LFF - What happened when 'They Came Back'

Chris Tilly checks out an impressive directorial debut from Robin Campillo.

Nov  1 2005

Those pesky French eh? Not content with making smart, sophisticated, existential romance and smart, sophisticated, existential drama, it seems that horror is now undergoing something of a Gallic overhaul.

And what have they come up with? 'They Came Back', a smart, sophisticated and – you've guessed it – existential zombie film.

Robin Campillo's powerful directorial debut charts the return of the living dead when, one fateful day, thirteen thousand deceased individuals rise from their graves and stroll back into a French town.

This is no Romero style gore-fest however. Instead, what follows is a thoughtful examination of how families, friends, employers and the like would react to such a disturbing event.

Underplayed, understated and posing more questions than it answers, the result is a wholly original curiosity that will stay with the viewer long after the final credits have rolled.

It also marks Campillo, an accomplished editor who previously worked on the likes of 'Time Out' and 'Who Killed Bambi?', as a director to look out for in the future.

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