The story leaps directly into an outbreak, giving us an urgent news coverage that provides the world (and viewers!) with a critical update. Live footage reveals that infected individuals have taken over an airport. Despite extensive efforts to contain the outbreak, new cases of UR are emerging nationwide, and symptoms can appear within days—or even minutes. As a result, individuals are becoming uncontrollable, rage-fuelled beasts, posing a significant danger. The World Health Organization has declared a global pandemic, signalling that the world we once knew has changed forever.
Realising she is no longer safe at home, we see a woman and her two children packing their belongings and attempting to leave for a safer location. However, as they try to escape, both the mother and her little boy are brutally attacked by infected individuals. Fortunately, the little girl is rescued by a mysterious man who confronts the attackers at gunpoint. Since the little girl has just lost her family, the man decides to take care of her from that point forward.
Ten years have passed since Cassius (Matt Devere) rescued Abigail (Luca Papp). Now a teenager, Abigail continues to be cared for by Cassius. The pair work together, hoping to find a haven as the level of infection continues to rise. Cassius also trains Abigail in self-defence, hunting, and weaponry. Their time together has fostered a unique father-and-daughter-like bond, and they share dreams of someday settling down as farmers or living near a beach.
As Cassius and Abigail continue on their journey, they encounter another pair of survivors: David (Declan Hannigan) and Megan (Nikolett Barabas). Megan is pregnant and due to give birth at any moment. With no other choice, Cassius and Abigail allow David and Megan to join them on their journey. Can they all survive the numerous infected and reach their safe destination before it’s too late?
Silent Zone is a drama, thriller, and horror film. The threat in the movie involves infected individuals similar to zombies, who possess great strength and can move stealthily. If you enjoy TV shows like The Walking Dead and The Last of Us, you will likely find Silent Zone highly entertaining. Interestingly, the film’s quality and various plot developments suggest it could have been a perfect pilot for a new TV series. For those who may not know, Silent Zone marks the directorial debut of Peter Deak, who also produced the film. Additionally, it is the screen debut of actress Luca Papp, who plays the character Abigail. The film is based on the best-selling novel “Welcome to the Silent Zone” by Viktor Csák.
I appreciated that viewers are immediately immersed in this new world that is filled with chaos as a dangerous infection sweeps across the globe, leaving only a few survivors. The film’s opening is quite brutal and effectively establishes a tone where anything can happen, even depicting the death of a young child on-screen. The portrayal of the infected individuals is impressive, and the film made excellent use of extras, creating large masses of zombies for our heroes to navigate. Various shots showing the aftermath of the infection are visually engaging, and aerial shots enhance the viewers’ understanding of the transformed landscape. Our main characters explore multiple locations and frequently confront new challenges and threats, which keeps the film engaging. As viewers, we become invested in whether the leads find peace or survive their journey.
Matt Devere’s performance as Cassius was mostly excellent. He portrays the group’s primary protector and father figure. However, there were moments when his dialogue felt forced or not entirely fitting for his character. Along with this, the film felt more like a TV series in terms of quality, which often detracted from my experience. This is mainly due to the clichés reveals and the roadblocks throughout the story. As the leads moved through different locations, the changing surroundings contributed to the impression that I was watching a new series rather than a film. Unfortunately, the lengthy runtime also made this feeling more pronounced. Many plot reveals and outcomes were entirely predictable, but I still found the unfolding story enjoyable to watch.
Overall, Silent Zone is an enjoyable thriller and horror film, especially for fans of The Walking Dead or The Last of Us. I love the world created in this story, and as the narrative unfolds, we gain deeper insight into the aftermath caused by an outbreak. Interestingly, the film has a TV series feel, with various roadblocks and plot twists. I also appreciated the film’s level of gruesomeness; it doesn’t shy away from depicting violence or killing, and the CGI used to portray the infected is impressive. While I found some aspects predictable and slow, the suspense kept me eager to see how everything would play out. Considering that this is Peter Deak’s directorial debut, it is an outstanding achievement. I hope he returns to this genre as his career progresses.
“SILENT ZONE” will be available to Rent or buy on Digital at:- Apple TV, Prime Video, Google TV, YouTube, Fetch (AU), Foxtel Store (AU), SKY Store (NZ), Neon (NZ), Own it on DVD at:- JB Hi-Fi and Sanity from March 12th
FILM SCORE: 6.4/10
Published: 10th March 2025
Written by: Peter Walkden
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