Tags:
Film: Uncontained
Year: 2025
Director: Morley Nelson
Writer: Morley Nelson
Starring: Morley Nelson, Nicole Nelson and Jack Nelson
Review:
This was a film that I got the chance to see thanks to Alex from Simply Legendary Publicity. It was included on a press release of films that were coming to Screambox, which is a service that I am subscribed to. After confirming that this was in the horror genre and a 2025 film, I figured I would check this out. I’ve also now given it a second watch to see where I landed with my thoughts for my end of year list.
Synopsis: a mysterious drifter struggles to protect an abandoned boy and his little sister from an infection that turns people into a feral-like state.
We start getting a lay of the land as to where this takes place. It is isolated and a wooded area. It is also snowy. This then shifts to the ground. We see something digging its way out. It is from here that a mysterious man appears. We learn later that his name is Dan (Morley Nelson). He is shirtless and covered in snow. Nearby are his things. He gets dressed and starts walking.
This then shifts over to a house that is also isolated. The boy and girl from the synopsis live here, Jack (Jack Nelson) and Brooke (Brooke Nelson). They are playing in the snow. Something of note here is that the boy is carrying around a large gun. We learn that it is a dart gun that he has loaded with tranquilizers. Both of them are also young.
Their play gets interrupted by Donny (Brett Zimmerman). He drives a truck with a plow. Something has happened in this world and he is checking on the children, asking where their parents are. They don’t answer and Jack stands his ground. Donny comes back later with his wife, Melanie (Courtney Blythe Turk). The children’s parents still aren’t home so the adults decide to stay to watch over them. There’s more to it, but that’s the reasoning they provide.
A lockdown due to infection traps children in a modern house. Intruders appear nightly, taking Donny and Melanie. Dan arrives, initially met with Jack's coldness but Brooke's warmth. His weapons are confiscated, forcing him to help restore power and protect them from an infected person. However, sick people aren't the only threat; Brett Carson (Peter O’Meara) defies the lockdown to find his daughter.
That is where I’ll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I want to start here is by saying this is an infected individual film. You could call the creatures zombies, which would be the bigger overarching genre, but it falls in line with something like 28 Days Later. There are these people who are infected and attack others. This does develop its own lore around it and that was something that I appreciated. I wouldn’t say the most original, but with how oversaturated these movies got, it is difficult at this point.
Now that I’ve set that up, where I’ll start is by saying I didn’t realize that the star of the film is also our writer/director. The two children are his real kids. It seems that the mother is also his wife. Casting them in all these roles was probably out of convenience, but I also don’t think they were bad either. The two children aren’t great, but they felt like kids to me. That’s all I ask for. Jack has a harder go here since he has to be defiant to protect his younger sister. Nelson has a good look as our lead and I like the mysterious nature that he has. Nicole doesn’t show up until later, but she is good with her performance. She’s also quite attractive. I just wanted to give credit to this family for this aspect of the project.
The remaining acting is minimal, with most screen time focused on Nelson protecting the children in the house. O’Meara subtly portrays a villainous character seeking his missing daughter, hinting at troublemaking with the sheriff and leading a militia. Turk is appealing in her minor role, and her interactions with Zimmerman at the house create an ominous atmosphere, despite their good intentions being driven by personal gain. The roaming hunters and infected individuals also perform well.
Let’s then shift back over to the story. We do have good elements here. This doesn’t have the largest budget but they take advantage of doing a movie that is set during a lockdown. We learn through subtle lines that martial law is in place. They’re trying to protect people by having them stay inside. The house that the children are living in is high-tech and there’s an explanation as to why there. It has these large windows which make for good scenes at night. They do well with having it set well outside of town since that hides things. It makes it feel like the start of the apocalypse.
Shifting to filmmaking, this film blends genres. It starts as horror, isolating children with an unseen threat. It transitions to drama as Dan connects with them while seeking solutions, then tragedy with revelations and finally action as Dan attempts rescue. Cinematography effectively captures the isolated atmosphere and employs well-framed shots. The effects are mostly practical. A bulk is used at the climax. In general, they are effective. Sound design and music are fitting to help build the atmosphere. If I do have an issue, I do think that it could be trimmed slightly to run tighter as it goes on just a bit too long. Despite that, this is made well overall.
In conclusion, this is a solid independent take on the infected film. It does well with capturing that beginning of the apocalypse feel with being mostly inside a house in the woods. There is a limited cast, making it seem like there aren’t a lot of people left. The acting was solid to give the characters personality. This is led by what I’m guessing is the Nelson family. I’d also credit O’Meara as well. This is made well enough. The cinematography, framing and effects lead the way there. This is one that I rather enjoyed, even if I do have slight issues here. None of them are glaring. I would recommend it to fans of this subgenre for sure. It also held up after this second watch and solidified its score for me.
My Rating: 7 out of 10