Ah, The Cured, a movie that takes the ever-popular “zombie” genre, slaps a PTSD sticker on it, and tries to make us feel bad for the infected. This 2017 Irish horror-drama directed by David Freyne has all the right ingredients—plenty of moral ambiguity, PTSD-laden characters, and a plague that turns people into murderers. What could go wrong? Well, The Curedgoes ahead and answers that question for us, delivering a mixed bag of themes that could have been potent but end up curdling into a slightly spoiled soup of missed potential, underdeveloped ideas, and, oh yes, a zombie-ish apocalypse that’s a bit too meh to leave any lasting impact.
Plot: An Infection of Boredom
The premise is certainly intriguing. The Cured introduces us to a world where a virus, called the Maze Virus, has turned people into mindless, homicidal zombies. But hey, don’t worry—there’s a cure! Only, 75% of the infected get better, and the remaining 25%? Well, they’re still in zombie mode, and the government wants to euthanize them. Aaaaand cue the political drama. Our main character, Senan (Sam Keeley), is one of the “Cured,” attempting to re-integrate into society, and like any good socially conscious horror film, the movie wants us to wrestle with the ethical dilemma of whether these cured folks are really cured or if they’re still a time bomb waiting to explode. It’s a nice moral question… until you realize it doesn’t quite go anywhere.
At its heart, the movie is about the aftermath of being cured of zombie-ism. Senan has PTSD, can’t get his life together, and does what any sane person would do: he hooks up with his dead brother’s wife (Abbie, played by Elliot Page), and spends the rest of the movie brooding and trying to figure out what the hell is going on. Conor (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor), another Cured character, decides that “society owes him,” and thus starts an underground movement—because clearly, nothing says “social change” like trying to kill the people who cured you.
But here’s the kicker: the plot doesn’t really go anywhere. It has the narrative momentum of a slow-moving train that’s slightly off the tracks, and despite some good potential to explore the theme of redemption and the consequences of violence, the movie ends up just chasing its own tail in a loop of disappointing plot points. The political tension, the trauma, the curing process—all these are set up beautifully… but they don’t exactly come to fruition in any satisfying way. In the end, we’re left with the feeling of a half-baked stew where all the ingredients are there but someone forgot to turn on the stove.
Characters: All the Pain, None of the Gain
Senan, our tortured protagonist, has the emotional depth of a puddle—don’t get me wrong, it’s a puddle full of genuine sadness, but it’s still just a puddle. He’s a victim of his own actions, suffering from PTSD and guilt over the violence he committed while infected. But instead of being a compelling character study, Senan’s arc is just… meh. He’s too much of a moody martyr without enough to differentiate him from a hundred other brooding anti-heroes we’ve seen a million times before. Sam Keeley does his best with the role, but he’s ultimately trapped in a story that doesn’t know what to do with him.
Then we have Abbie (Elliot Page), who’s saddled with the task of being the emotional grounding for Senan. She’s basically a walking plot device—there for him to mourn over, make out with, and ultimately try to save. She doesn’t have much to do except throw some supportive looks and offer an endless supply of “I’m here for you” speeches. But let’s be real: it’s not exactly thrilling stuff. Elliot Page’s performance is fine—good, even—but her character doesn’t go anywhere interesting. A little more agency for Abbie would’ve been nice, considering how much screen time she gets.
Then there’s Conor. Oh, Conor, the walking poster child for “We get it, you’re angry.” Conor’s entire character arc is summed up by: “Hey, society’s been really mean to me after I got cured, so I’m gonna make things worse for everyone.”His political uprising subplot is about as compelling as watching a toddler tantrum over not getting candy. There’s a lot of yelling and posturing, but it’s hard to feel invested when the character motivations are as shallow as a kiddie pool. Tom Vaughan-Lawlor does a decent job making him seem like a truly annoying human being, but, in the end, you just want him to shut up and go away.
Horror: Where’s the Zombie Apocalypse, Again?
For a film that’s marketed as a horror drama, you’d think there’d be more horror. But nope! The Maze Virus zombies, while occasionally mentioned, hardly ever make an appearance. Instead, the film focuses on melodrama and political angst—because who needs the thrills of zombies when you can have thirty minutes of people standing around talking about their feelings?
When the film finally gets around to delivering some horror, it’s mostly reserved for the last few minutes, and even then, it’s nothing that will make you lose sleep. The movie’s horror is less blood-soaked panic and more the horror of realizing you’ve watched a film for an hour and a half and it’s still not sure what it wants to be. There are a couple of moments where you think, Oh, this is where it’s going to get good, but those moments quickly fizzle out like a cheap firecracker.
Ending: And Then… Nothing
Without giving away too much, the movie’s ending is less of a grand climax and more of a… meh. It feels like the filmmakers were so focused on the philosophical dilemmas of being “cured” that they forgot to make the horror aspect actually scary. The resolution to the entire plot is, frankly, underwhelming. It leaves you with more questions than answers, and the ending is about as satisfying as finishing a big meal only to realize they forgot to serve dessert.
Conclusion: The Cured—The Cure for Your Patience
In summary, The Cured is like a medical diagnosis you didn’t want to hear but you’re stuck with: it’s a bit too long, a bit too slow, and ultimately leaves you wondering why you bothered in the first place. It’s not the worst movie you’ll ever watch, but it’s certainly not one you’ll recommend to your friends unless you have a very specific taste for slightly-above-mediocre zombie-ish drama. If you’re in the mood for a movie that asks tough questions without answering them, The Cured might just be the perfect cure for your boredom. Just don’t expect it to leave you feeling better afterward.
