Uncontained
Directed by Morley NelsonA mysterious drifter struggles to protect an abandoned boy and his little sister from an infection that turns people into a feral-like state.
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Uncontained Ratings & Reviews
- jackmeatJune 18, 2025My quick rating - 4.1/10. Set in the frostbitten wilderness of North America, Uncontained opens with a bleak, quietly eerie tone and carries the Bloody Disgusting logo like a badge of genre pride. The story centers on a mysterious loner known only as The Man (Morley Nelson), who finds himself the unlikely guardian of two abandoned children, a boy and his younger sister, while navigating a world plagued by a strange infection that turns people into feral husks of their former selves. At first glance, I felt like the groundwork for something strong had been laid. A contained, character-driven apocalypse drama with snowy backdrops, a small cast, and the kind of grim solitude fans of The Road or It Comes at Night might appreciate. And in fairness, the early world-building works well enough. The infection and the way it has reshaped society—pushing people into isolated forest shelters and off-grid survival—feels believable, if a little undercooked. Unfortunately, that sense of promise fizzles as the film trudges forward with a pace more glacier than thriller. Despite the infected being a central element of the premise, they’re largely relegated to background noise. Encounters with them are sparse and often brief, and while they’re handled decently when they do appear, they’re not the real threat here. That distinction goes to the other humans—another post-apocalyptic tale reminding us that the monsters were inside us all along. Unfortunately, Uncontained doesn’t do much with this idea that we haven't already seen done better elsewhere. The film leans heavily into its family-drama elements, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and to its credit, the child actors do solid work. Their performances carry much of the emotional weight, and the dynamic between the kids and The Man feels genuine and occasionally touching. But when you set up a world of lurking infection, desperate survival, and forest-bound ferals, viewers will understandably expect a bit more movement. The film’s biggest flaw is its sluggishness—spending so much time on day-to-day survival beats that it forgets to inject momentum. By the time conflict with a rival human group emerges, it feels too little, too late. There’s also an unintentionally comical choice during an action montage that uses “The Star-Spangled Banner” for background music. It’s public domain, sure, but the tonal mismatch is jarring and doesn’t do the scene any favors. Enough so I had to point it out. Just weird. Ultimately, Uncontained has the bones of a decent low-budget survival tale, but it doesn’t deliver the urgency, suspense, or thematic depth needed to elevate it beyond that. It’s a slow burn that forgets to light the match. Maybe the sequel it teases will build on the groundwork laid here, but as it stands, this one left me a little cold. I really do miss snow.
- DragonhoodJune 9, 2025Liked it way better than I expected. Recommended
- thereelvoiceMarch 28, 2025Uncontained tries to do something unique with the zombie genre. The premise is interesting and the outcome of being infected is something that would make for an exciting twist. Unfortunately, Uncontained takes a little too long to get there and when it finally does, you’ve lost any emotion that might have anchored you to the characters. A slow burn that’s a little too slow for its own good and stale performances drags an interesting premise down to an afterthought.
