The Battery Review (2012): A Fresh Take on the Zombie Genre

Genre(s) – Drama, Horror
Director – Jeremy Gardner
Writer – Jeremy Gardner
Cast – Jeremy Gardner, Adam Cronheim, Niels Bolle, Alana O’Brien
Runtime – 101 Minutes
My Rating – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½☆☆

Where To Watch/Stream The Battery

The Battery will surprise you with how sharp, confident, and human it all feels, even without a big budget or flashy effects.

The Battery is a low-budget zombie film, made by a guy who also stars in it, and by low-budget I mean around $6000 of low-budgetiness. The film takes an honest look at friendship, and it has a ton of heart. It features on my hidden gems list part 1, so decided to give it a re-watch as it has been a while.

Plot Summary of The Battery (Spoiler-Free)

The Battery is about two guys, Mickey and Ben, who used to play baseball together, who are now stuck surviving in a world overrun by zombies. The film opens with Mickey sitting on a porch, headphones on, just trying to have a normal day. But then normal quickly disappears when Ben bursts out of a house, shooting a gun and yelling at Mickey to get moving.

From there, the two set off on a road trip across rural New England, and along the way, they face the constant threat of the undead, but more importantly, they have to deal with their own differences. Ben is rough around the edges, sarcastic, and is more adaptable to what is happening, while Mickey is more anxious, holding on to memories of the way things used to be.

The film’s main focus isn’t on big zombie battles or hordes of the undead. It’s about the slow grind of survival, the tension between two very different people, and the hope that somewhere out there, a safe place might still exist.

The Battery Review: Is It Worth Watching?

If you’re anything like me, you probably love zombie films, and these films are normally packed with the same ol tropes. And while those elements are fun, they can be repetitive, too. But The Battery is a film that is more focused on the characters, and is also a film that I think deserves more love and attention.

For such a low budget, it looks pretty damn good. It has a clean and crisp look that’s pretty rare for low-budget indie films, and you can tell the director, Jeremy Gardner, knew exactly what he wanted to do. The camera work is smooth and modern, and it never feels cheap or rushed.

At the heart of this film though isn’t the zombies, it is the relationship between Mickey and Ben. The chemistry between the two comes across brilliantly, and it all feels quite genuine, like two friends who’ve been through hell together. The dialogue feels natural and is often funny, with lots of moments of bickering and bantering between them.

Jeremy Gardner, who wrote, directed, and also stars in the film as Ben, delivers a pretty solid performance. His character is sarcastic and rough, but you can see the cracks beneath the tough exterior. Adam Cronheim, playing Mickey, brings a nice contrast with his anxious, sometimes desperate personality, and it’s quite impressive how much emotion these two guys squeeze out of a simple setup.

Now, the zombies themselves don’t get a huge amount of screen time, which might disappoint if you’re expecting constant undead action. But, I liked that. They serve more as a threat in the background, rather than the focus of the story, and the effects used are straightforward and realistic, too – no flashy CGI, just gritty makeup and practical effects that work well.

It does have a few somewhat annoying flaws though, such as some scenes dragging on far longer than they should, and the editing could have been tighter for sure. And even though I get it’s a character driven film, I would have liked to have seen a little bit more plot development, and this would have also helped with some repetitiveness issues, too.

There’s one particular scene in the film I want to mention too, where Ben, desperate for any kind of connection, tries to get himself off to a female zombie, which was brilliant, and one of the best scenes I have seen in a zombie film.

Overall though, The Battery is basically a story about survival, friendship, and hope in a world gone sideways, and is a film that I would recommend. Just don’t expect your average zombie action film.

What I Liked (And What I Didn’t Like)

Pros

Strong Character Chemistry

These two guys really nail it. Their conversations feel all too real and you believe the history they have shared.

Clear Vision and Direction

Jeremy Gardner clearly had a plan going into this. The film looks clean and confident, and it feels like a film made by someone who knew exactly what story they want to tell.

Fresh Take on Zombies

The zombie are a threat, and you feel that, but it’s more in the bacground, This makes the story more about the people living through the apocalypse rather than just the zombies, and it’s a nice change of pace.

Natural Dialogue

The script feels very natural and conversational, which is tough to pull off. The banter between the two leads ranges from funny to thoughtful, and hardly ever dull.

Memorable, Original Moments

That bizarre scene with Ben and the female zombie is an example of the film’s unique voice.

Cons

Pacing Issues

Some scenes felt a bit too long and could have been cut or tightened.

Occasional Dialogue Repetition

While most of the conversations feel pretty natural, we do get repeat themes and complaints that get a little tiresome after a while.

Minimal Plot Development

The plot itself doesn’t have many twists or surprises, and while I get why, some may find it not as interesting as a result.

Who Might Like The Battery

• Fans of character-driven stories
• If you’re looking for a different take on the zombie genre
• People interested in films about complicated friendships
• Those who enjoy survival struggles and quiet moments mixed with humor rather than lots of action.
• Anyone open to a slower, more thoughtful zombie film

Who Might Dislike The Battery

• If you want non-stop zombie carnage
• People who prefer high production values
• Those who want fast-paced, action-heavy storytelling
• Anyone not into dialogue-focused or slow-paced films

Final Verdict: Did I Enjoy Watching The Battery?

Yep! It’s fairly rare to find a zombie film that’s actually more about the people than the actual zombies, and this one pulls that off pretty well, and as a result, it ends up being a zombie film with a pretty unique voice.

It’s smart, funny, touching, and most importantly, it’s interesting.

I’d give it an 7.5 out of 10.