Overview
- Written and directed by Zak Hilditch, the 95‑minute Vertical release is rated R for strong violent content, gore, language and brief drug use.
- Ridley plays Ava, who enters a military‑controlled zone in Tasmania to search for her missing husband after an experimental weapons disaster.
- Reports describe reanimated victims that unsettle volunteers with teeth‑grinding and, in some accounts, appear faster and more coordinated, with troops instructing civilians to signal soldiers rather than engage.
- Ridley told interviewers the role demanded sustained physical intensity and delivered the kind of emotional catharsis she seeks as a viewer.
- Early reviews from outlets including the Associated Press, Marin Independent Journal and TheWrap emphasize a slow‑burn, character‑driven approach with praise for mood and sound design alongside notes of uneven execution and limited scares.