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So, we have a One Setting movie and have to make the most out of it as possible. 1. Annoying characters that are still stuck in their high school modes. 2. Current high schooler with neglectful abusive parents. 3. World weary ex-con with a partial voice of reason. 4. A younger much loved sibling with a disability. 5. A serial killer.

And the rest of the of the plot unfolds with greed making people make stupid choices. And keeps making stupid choices. And somehow everyone but the serial killer and high schoolers are complete idiots. But, that checks the box for standard plot devices.

Bloody action is there, and some tension. Watchable but don't expect much.

28 Years Later depicts what we typically see in dystopian post-apocalyptic scenes. Humans trying to be human, but they can't keep their "humanness" from tainting the situation with lies, and greedy desires. Oh, and then there's the "crazy genius" that sort of makes sense in a philosophical way, but that fails as it isn't practical. And somehow a child is stuck between this and the savageness of the mutated.

This film as so many different chapters that it would have been better as a miniseries. At least then the different portions could have had more time to develop rather than the quick shifts to "Oh, Hi! Now we're doing this!" Then, when this is done, on we go to another vibe.

This made me long for the second film that somehow was different than the first but had more logical progression of what it would be like 28 months later. This film takes us to a place of "yeah, this is what we'd do" that doesn't quite satisfy what the projection would be like. This is what we'd do if the rest of the world were gone and we had to live on an island.

The Damned is an Icelandic folk horror in a fishing station during the cold time of year. There is a horrendous event happens, and some of the reason it unfolds as it does is for survival. A difficult decision had to be made, but this one haunts the people that remain.

The Damned plays with some gender politics given that the widow of the owner is now running the station, and given the time period, that is an unusual situation. There is also a theme of religion underlying the story, that of folklore versus Christianity. Both of these are presented subtly giving flavor to the overall story without overwhelming it. The beginning is a little slow as we get to know the setting and the basics of the story, but once the event happens, the film has a low intensity to it that is then constant for the rest of the film. So most of the film is in this tension to me. Not your typical horror with jump scares and blood, but it is intense regardless.

The Damned has the makings of a slow burn. But, I felt more tension than is typical of a slow burn. The ending falls easily to a slow burn that is twisted. Very captivating overall.