Don't Grow Up

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.

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.

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!

How many variant of movies can you make about the zombie genre? I guess this is another original idea about only adults becoming zombies, leaving the children being 'normal'. Was it a good idea to make this movie? It could have been if the movie was stronger with better action scenes and zombie attacks. But then only for lovers of this genre. What you get instead is just a movie like you saw so many times before. Nothing that you will remember about in the future. The actors (almost all kids of course) are just okay without any being brilliant. The story is just too weak to be interesting. And on top of that they don't give you any explanation about what could have start this disaster. I would just skip this movie if I were you.

This movie will likely be seen a lot better at a certain age than at other ages. And it's OK, if a movie tries to appeal to a certain group of people. This might have resonated somehow with me, if I was younger and I can understand if people see it that way. I'm also pretty certain that the same people probably would change their mind a decade or so after they've watched it.

That being said, the nature of the young grown ups and their flaws is intriguing. Even though they are delinquents, they are not entirely unlikable. They do have a tendency to draw the wrong conclusions and make the worst choice possible. Other than that, what kind of movie would we have here?