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The Cured

The Cured

The cure is just the beginning.

201795 minRMidcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
Director
David Freyne
Starring
Elliot Page, Sam Keeley, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Stuart Graham

What happens when the undead return to life? In a world ravaged for years by a virus that turns the infected into zombie-like cannibals, a cure is at last found and the wrenching process of reintegrating the survivors back into society begins.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Cured?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Cured streaming on AMC+, Paramount+ via The Roku Channel and Sundance Now via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Cured?

The Cured earns 3 badges, led by Award Winner and Unsettling.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Cured worth watching?

The Cured's Midcredits score is the 30th percentile of all films, from 26K ratings across 6 sources. 31% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

30th percentile

Better received than 30% of films

25th percentile among Drama30th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)37th
Approval (how many liked it)24th

58 /100

37th percentile of all films

34th percentile among Drama39th percentile among 2010s

Critics 57 · Audience 58

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.6 — solid but not unanimous.

31% liked it

24th percentile of all films

19th percentile among Drama24th percentile among 2010s
31% rated it 7–1069% rated it 1–6

Critics 70% · Audience 44%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 2 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

92nd percentile

25K ratings across platforms

94th percentile among Drama93rd percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 4% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$4.9K
Domestic gross$27K
Worldwide gross$324K

47th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a slow-burn, idea-driven drama that explores the aftermath of a zombie outbreak and society's prejudice against the cured, with strong acting but a derivative premise and deliberate pacing.

Fans praised

  • Fresh post-outbreak premise: cured zombies reintegrating into society
  • Strong, honest performances from Ellen Page and Sam Keeley
  • Bleak, intimate atmosphere and thoughtful social commentary on prejudice

Detractors panned

  • Unoriginal, seen before in In the Flesh and The Returned
  • Slow, plodding pacing that drags in the middle
  • Poorly developed characters making irrational, plot-driven decisions

What stands out

Acting72

Ellen Page and Sam Keeley praised, but some supporting and extra performances criticized

Atmosphere68

Bleak Irish setting and gritty, authentic world-building

Emotional impactDivisive60

Touches on guilt, grief, and forgiveness, but some find it unmoving

TensionDivisive58

Builds dread through social conflict and flashbacks, but not consistently

OriginalityDivisive45

Fresh take on zombie genre but heavily derivative of In the Flesh

Plot and storyDivisive42

Interesting concept of after-cure reintegration but predictable, cliched execution

CharactersDivisive40

Good cast but poorly written, unlikable, and make stupid decisions

PacingDivisive35

Slow burn that drags in the middle, but some find it even

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Critics vs users even
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Cured like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be scared.

It leaves you unsettled. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadTenseMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Register
Bleak · 8% of filmsSolemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its zombie-premise as a serious social allegory, played straight with grim realism and no genre winking.
The rideA persistent sense of dread and tension is punctuated by moments of quiet melancholy, building to a tragic climax.
StructureThe main story follows Senan's release and reintegration chronologically, with flashbacks that reveal what he did while infected.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Unsettled.

UnsettlingThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe bleak, unresolved ending and the film's commentary on prejudice and fear leave an uneasy feeling and an open argument about how society treats its outcasts.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3% (this title)
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Crushed by fate: Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

9% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeSenan's arc is one of a man crushed by forces beyond his control—the virus he was infected with, a society that rejects the cured, and Conor's manipulation drag him from a fragile attempt at reintegration into violence and a hopeless flight with his infected nephew.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfGuiltMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% (this title) · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% (this title) · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% (this title) · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Guilt · 3% of filmsTrauma · 7% of filmsPrejudice · 3% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how survivors of the plague must live with the memory of atrocities they committed while infected, while facing societal prejudice and a government that sees them as a threat.
StanceThe film examines guilt and societal prejudice without offering easy answers, questioning whether recovery and forgiveness are possible in a traumatized community.

The world

Near futureUrbanInstitutionalDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score · Rory Friers, Niall Kennedy
Settingpost-plague Dublin and surrounding military-controlled facilities
MusicAn electronic-tinged orchestral score that underscores the film's tense, brooding atmosphere.

Content guide

Is The Cured okay for kids?

R

The Cured is rated R: “Rated R for violence, bloody images, and language” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (82/100), sexual content at minimal (0/100), language at moderate (52/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (6/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). Its sexual content, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 7 other countries
  • UK15
  • Germany16
  • Ireland15
  • JapanG
  • South Korea19
  • Poland16
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Severe
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 67%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
too few votes to rank (8 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (41 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Cured have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Cured?

Cast

2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen; 1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Elliot Page
as Abbie
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Sam Keeley
as Senan
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Tom Vaughan-Lawlor
as Conor
Stuart Graham
as Cantor
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Paula Malcomson
as Dr. Lyons
Lesley Conroy
as Katie
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Natalia Kostrzewa
as Allison
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Barry McGovern
as Patrick Ryan
Art Campion
as Luke
Chelsea Debo
as Cured wife
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Cured?

Movies like The Cured include The Girl with All the Gifts (2016), 28 Days Later (2002) and Right at Your Door (2006). Of the 12 closest matches, most are dystopian films, and several are zombie films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its world: post-apocalyptic. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Cured?

547 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: post apocalyptic. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.