Didn't Die: A Sardonic Survival Story

Didn’t DieMeera Menon's 'Didn't Die' takes the zombie apocalypse genre and filters it through the lens of millennial irony, creating a post-apocalyptic dramedy that's more interested in family dynamics than flesh-eating terror. Set two years after the zombie outbreak, the film follows Vinita (Kiran Deol), a sardonic podcaster who travels with her brother interviewing survivors for her show "Didn't Die." When she returns home for a live anniversary special, the cozy family reunion gets complicated by her ex-boyfriend Vincent (George Basil) arriving with a foundling baby, just as the "biters" begin evolving to emerge in daylight.

What makes 'Didn't Die' compelling is Menon's commitment to character over carnage. The film's black-and-white cinematography creates luminous imagery that pays homage to George Romero's "Night of the Living Dead," while the eerie ambient sound design adds atmospheric tension without relying on jump scares. Kiran Deol delivers a captivating performance as Vinita, channeling "Daria"-level deadpan wit while revealing genuine vulnerability beneath her ironic armor. The supporting cast brings authenticity to the family dynamics, with strong South Asian American representation that feels natural rather than forced.

The film's unique approach to zombie horror focuses on post-apocalyptic life rather than survival terror, exploring themes of grief, connection, and community in isolation. However, 'Didn't Die' struggles with tonal inconsistency. The podcast gimmick sometimes feels strained, and viewers expecting traditional horror elements may find themselves disappointed. The film works better as a family drama with zombie flavoring than as a genre piece, but it offers a thoughtful meditation on family, grief, and resilience that feels particularly relevant.

It's a bold, if sometimes uneven, take on familiar territory.Meera Menon's "Didn't Die" takes the zombie apocalypse genre and filters it through the lens of millennial irony, creating a post-apocalyptic dramedy that's more interested in family dynamics than flesh-eating terror. Set two years after the zombie outbreak, the film follows Vinita (Kiran Deol), a sardonic podcaster who travels with her brother interviewing survivors for her show "Didn't Die." When she returns home for a live anniversary special, the cozy family reunion gets complicated by her ex-boyfriend Vincent (George Basil) arriving with a foundling baby, just as the "biters" begin evolving to emerge in daylight.

What makes "Didn't Die" compelling is Menon's commitment to character over carnage. Kiran Deol delivers a captivating performance as Vinita, channeling "Daria"-level deadpan wit while revealing genuine vulnerability beneath her ironic armor. The film's black-and-white cinematography creates luminous imagery that pays homage to George Romero's "Night of the Living Dead," while the eerie ambient sound design adds atmospheric tension without relying on jump scares.

The supporting cast brings authenticity to the family dynamics, with strong South Asian American representation that feels natural rather than forced – these characters exist as fully realized people, not cultural exposition devices. The film's unique approach to zombie horror focuses on post-apocalyptic life rather than survival terror, exploring themes of grief, connection, and community in isolation.

However, "Didn't Die" struggles with tonal inconsistency. The podcast gimmick sometimes feels strained, and viewers expecting traditional horror elements may find themselves disappointed. The film works better as a family drama with zombie flavoring than as a genre piece. The pacing occasionally drags, and the lack of genuine scares might alienate horror fans.

What really makes "Didn't Die" special is its exploration of how millennials might actually respond to catastrophe – not with heroic action, but with ironic detachment and attempts to process trauma through media. It's a COVID-era metaphor wrapped in zombie clothing, examining how we maintain human connections during unprecedented isolation.

"Didn't Die" represents a bold, if sometimes uneven, take on familiar territory. While it may not satisfy traditional horror audiences, it offers a thoughtful meditation on family, grief, and resilience that feels particularly relevant. Menon has crafted something genuinely unique here – a zombie film more concerned with the living than the dead.