Here Alone (2016)

Intro
"Here Alone" is a post-apocalyptic drama film from 2016 directed by Rod Blackhurst and written by David Ebeltoft. The film follows the story of Ann, a lady who struggles to endure in the wilderness after a virus eliminates much of the human population and turns them into cannibalistic animals.

Plot
Ann, the film's primary character, is stuck in the forest after a viral outbreak which has actually turned most people into cannibalistic creatures. Ann has been able to make it through for a year on her own, utilizing the wilderness survival skills taught by her dead husband, assisted by a portable CB radio, and a manual guidebook. The story is revealed through a series of flashbacks which check out the relationship between Ann, her other half, and their infant child before the armageddon.

New Characters
One day, Ann's singular existence is broken when she encounters two other survivors, Chris and his stepdaughter Olivia. Regardless of her initial wariness, she ultimately agrees to share her camp with them. This is where the characteristics begin to get complicated. It's revealed that Chris and Olivia likewise have their fair share of injury. Chris's better half, Olivia's mom, abandoned them, leaving them to navigate through the zombie apocalypse.

Disputes and Relationships
As the days progress, a tentative relationship begins to build in between the trio. However, the relationship is strained by underlying romantic stress between Chris and Ann, developing a lot of awkward scenarios. Olivia starts to feel excluded and left out of the budding friendship in between Ann and Chris, causing disputes within the group.

Climax
The climax of the movie strikes when Ann, Chris, and Olivia choose to make a supply run into the city, which is overrun by the contaminated. The supply run goes badly incorrect and Chris is bitten by the contaminated. In a desperate relocate to conserve Olivia, Ann chooses to leave Chris behind, a choice that triggers an argument between Ann and Olivia. Lastly, they leave Chris in the cars and truck alone to avoid being infected.

Resolution
Sadly, Ann and Olivia are pursued by a horde of contaminated and caught. However, Ann sacrifices herself to conserve Olivia, running and bring in the infected far from Olivia, making a last stand with a flare weapon before she is overwhelmed.

Conclusion
"Here Alone" takes a post-apocalyptic theme and positions it in a psychological character-driven story. The film perfectly catches the desperation, isolation, and fear that includes surviving something as horrifying as a zombie apocalypse. It also explores human relationships and their dynamics in such extraordinary scenarios when survival becomes the main priority over everything else.

Overall, "Here Alone" is a gripping survival drama that dwells more on human emotions, relationship characteristics, and character development instead of the traditional zombie horror tropes. The performances of the cast, especially Lucy Walters who plays Ann, are praiseworthy and contribute significantly to the psychological depth and intensity of the film.

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