The horror comedy, The dead don't diefeatures a zombie apocalypse that has an unusual cause. Directed by Jim Jarmusch, The dead don't die sees the small town of Centerville being invaded by a horde of the undead. With a star-studded cast led by Bill Murray and Adam Driver The dead don't die is more than just a typical zombie movie. Instead, it differentiates itself by including comedic elements and social commentary while also featuring the blood and violence associated with the horror genre.
The dead don't die opened to mixed reviews and criticism about the film's pacing, mainly because it had the potential to be great. Despite criticism, Adam Driver's zombie film has resurfaced on streaming five years after it was released. Unlike most zombie movies, The dead don't die gives a different tone, as it leans more towards the comedic side. So it makes perfect sense that even the cause of the undead creatures' invasion isn't something commonly seen in zombie movies.
Polar fracking caused the zombie uprising in The Dead Don't Die
The Dead Don't Die Character's Ignorance Played a Role in the Zombie Uprising
In most of the best zombie films, the resurrection of the dead is caused by a virus. Jarmusch's film deviates from this trope and uses a new concept: that of a zombie uprising caused by polar fracking. There are some clues The dead don't die that point to the beginning of the undead apocalypse, such as the sudden change in the time the sun sets in Centerville and the interruption of cell phone, TV and radio signals. Despite the signs, the film's characters take nothing seriously and woefully ignore the clues that spell their doom.
As news comes in, it becomes clear that polar fracking is the explanation for the unusual events happening in Centerville. Basically, polar fracturing caused climate change that resulted in an increase in deaths. While there is an explanation for the zombie invasion, there is no rush to find a cure for people who have become undead. Instead of, The dead don't die mainly focuses on how the characters' ignorance is as much the cause of the zombie apocalypse as fracking.
What is polar fracturing? The real-life process explained
Polar fracking is not a new concept on the part of The dead don't die. In real life, fracking or hydraulic fracturing is a method used to extract oil and gas from the ground (through Green Peace). When it is done in the Arctic regions, it is known as polar fracking. Fracking is controversial because the extraction process results in air pollution and harms humans. Although The dead don't die doesn't spend much time explaining how polar fracturing caused the resurrection of the dead, the film inherently comments on environmental damage and the resulting catastrophic events.
Source: Green Peace