduce you into a second viewing. Nenua, as the child lead is sweetly convincing; her potential vaccine carrying monster, one missed meal away from munching on the attractive supporting cast but looking for a cuddle, is about as complex a turn as a young actor can deliver. Whenever the focus shifts from her to the adults who surround her though you can’t help but feel star power wins out and you’d much rather more screentime was devoted to Considine’s hardline grunt, Arterton gorgeous knitwear clad teacher or Glenn Close’s fanatical scientist. The neat ending also starts to get tied into a ribbon a little too early and obviously. Gory, even unsettling when more children are introduced into the mix, but doesn’t linger or thrill in the way the best of this sub-genre manages too.

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