THIS IS NOT A TEST is a zombie apocalypse thriller seen through the lens of a suicidal teen, Sloane (Olivia Holt). Sloane’s home life is intolerable since her mother left her abusive father and her older sister emancipated herself, as well. As the film opens, we find Sloane proofreading her farewell letter and eyeing the boxcutter on the rim of the bathtub when a sharp noise from downstairs startles her out of her stupor.

She comes down to find her father reading the paper and we learn that this film is set in 1998. The two share some tense words before her father violently grabs her by the face, bullying her into admitting she’s well enough to go to school. Just then, as though saved by the bell, the zombie apocalypse breaks out. Explosions, screaming, bloodied bodies – all the bells and whistles. After a creature bursts into their home, leading Sloane’s dad to dispatch it brutally, Sloane hits the streets and starts running, not looking back.

We catch up with her at her high school where she is joined by four other survivors. It is here that I could really start to see how this was based on a novel. The Young Adult novel by Courtney Summers takes its time with its protagonists, exploring themes of isolation, teen angst, grief, abuse, and hope. Sloane seems like the most unlikely person to fight for her survival but when threatened she does just that. The students quickly fall into roles that allow them to defend, outwit, and outlast their trial, with frequent conflicts within that prove just as treacherous and what threatens them outside.

The teens pine, rage, lust, and love one another while they search for a more lasting solution to their quandary. Their security is shattered when one of the their teachers enters the school also, offering vague explanations and shifting stories of the world at large and his own fate. Soon, everything unravels, and Sloane finds herself in the position to answer the question that’s been plaguing her all the while: is life really worth living, or should we succumb to the inevitability of death?

Director Adam MacDonald seems to know his way around horror AND teen stories as he captures the fear, uncertainty, and assuredness that drives the core cast at any given moment. The young actors all are doing wonderful work in their roles, made even more obvious to me as I’d recently watched some legacy actors phoning in their work over the past week. THIS IS NOT A TEST balances good production value with strong performances, a beating narrative heart, and authenticity in the face of danger.

That said, THIS IS NOT A TEST does seem to take itself too seriously. It’s like ANNA & THE APOCALYPSE without any of the singing or fun. It’s ultimately defeatist, but in a world like the one we have, who could blame it? If you like classics like NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD which focus on normal people trying to survive abnormal situations where the greatest threats aren’t even the walking dead, this film should scratch that itch for you. If you’re looking for non-stop thrills and chills and flesh-ripping fun, maybe SHAUN OF THE DEAD would be more your speed.

THIS IS NOT A TEST is in theaters and available for rent or purchase from digital retailers now.