Outside: Is Generational Trauma the Real Virus in the Society?

The most talked-about Filipino Zombie film, Outside, on Netflix, starring Sid Lucero and Beauty Gonzalez, explores generational trauma through the lens of a Zombie Apocalypse.

Scene from the movie Outside

“Outside” has sparked a whirlwind of mixed reactions and opinions from viewers. This post-apocalyptic thriller races your heart with relentless zombie chases. It unveils the haunting truth: the real monsters lie not in the undead but in the unresolved shadows of our past.

The story begins as Francis (Sid Lucero) leads his family to the shelter of his childhood farm, desperate to find sanctuary amid the apocalypse. Yet, while Francis fights to protect his wife, Iris (Beauty Gonzales), and their sons, Joshua (Masa) and Lucas (Aiden Tyler Patdu), they soon realize a darker truth: lurking dangers extend far beyond the undead.

Francis grew up scarred by abuse, a past that echoes powerfully in his role as the man of the house. Over time, it reveals a haunting truth: the dead are never truly dead if it remains unresolved, festering itself into generations. This chilling narrative sets the film apart from other zombie tales. It shifted its focus from external horrors to internal battles that threatened what they thought was safe.

Toxic Masculinity

At first glance, Francis appears as the stoic protector, the pillar of his family. Yet, as the film progresses, subtle cracks in his facade reveal insecurities influencing his every decision. He clings to control. Makes choices on his own and rarely lets Iris interfere—mirroring his childhood when his mother remained silent as his father abused him. This unspoken trauma and fragile sense of masculinity shape his attempts to lead, exposing how uncertain his strength truly is.

Barricading vulnerability

This is the part where Francis works tirelessly, barricading every corner of the house to keep the zombies out. Yet, these desperate actions reveal more than just a survival instinct. They mirror his need for control, a lesson imprinted from his own controlling father. Francis believes the only way to protect his family is by sealing off every vulnerability, much like the emotional walls he has built within himself.

Scene from the movie Outside

History repeats itself

When Francis inherits his father’s watch, it signifies his role as the head of the family and the farm. The watch, stained with blood, serves as a constant reminder of his father’s legacy. He found the watch covered in blood, tried to clean it, and ended up getting it bloody again. Francis begins with a genuine hope to protect his family without falling into his father’s ways. However, as events unfold, the unresolved trauma from his past pulls him back, leading him down a path all too similar to his father’s.

Your trauma will haunt you

When your inner child is never healed, you will never be a fully grown man. When Francis’s youngest son, Lucas, was amputated and urgently needed transportation to the hospital, he was paralyzed, and unable to respond. At that moment, he returns to a frightened child in his old home, frozen by fear and indecision. Despite being an adult, the shadows of past trauma resurface, haunting him at every turn.

This film is a remarkable exploration of how important it is to heal one’s inner child to avoid causing harm to others. Especially in Filipino culture where many of us often shy away from confronting trauma and difficult topics. This powerful narrative serves as a touching reminder that sometimes it’s not the apocalypses or disasters that break us. Rather, it’s our own choice to ignore the issues that desperately need to be addressed.