REVIEW: Z for Zachariah, Now on DVD

Though they are, presumably, preceded by a fair amount of end-of-the-world pandemonium, many of the best post-apocalyptic films have a quiet emptiness about them.

With a cast of three, the world of Z for Zachariah is similarly not crowded, but it soon becomes clear that it’s still not enough big to share. Ann is a country gal surviving a radioactive future in a valley where the air and water are miraculously untainted. She’s alone until she finds John (12 Years a Slave’s Chiwetel Ejiofor), a scientist who left the shelter of his bunker. With her sweetness and his know-how, they seem to have what it takes to make a new Eden — until the arrival of too-handsome-to-be-trustworthy Caleb (Chris Pine). THE WORD: Fans of The Walking Dead should appreciate this thoughtful, somber meditation on human nature, which is slow but brief. COMING TO: Home Video