Didn’t Die: Those Tormented Groans Are Coming From The Audience

Film Reviews

Sundance Film Review: Didn’t Die
Director: Meera Menon
Cinetic Media
Premiere: 01.28

My love/hate relationship with podcasts speaks volumes. The downloadable meeting of the minds can open discussion on intellect and spiritual enlightenment, but it can also spread misinformation and tribalism to its listeners. We all have that one friend who cannonballs into ice baths and recreationally smokes DMT because Joe Rogan told them to. Just like how we all have the one uncle who listens to Haliey Welch’s podcast because she’s “actually a very interesting person” despite the overplayed meme (I’d like to “Hawk Tuah” in her face). My point is: In a world that has made broadcasting yourself incredibly obtainable, the power to do so is severely underestimated. If the Twitter civil war is valid and the people are “The New Media,” maybe you should topple the set agendas and actually do some homework. And in the case of the horror comedy Didn’t Die, seeking to nurture the dwindling masses in light of a zombie plague, they couldn’t have missed the mark more.

As the world falls to the hoard of flesh-eating “biters,” brash and level-headed Vinita (comedian Kiran Deol) projects through the empty airwaves with her Didn’t Die Podcast, a talk show that reflects on life before its global demise and interviews colonies of survivors to hear their stories. However, finding some stability in an unjust world becomes shaky when Vinita’s ex-boyfriend Vincent (George Basil, Crashing) comes back to life,  clutching an abandoned baby in his arms. Vinita opens the door of her barricaded childhood home to Vincent, to the disapproval of her scaredy-cat brothers (Rupak Ginn and Samrat Chakrabarti). As they live comfortably far from the walled-off outside and snuggle cozily against the microphone, the facade of security begins to crack…

I give director Meera Menon some credit for giving us a unique perspective on the end of the world, providing a diverse collection of talent and inner turmoil over pre-outbreak problems like failed relationships. However, what the show lacks is a grip on a believable (and likable) story premise. Menon’s vision takes some iterations from the undead frenzy of The Walking Dead, especially given that Menon directed an episode. Hell, even her looming threats of “biters” might be slightly inspired by “walkers.” However, what makes any other zombie flick stand alone is an engaging plot with charismatic characters: law-abiding sheriff-turned-badass Rick Grimes, Zombieland’s socially awkward Columbus and even 28 Days Later’s bike courier and ultimate survivalist Jim — all of them feel grounded in reality! Then you look at Deol’s character who is bored, arrogant and forcing every new-age feminist one-liner like she’s a doomsday Amy Schumer. If I had to hear “less biters, more orgies” one more time, I’d be bug-bombing my laptop for crabs!

In my humblest of opinions, the horror flick Didn’t Die can be summed up with “almost.” It’s almost a decent horror film while almost giving the audience an important message of community. I wanted to like this film, but it just couldn’t pique my interest. Once the last survivor had been relocated to a military-run compound and the credits rolled, there was nothing. No grand applause, no thrown-up arms in “Was that it?” disbelief, not even a questioning grunt of “What did I just watch?” Just like memory loss, like I’m struggling to even write this because it’s sunk into being that unforgettable now. I wish Menon the best for her future products, but as I see it, Didn’t Die would’ve had to tear me limb from limb to get my attention… —Alton Barnhart

Read more of SLUG’s coverage of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.