Tags:
Film: Forgive Us All
Year: 2025
Director: Jordana Stott
Writers: Jordana Stott and Lance Giles
Starring: Lily Sullivan, Callan Mulvey and Richard Roxburgh
Review:
This was a film that I got the chance to see thanks to Keir from Strike Media. He sent over a press release which intrigued me knowing that this is a 2025 horror film. It also doubled for a horror movie challenge I’m doing where I needed a post-apocalyptic setting with zombies. Other than that information, I did come in blind.
Synopsis: in a post-apocalyptic world, a virus has transformed humans into violently deranged cannibals. A bereaved mother has lost everything and takes refuge in an isolated mountain cabin, until a desperate wounded stranger with a story of hope.
We start this with Rory (Lily Sullivan) at a gravesite. She is contemplating suicide. We then see her return home to her daughter, Matty (Bonnie Filer). She is sick and it appears that she died. She doesn’t stay that way and attacks.
The time then jumps two years into the future. Noah (Lance Giles) is riding a horse. He’s being chased by a trio led by Logan (Callan Mulvey). What we’ll learn is that he stole something from a nearby camp that is run by the GMA. They want it back. Noah gets to a friend who is hiding in the woods. He’s been shot and his friend tells him to continue on. There is an issue with the woods, this world’s zombies are in it. They’re referred to as Howlers. Noah continues on, leaving his friend to face the agents.
Rory is still alive, now living with her father-in-law, Otto (Richard Roxburgh). Her depression weighs heavy on her. We see that she is prepared to end it by the river when she finds Noah and his horse. She takes him back to the homestead, hiding them in the barn. She reveals to Otto who is upset. He’s afraid that he’s being hunted by the GMA, which will lead them here. In his satchel is a bottle of odd liquid and a medical shot. This turns out to be an antidote to zombie plague.
Noah wakes up and asks about his stuff. Rory informs him it is in the house. She inquiries about what he was doing, revealing that his son was bit by a creature and he needs to get the antidote to him before it is too late. This is complicated as Logan’s crew gets closer. Rory sees a chance at redemption, but it will upturn the life that she is living with Otto in this cabin.
That is where I’m going to leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I want to start is that this is an interesting take on a zombie film. It isn’t new that we’re seeing a post-apocalyptic world. This feels like later seasons of ‘The Walking Dead’ or the spin-off ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ where the world reverted to the old west with the fall of society. That is a part of the story that I enjoyed. Mixing western elements in with horror tends to work, then adding in zombies had me intrigued as well.
Where I’ll then go is what is at the center of this story and that is seeing Rory deal with her grief of losing her family. She carries that guilt to the point where she is considering it hard to end it. She doesn’t like that Otto is treating her kindly. She points out that they’re no longer related. Part of that is her blaming herself. He’s also lonely since the world has ended. Then this feeling of regret gets projected on Noah. Rory sees her chance at redemption. I did think that Sullivan did well in her performance.
I now want to discuss something that is underutilized, which are these camps. Noah steals an antidote and is pursued by Logan with his team. He clashes with Scout (Bree Peters) over broken protocol. Logan's determination to catch Noah puts them at risk and she’s not willing to do that. The camp's acquisition of the antidote is underutilized. Logan warns Otto about a new law, implying Otto's current living situation is no longer permissible. More details are needed to flesh out this story.
Let’s then take this over to the filmmaking aspects. The cinematography and framing, with a washed-out, bleak look, are positives. Limited characters suit the isolated setting, creating a sense of emptiness. While effects for the Howlers were good, more depth was needed to establish their threat. The main issue is the slow pacing; despite a good runtime. The film meanders after the setup, causing interest to wane.
All that is left then would be the acting performances. I’ve already said that I thought Sullivan was solid. Roxburgh is good as her father-in-law. Rory is closed off, but she’s still there for her. I just appreciate that from the Otto character. Mulvey works as this villain. I like that his cohorts follow what he says, for the most part. It is good for the growth of the story that Peters stands up to him. Giles works in his role. Credit to all those that played Howlers. How they looked and acted was creepy for sure.
In conclusion, this offers an intriguing blend of Western and zombie horror in a post-apocalyptic setting, anchored by Sullivan's strong performance as a grieving mother seeking redemption. While the film presents an interesting take on the genre and boasts solid acting across the board, particularly from Roxburgh and Mulvey, it ultimately suffers from underutilized world-building elements and a meandering pace after its initial setup. Despite good creature effects and a bleak, effective visual style, a lack of depth in the camp dynamics and the Howlers' threat diminishes its overall impact.
My Rating: 6.5 out of 10