The beginning of Adam MacDonald’s “This Is Not a Test” is disorienting – and not in the way you expect a zombie apocalypse movie to be.
We meet our protagonist, Sloane (Olivia Holt). She’s sitting in the bathtub and reading a suicide note, and it’s pretty cut and dry where this scene is headed. She’s interrupted by her dad, and when we meet him, we understand a little more what’s got her in such dire straits. Then, very quickly, zombies attack, and we’re off to the races.
Before the zombies come into play, the dialogue between Sloane and her dad is almost impressively expository, a problem that will persist throughout “This Is Not a Test,” which is based on Courtney Summers’ novel of the same name. Through that dialogue, we learn that Sloane’s dad is abusive, her mom is gone, and her sister Lily (Joelle Farrow) also left not too long ago. However, we learn nothing substantial about Sloane as a character. And therein lies the rub.
Read Sammie’s full list on Rough Draft
