This Is Not a Test (2025) Review: Olivia Holt Leads Emotional Zombie Horror Film

Overview of the Film (Warning contains Spoilers)

“Is This Not a Test?” is a horror movie that stars Olivia Holt amid a sudden outbreak of zombies. This is a film about teenagers who become isolated in their school amid anarchy taking place outside the institution. In the film, Olivia Holt plays the character of Sloane Price, a student who was emotionally exhausted prior to the occurrence of the outbreak.

The film from its opening moments creates a psychological rather than an unending action atmosphere. Also, the film illustrates how fear, guilt, and trauma influence the decision-making process within the community. Furthermore, the main suspense is created through the relationships between characters, not just through their interaction with the infected ones that surround them. In all, the film takes a more thoughtful approach than most zombie films.

Connection to the Book

The film is based on the novel This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers. Also, in the novel, there is more focus placed on struggle than on the act of surviving. The inner life and past of Sloane take up most of the plot, and so there is a psychological coming-of-age aspect to the apocalyptic world.

From my perspective, the film manages to capture numerous aspects mentioned in the novel, yet it is not able to examine all of them to the same extent as the novel. On the other hand, the film succeeds at conveying the internal struggle of Sloane by showing her experience visually and in relation to others. What is more, the feeling of intimacy is slightly undermined by the adaptation.

Directing and Cinematic Style

Director Adam MacDonald is not concerned about visuals but rather emotion and suspense. The film revolves around relationships since most of the film is shot within the high school. The camera movement is also close to the actors and follows them as they move around the school hallways and rooms.

There is an intentional bleakness with regard to the tone created by visuals in the film. Isolation is generated by using shadows and muted lighting, giving the sense that the school itself is a character. Additionally, such a tone is meant to invoke fear and dread without the use of jump scares and action.

Themes and Emotional Core

One important theme is that of hopelessness and trauma as well as the need for finding motivation in order to keep on surviving. The main character of Sloane brings her own issues and traumas with her when she enters the story, which are then exacerbated further by the disease outbreak. In addition, this story portrays external threats versus internal fears, and how hopelessness influences survival.

Elements such as trust and group dynamics also propel the narrative. It is necessary for the children to interact, despite being under enormous stress. Clashes occur, allegiances are questioned, and acts of kindness acquire meaning through desperation. As far as I am concerned, this is the most interesting aspect of the movie because the way that fear impacts relationships becomes unexpected. Moreover, there is an interesting discussion about mental well-being and its relation to behavior under duress.

Acting and Character Engagement

My impression regarding the performances was quite varied. It was Olivia Holt who made the movie. She is a convincing Sloane – an isolated, uncertain, and distant individual. Sometimes I found it difficult to get inside her head. At those times, I found myself wanting a little more clarity about her thoughts and feelings.

Supporting actors, including Froy Gutierrez and Luke Macfarlane, provide solid performances, but the characters seem less distinguishable. The majority of the group responds to fear instead of providing well-rounded characters. Therefore, in my perspective, it became more challenging to be concerned about their survival in comparison to Sloane’s survival. Additionally, subtle acting along with slow-paced storytelling made it difficult to become emotionally attached.

Pacing and Story Structure

The pace is rather slow, consisting mainly of dialogues, planning, and wait times. Although this gives importance to the emotions of the story, it led me at times to lose focus. Furthermore, there wasn’t consistent build-up of tension in some scenes, leaving them stagnant. Lastly, the fact that the entire action took place within the confines of a school lent an element of suspense but lacked variation, resulting in boredom at times.

Nevertheless, this slow approach allows the movie to highlight character struggles and psychological tension. In my opinion, it gives viewers time to reflect on the characters’ decisions and relationships. Although uneven at times, the structure strengthens the focus on Sloane’s emotional journey.

Strengths and Weaknesses

This Is Not A Test, has several positive characteristics that distinguish it from other movies. First, this film is based on an interesting idea where a post-apocalyptic world and zombies are combined with a storyline based on characters. In addition to that, the movie pays a lot of attention to trauma, trust, and survival, which create an additional depth that cannot be found in many zombie movies.

But there are still some drawbacks. Sometimes slow pace, lack of character development apart from Sloane, and inconsistent suspense affect the overall story. To me, this is what makes this film unable to reach the level of intensity it could achieve. It means that people who want to see something more conventional may be disappointed.

Final Thoughts

In general, This Is Not a Test is a well thought out and reflective interpretation of the zombie movie genre, as the emphasis is on psychological and emotional survival. In the film, Olivia Holt serves as the central character, while MacDonald’s style of directing gives a sense of tension and claustrophobia. But, slow pacing and the lack of interest in other supporting characters can often make watching the movie difficult.

In my opinion, this film works best during the parts when Sloane and her group interact and develop. In addition, people who like horror movies and prefer character-based stories to unending action sequences might like it. Although, I think the story lacks consistency in creating an effective balance between tension and emotions. Nonetheless, it still provides a unique outlook on survival horror.