16 Critically Dismissed Recent Movies (That Weren't As Bad As You Think)
2. The Dead Don't Die
Rotten Tomatoes: 55% (Average Score: 5.81/10)
Critical Consensus: The Dead Don't Die dabbles with tones and themes to varying degrees of success, but sharp wit and a strong cast make this a zom-com with enough brains to consume.
The Dead Don't Die was anticipated at first, largely thanks to the amazing cast, but once it actually came out the reviews were very mixed and the film seemed to be forgotten. This is a huge shame, since it's a very entertaining horror comedy.
Sure, the ending is unsatisfying, it's slow to start and it's a bit too deadpan at times, but there's an awful lot to like here.
The film's wonderfully dry (but still very effective) jokes, brilliantly quirky vibe and entertaining performances and more than make up for its flaws. In particular, Tilda Swinton is an absolute scene-stealer as a Scottish samurai sword-wielding, zombie-killing undertaker.
It's certainly delightfully unique and like nothing else that has come out recently, so it's really worth seeing. The fact that this has a lower Rotten Tomatoes score than some far worse 2019 horror films such as Pet Sematary, Brightburn, Zombieland 2 and Happy Death Day 2U is pretty depressing.