Alone

Reminds me of Shakespeare, because it's much ado about nothing. Didn't like any of the characters except Bastian. Ending was sequelesque, but don't ask me to sit through more of this mediocrity. $2,000,000? Where'd it go? Resorts and restaurants? Acting and script were trash.

Intelligent and daring little horror film destined to teenagers and supposed to study those characters. I am not a great teenagers stories lover. But I must admit that this horror yarn is very well done, no matter my own taste and opinion. That's not the first horror film involving children - or teens - many Spanish films are specialized in those movies. In many films, children - or teens - were shown as the villains, the monsters. Here, it is certainly not the case. So the ingredients proposed here - teens and zombies, plague, enraged - were in the 2010's fashion. Good film also bringing some philosophical questions concerning youth and the future of the planet.

4.6 rating on IMDB??? People here seem to miss once again the point: Alone (European title for Don't Grow Up) is neither Army of the Dead nor WWZ: How can it be if you check up HOW & WERE this movie has been made. Have you? WOW, I seriously doubt that!!! So don't wonder folks...!

As a matter of fact, this movie is a (very) low budget seemingly dedicated to those who liked (loved?) for instance film-experiences such as Carriers (2009) or Children of Men (2006), even if this movie NEVER intends to compete with Alfonso Cuaron's total masterpiece.

Thierry Poiraud (yes, the guy who brought you the funky Atomic Circus: The Return of James Bataille with Jason Flemyng back in 2004) is a very solid and yet gifted too director, even if he worked on this one without his brother Didier as on Goal of the Dead...

The portrayal of the whole situation (music, sound, images, direction) is definitely an achievement and has all the ride along high kinetic power and strong impact (what for such a low budget, is kind of miraculous!):

Especially the young actors are all excellent and there terrible fate is perfectly well portrayed here, the action is violent and believable, but most important: The whole situation stays always highly plausible and human.

Watching this movie, even not in a so called "rainy Saturday night with beer and fries" climate, stays an overwhelming, stunning experience. But the main compliment to the movie makers & actors, even if the whole thing may be a bit predictable, is that Alone is NEVER boring, far from that! BUT IT ISN'T (AND CAN'T BE) A FULL THROTTLE ACTION FLICK for LOW BRAINERS!

So if you want to experience an atmospheric, deeply human, sincere and nearly naturalistic horror adventure/journey, don't look any further. Thierry Poiraud's gift to the audience is worth every single minute of the 81 min. Running time, believe me!

And don't forget: Don't Grow Up... Alone!

A group of young foster care kids in their late teens ranging in age from 15-18 find themselves alone at the facility when their warden goes into town and doesn't come back. After a day or two of enjoying the freedom they head into town themselves only to discover an "Apocalypse Virus" has turned all "adults" into rage zombies, and soon realize they will turn as well upon reaching adulthood, and since they are already close, it's not as far off a terror as they would like. Survival or lack thereof ensues.

This film was very intriguing, I like the premise, unlike most Zed Films this isn't a virus you worry about catching, that part is done, it instead is the dramatic understanding that "it's coming" as that unstoppable force known as AGING always does. The dramatic elements are done nicely as these troubled teens, already the result of a bad life, are faced with it getting even more bad, I know myself I would laugh at the irony and be none too happy. Granted there isn't a huge amount of no stop action or gore, but there is a sufficient amount to please, and when it occurs it isn't pretty. I found myself quite disturbed by several of the kill/death scenes and equally distressed at the ending. Could it have been bloodier, yes, but no real need, could it have had more action, sure, but again, I found it quite well balanced.

I ordered this on Bluray after viewing it tonight on the DVD I had bought blind. I found it quite worthy of my collection and of upgrading to bluray as the bluray can be gotten brand new for less than a ten'er on the big EB A...lol The premise of this virus, being unstoppable (Reminds me of the Star Trek original series episode Miri.) as it is attached to the aging process quite interesting. Where IS Dr. MCCoy when you need him I say. I would have liked a sequel, what happens next, as the ending, though quite distressing leaves room for more. If you like horror and Zeds, this is a nice addition to your collection, a bit more subtle, but still full of horrors.

Don't grow up isn't the genre's best out there but it certainly deserves a look especially if you're into horror.

And why is that? Well it does act more like a drama, and on character development but the premise and the world it builds is scary. Of course little is shown so there is a lot left for the imagination, completely the opposite compared to The Children. So if you do like this one, go watch what I just recommended. Far better, more tensions and more action on screen.

Overall Don't Grow Up is a little indie project, not quite original, nothing new in the direction, same bad decisions taken throughout the movie just like in any other but it works alright for a very late, lonely night.

Cheers!