Joel Replaced by a Girl, Ellie by a Pack of Kids: Spielberg’s New 'The Last of Us' Adaptation Is Here
This time, without Bella Ramsey.
In a world where every zombie story feels chewed up and spit out, something unexpectedly fresh, strange, and fairy tale–like emerges. Steven Spielberg’s daughter Destry Allyn makes her directorial debut with the horror film Please Don't Feed the Children. And no, this isn’t another take on the cult video game adaptation — like the one HBO already produced.
What the film is about
It’s another localization miracle, where Spielberg turns the post-apocalypse into a grim fairy tale with shades of Hansel and Gretel — only with assault rifles, orphans, and cunning adults who have turned into monsters because of the virus.
Here, the infection acts as though cast by an evil sorcerer: only adults get sick, while children are carriers — survivors, frightened and alone. The main character, Mary, escapes from a quarantine camp and finds others like her: a girl trailing behind her, and a group of hopeless, futureless teens.
Trying to reach a safe zone, they end up at a remote farmhouse where they meet Clara. She seems like a kind witch. Or more like a witch pretending to be kind. With cookies, milk, and a rifle slung over her shoulder.
Who’s behind the film
Michelle Dockery — best known for corsets in Downton Abbey — suddenly plays a dangerously poised woman. Her Clara is horror made flesh.
Destry is still finding her directorial voice, but the film is well-shot and visually captivating. The only real issue is the short runtime, which weakens the script: we never learn how the virus really works, or why adults go mad selectively. Why do some people grow up unaffected while others turn into predators? Why are some adults somehow immune? These questions go unanswered — and that’s frustrating.
But there’s a solid cast: Giancarlo Esposito is eerie and restrained, and the young actors show promise — but need more room to shine. At 94 minutes, the film doesn’t give enough time to connect with its local 'Ellie', the other kids, or the female version of Joel. Which means we don’t really care all that much when things start going wrong.
