Following an accidental American experimental weapon detonation off the coast of Tasmania, Hobart is decimated and the surviving population on the island is rendered brain dead. Some of these victims soon begin regaining motor function as reanimated undead. American physiotherapist Ava Newman volunteers with an Australian military retrieval unit, hoping to find her missing husband Mitch, who was visiting Woodbridge during the catastrophe.
Teaming up with another volunteer named Clay, Ava seizes an opportunity to steal a motorcycle and abandon her unit to search for Mitch across the hostile, body-strewn landscape. Along the journey, they encounter various dangers, including violent reanimated corpses and unstable survivors who are dealing with their own devastating losses. Ava's quest pushes her deeper into the perilous heart of the island, where she confronts painful memories of her marriage, her past infidelity, and the heavy emotional weight of the disaster.
Ava finally reaches her missing husband Mitch, only to discover he had been unfaithful before dying in the disaster.
She finds closure alongside fellow survivor Clay by cremating Mitch's remains at sea.
The discovery of a living, healthy infant born to an undead mother offers a glimmer of hope in a bleak world.
One interpretation is that the narrative uses the supernatural outbreak to explore grief, forgiveness, and unresolved marital trauma.
Ava and Clay initially abandon their unit together, but Clay runs away while Ava rests at a petrol station, leaving her to encounter a lone soldier named Riley who takes her to his home under the guise of helping her reach Woodbridge. Inside, Riley exhibits deeply unsettling behavior, demanding that Ava wear his deceased wife Katie's clothes and dance with him while pretending to be her. When Riley notices Ava refuses to remove her wedding ring, he becomes unhinged.
Ava fights back and flees, discovering Katie's pregnant, reanimated corpse in a bedroom shrine alongside a shed full of chained undead test subjects. After killing Riley in self-defense, Ava escapes in his car. She eventually reaches Woodbridge and finds Mitch at a resort, only to learn he never reanimated and had cheated on her prior to his death.
Clay reunites with Ava at the hotel, and the two share their personal griefs and past marital failures. Together, they place Mitch's body into a motorboat, set it ablaze, and push it out to sea as a final farewell. As Ava and Clay travel back northward, they cross paths with Katie, who has recently given birth and now wanders away.
Investigating the area, Ava and Clay discover the newborn infant in nearby stone ruins. The baby is completely healthy and alive, lacking any of the horrifying corpse-like traits of its undead mother. In the final moments of the story, a weeping Ava picks up the child, experiencing an overwhelming surge of joy as the narrative closes on this unexpected symbol of new life amidst total devastation.
What does the ending of We Bury the Dead mean?
One interpretation of We Bury the Dead is that the reanimated corpses serve as physical manifestations of unresolved emotional baggage and lingering guilt. Throughout the story, characters are haunted not just by the physical dead, but by their own past mistakes, failed relationships, and unspoken regrets. Ava's journey to find Mitch forces her to confront her marital infidelity and her inability to conceive a child, themes that mirror the infertility and stagnation of the world around her.
The horror elements underscore how grief can trap people in the past, much like Riley chaining up the undead or refusing to let go of his wife. By the time Ava cremates Mitch and lets go of her resentment, she breaks free from that emotional prison. The introduction of a living baby born to an undead mother acts as a powerful thematic pivot from despair to rebirth. It suggests that even in a destroyed world defined by death and decay, humanity and new beginnings can still emerge, provided the living are willing to process their grief, forgive themselves, and move forward.
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Where to watch We Bury the Dead
How
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We Bury the Dead ending FAQ
What caused the catastrophe in We Bury the Dead?
The disaster was caused by the accidental detonation of an experimental American weapon off the Eastern coast of Tasmania, which destroyed Hobart and left the island population brain dead.
Why does Ava volunteer for the military recovery effort?
Ava volunteers primarily to search for her missing husband, Mitch, who was away on a business trip in Woodbridge when the catastrophic weapon detonation occurred.
What does Ava discover about Mitch at the resort?
Ava discovers that Mitch did not reanimate as one of the undead, and she also learns that he had cheated on her with a coworker before he died.
How does the story resolve for Ava and Clay?
After cremating Mitch's body at sea together and bonding over their shared marital troubles, Ava and Clay find a healthy newborn baby born to an undead mother, bringing Ava renewed joy.
Is the baby born to the undead mother human and healthy?
Yes, the infant discovered in the stone ruins is born entirely alive and healthy, completely lacking any of the corpse-like characteristics of the reanimated undead.
Where can I watch We Bury the Dead?
Stream: Hulu. Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home. Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home. Availability listed for region US and varies by country.
We Bury the Dead cast
Actor
Character
Daisy Ridley
Ava
Brenton Thwaites
Clay
Mark Coles Smith
Riley
Matt Whelan
Mitch
Chloe Hurst
Katie Harris
Kym Jackson
Lt. Wilkie
Holly Hargreaves
Mrs. Smith
Deanna Cooney
Bianca
Movie
★ 8.2
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