Movie Diary 6/2/2024

Handling the Undead (Thea Hvistendahl, 2024). A kind of somber, slowed-down arthouse zombie film from Norway. Three stories weave together, each marked by a loved one whose recent loss has been further darkened by the fact that the dead have returned (breathing and moving around, but looking pretty dazed) thanks to a strange environmental event. The movie gets off to a strong, moody start, and there are some stunning shots – a half-lit chapel with coffin looks like an eerie blend of Ingmar Bergman and Kiyoshi Kurosawa. It’s based on a novel by the author of Let the Right One In and Border, but in some ways the weakest element of the film is in the actual plot material; beyond the overall set-up, the individual stories aren’t really that interesting, nor the characters that compelling. The stronger elements include the grief-stricken atmosphere, Peter Raeburn’s music, and the presence of two actors from The Worst Person in the World, Renate Reinsve and Anders Danielson Lie. A worthy attempt, although the overall muddiness keeps it from something greater.