Fairly decent isolation-horror that makes you appreciate a nice warm cup of tea

Rating: 6/10 (4 September 2018)

Niles and Beattie certainly aren't top writers, having between them written some misandric trash extending to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. But Niles' involvement in 28 Days Later: Aftermath seems to have drawn the good from it - the 'covering open spaces to get to stronghold sans vampire death' theme is welcome here.
The film is largely based on a family-run sherrifs office, taking the deputy or sherrif's day responding to cases as the way to present the growing number of perculiar happenings in the leadup to the onslaught. The number of suspects could have broadened after rather than before meeting one of them, but theres still enough mystery there all the same. I also like that such rare places do nonetheless exist on this planet, and it's nice to ponder how they live for an hour or two.
One thing I really like is the vulnerability of the sherrif, inasmuch as he doesnt try to pretend that hes any less in the dark than the villagers are. And the dark is the pretext here - 'meat' and darkness soon make for a disaster where surprisingly few survivors are scampering about between corners of the same unforgiving confines.
I dont think romantic plotlines are neccessary in any story, least of all horror, and that slows the warmup somewhat, but there is always a new development, and its a fairly enjoyable watch. The most heroic moment is actually from a character who is a relative outcast from the rest, and that is the warmest feeling one gets in this movie - that an outcast can be as worthy as anyone.
I am a bit at a loss though how two main characters at the start of the film disappear by the end of it - the sherrif/deputy colleague of the protagonist, and a careless driver who - I think - appears only then. The other thing I'm not crazy on is the movie trope of the repeatedly-happy-looking-scream from one of the female killers, which gets a bit repetitive.
Like Blood Glacier, its perfectly watchable, entertaining, set in snow, dogs sadly die, and its a decent average thrill if youre working through a list of horror films.