Bourne of the Dead.

A bedraggled and bewildered young man wakes up on the cold stones of Brighton beach. As he wanders the deserted streets of the city centre, he’s set upon by a bloodied and raging ‘infected’ (we’re still not using the z-word, ok?) before being saved by a young couple who take him back to their student digs. With no memory of what’s happened to him, he also has no idea why half the British army is now hunting him down amidst this, ahem, ‘infected’ outbreak.

If that sounds a lot like 28 Days Later, it’s because it’s exactly like 28 Days Later, right down to the post-rocky echoes of Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s East Hastings and the brief shot of an abandoned shop named ‘Garland.’ So it’s a knock-off, but to be fair, it’s a pretty good knock-off.

This no-budget zombie flick is very well shot – the camera team displaying a keen eye for angle, focus and natural light. Married with some choppy editing, it makes for an intense watch, without being too tricksy. The subtle use of CGI for various military vehicles is also reminiscent of Gareth Edwards’ Monsters, a clear influence on this film’s writer, director, cinematographer, camera operator and visual effects bod Dan Rickard (busy chap).

Darkest Day also makes fantastic use of Brighton’s cinematic potential, from the moody beach haunted by the skeletal remains of the West Pier, to the majestic rolling hills and cliffs of the South Downs.

While the acting might not be stellar from this cast of first-timers, they do bring a sense of realism to the script, and there’s a touch of Elizabeth Olsen in Samantha Bolter’s engaging performance.

As derivative as Darkest Day is, there’s talent to keep an eye on here, and if the right script should land on Rickard’s desk, we may yet see something special.

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