Shudder’s new R-rated zombie horror film tailored from a preferred e book has up to now failed the essential take a look at in response to Rotten Tomatoes.
Highschool children should go into survival mode amid an apocalyptic zombie assault in Courtney Summers’ YA novel That is Not a Take a look at, which has now been become a horror-thriller film starring Disney’s Olivia Holt.
Early essential returns recommend Shudder’s R-rated e book adaptation might not fulfill horror followers’ starvation for zombie motion, because the film model of That is Not a Take a look at debuts to only a 41% ranking on Rotten Tomatoes, on a wholesome sampling of twenty-two critiques.
The zombie style feels prefer it’s gotten stale, critics are saying, and That is Not a Take a look at provides little new to the combination that’s fascinating or progressive. The Adam MacDonald-directed movie is being knocked for a scarcity of technical polish, and although some critiques acknowledge the story’s ambitiousness, they argue that the film’s cinematic shortcomings stop it from paying off.
Star Holt is given some reward for her efficiency, however critiques observe that the supporting forged is usually lower than her degree. A handful of optimistic critiques give the movie kudos for its try at combining zombie horror with coming-of-age story dynamics, although even the comparatively good critiques concede that the top outcome does not fairly gel.
Screenrant’s personal That is Not a Take a look at evaluation singles out Holt for plaudits, saying that the star “superbly delivers the style sweet within the type of visceral screams and trembling vulnerability.” Nevertheless, the evaluation agrees with critics who assume the movie falls wanting delivering on its ambition to say one thing new throughout the confines of the zombie style and its well-worn tropes.
Screenrant says, “The movie circles round heavy themes of trauma and survival ethics with out touchdown on a coherent stance.” The evaluation provides, “In the long run, one is left questioning what precisely audiences are meant to remove from the This Is Not A Take a look at expertise past trendy blood splatter and a pointy punk-rock soundtrack.”
Fashionable gore and soundtrack could also be sufficient for some die-hard zombie followers to sink their tooth into, however essential consensus up to now means that That is Not a Take a look at lacks the components to fulfill those that assume the zombie style can do extra than simply ship the identical previous acquainted thrills and chills.
That is Not a Take a look at launched in theaters on February 20, 2026.
- Launch Date
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February 20, 2026
- Runtime
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102 minutes
- Director
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Adam MacDonald