This Is Not a Test opens with protagonist Sloane (Olivia Holt, Heart Eyes) sitting in a bathtub. She reads a letter she has written explaining her decision but before she can move on, her father (Jeff Roop, Hell Motel) calls her from downstairs. It is strongly hinted he is an abusive parent as the plot kicks in. Not the typical opening for a zombie apocalypse movie.
The unorthodox opening is the first sign of what will be an ongoing problem. The film always seems to have a lot on its mind, it just does not know how to let it out. It is eventually confirmed that Sloane’s father mistreats her and her sister. Ultimately, it makes no difference. This Is Not a Test is constantly juggling heavy themes beyond the ideas of trust and paranoia found in the zombie sub-genre.
It is unfortunate that it does not work since it does a great job of building tension. From the onset, This Is Not a Test is a bleak watch. With the focus being on the humans instead of the zombies, there is lots of emotion. Once the movie reaches the halfway point, it is an uncomfortable and riveting watch.
This Is Not a Test takes a final turn for the worse in the final act. Though it tries to be emotionally weighty, it is a standard zombie movie. Once an outsider is introduced, it is clear what direction things are going. Though it does lead to arguably the best scene in the film, the big takeaway will be the lazy writing and clumsy progression.
This Is Not a Test premieres on Shudder May 22.
