PARACINEMA: INTERLOPERS
A zombie apocalypse in three parts
Spoilers for Interlopers (2024)
Dan Gould’s Interlopers is a purposefully fragmented film, telling the beginning, middle and end of a zombie apocalypse from the perspectives of several characters. Speaking with Gould following the screening at Paracinema, he explained that he had developed the film so that each segment could be shot and released as a short, with production taking three years, should circumstances mean that the film was not completed.
Each part of the film has a different style, with Gould introducing influences as the story progresses. We start with a cold open that is akin to 28 Days Later (Danny Boyle, 2003), a film that is visually referenced several times throughout, before transitioning into more thriller territory for the first third as two friends (Ross Thompson and Reece Hallam) attempt to commit cyber fraud at the company they work for.
Things take a sudden left turn, however, when they unwittingly unearth information about a virus that will be unleashed on the UK; information that puts them in the sights of The Interloper (Ward J. Harries). Gould was open about the fact that the character of The Interloper was inspired by the performance of Neil Maskell in both Kill List (Ben Wheatley, 2011) and the first season of Utopia (Dennis Kelly, 2013-14) and this is clear throughout, but it never feels derivative.
The performances are excellent throughout the entire film, no doubt thanks to the fact that Gould teamed up with the Farewell Theatre Company for much of the casting. Harries is one of only two actors to appear in all three segments, along with Ewan Henderson as The Unknown, keeping a neat throughline even as the plot becomes more complex.
The second part follows the zombie outbreak, with some impressive drone work highlighting the scale. However, Gould – perhaps recognising the budget limitations – doesn’t try to match Romero or Boyle. Instead, after establishing the scene, he closes in on Henderson’s character, who is hiding out on a farm with Clarice Hudson (Scarlett Barnfather) and the infected Mikey (Seth Wilson), while the third part follows Allison Porter (Bethany Gregson), who may be the last person alive following the outbreak.
It's to the film’s credit that each section follows a small cast. Gould builds tension not through gory, or complex sequences, but with succinct storytelling. Each section is essentially characters discussing the outbreak and the additional information they have found, and yet it never feels like exposition. The scripting and performances are natural.
Even so, the plot does become convoluted, with pharmaceutical companies looking to fast-track human evolution. This is especially apparent in the final section when The Interloper discusses the overarching plan with Allison. This is followed by a strangely serene ending sequence which, while in keeping with many of the themes introduced throughout Interlopers, feels unnecessary.
Still, Gould shows himself to be a talented, idiosyncratic writer and director, taking the well-worn zombie film and putting a wholly unique spin on it. Interlopers is hugely ambitious and yet manages to succeed at nearly every step. It marks the young director, who was only 24 when he completed the film, as an auteur to watch.
Writer/director: Dan Gould
Starring: Ewan Henderson, Ross Thompson, Scarlett Barnfather, Seth Wilson, Bethany Gregson, Megan Challinor, Ward J. Harries, Thanadol Hedges, Reece Hallam
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