Year: 2011
Runtime: 88 mins
Language: English
Director: Colin Theys
After a mysterious disaster turns most of humanity into zombies, two solitary survivors find shelter in an empty casino. As they try to hold out, they confront relentless hordes of the undead, battling for survival in a town that seems determined to consume them.
Warning: spoilers below!
Haven’t seen Remains yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!
Read the complete plot breakdown of Remains (2011), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
Tom, [Grant Bowler], and Tori, [Evalena Marie], are employees at the fictional Silver Star Casino in Reno, Nevada. On a slow day at the tables, Tom convinces Tori to join him in a stock room for a private moment. Meanwhile, a news report about Peace Day, the moment when the world’s nuclear arsenals are set to be destroyed, airs on the television. Something goes wrong during the event, and a nuclear blast disrupts the city, knocking out power and trapping the couple behind an electronic lock.
When power is restored, they find the casino trashed and people gone, except for an old lady in a power chair who attacks Tori. After dispatching the old lady with a chair leg, they meet Jensen, a magician’s assistant, [Miko Hughes]. He tells them he managed to turn the power back on and that he isn’t sure what happened. Tom and Jensen go up front to check the casino security cameras while Tori goes to the front door to look outside.
Tom and Jensen see Victor, [Anthony Marks], outside throwing a man to the zombies to save himself. Victor bolts into the casino and demands to be let in. Jensen lets him in and takes him to a bathroom to clean up, while Tom and Tori decide to start trapping the other zombies in the casino. The survivors trap zombies in various parts of the hotel and dispose of the dead off the hotel dock. They note that at night the zombies appear to be sleeping.
They spend the next few days drinking, smoking cigarettes, and playing cards to kill time. While on the roof, Tom spots a convoy of trucks but drops his radio off the roof before he can contact them. Deciding to use a spotlight from across the street to attract the convoy, they head out at night past the sleeping zombies. When the light is turned on music plays, waking the zombies.
The group is separated, with Victor running back into the casino and Tom and Tori trapped on a bus. The army convoy arrives, rescuing Tom and Tori and taking shelter with them in the casino. The army’s medic, Cindy, [Tawny Cypress], patches up Tom’s hand and tells them that the group is headed to Lake Tahoe. Jensen begins sneaking around and discovers that the army has taken all of the food and supplies from the casino with the help of Victor. He confronts the soldiers on the dock and a shootout occurs, killing Jensen. The army decides to leave immediately, but Tom stalls them by asking if they cleared out the pantry beyond the banquet hall. The soldiers force Tom to show them where it is, and he opens the door to release dozens of zombies that he and Tori trapped in the room earlier. The zombies overwhelm the soldiers, who flee the casino in a panic.
Tom and Tori make an attempt to escape in a car from the parking garage but cannot get the door open. After returning to the roof they spot Cindy returning in a pickup truck, which she rolls over in a crash when a zombie surprises her. Tom rescues Cindy and brings her back inside, where Tori threatens to shoot her. Cindy tells them that the convoy was attacked by a herd of faster, stronger zombies and that no one survived. Tori taunts Cindy about her father’s death. She then tells Cindy that Tom killed someone in a drunk driving crash in Vegas. Later on, while eating, Tom reveals to Cindy that he killed his wife and unborn child in the crash. They decide to travel to Carson City to try to find Cindy’s daughter.
In the morning, Tom and Cindy head to the roof to see that the herd of stronger zombies has arrived. At the front entrance, the stronger zombies are breaking down the barricade. Tom, Tori, and Cindy decide to try to use the explosives to escape. They open all the gas lines on the kitchen stoves and set a charge. As they are escaping Cindy is attacked and breaks her ankle. Tori tries to convince Tom to leave Cindy behind and when he refuses she hits him in the head with an axe, takes his gun, and leaves. Tori sets an explosive charge on the garage door and is attacked by a zombie. The zombie bites her on her face but is killed in the blast. A dazed Tori wanders into the street and is swarmed by zombies. Tom and Cindy make it to the exit as the second explosive goes off, destroying most of the hotel and casino. They make it to the parking garage where they find the door blasted open. They find the Smart Car that Tori and Tom tried to escape in earlier and use it to leave the casino.
In the final scene, a zombified Tori carries her shotgun and kills the weaker zombies with it, while clearly being stronger, faster, and retaining her human intelligence. Zombie Tori looks toward the direction where Tom and Cindy drove.
Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 13:03
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Isolated survivors facing relentless threats in confined post-apocalyptic spaces.If you liked the tense, confined survival in Remains, this list features movies where characters are trapped in isolated locations during an apocalypse. These stories emphasize the claustrophobic dread of holding out against zombies, monsters, or other threats in a small, defensible space, creating a similarly desperate and anxious vibe.
The narrative pattern involves a small group finding temporary sanctuary in a confined location (a building, bunker, etc.) only to have their safety threatened by external forces and internal conflicts. The story unfolds as a siege, with resources dwindling and trust eroding, leading to desperate final stands or escapes.
Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on the unique tension of a confined apocalypse. They deliver a consistent mood of anxiety and desperation through fast pacing, high intensity, and the central conflict of protecting a small space from an overwhelming threat.
Stories where the struggle to live forces devastating personal choices and loss.For viewers who appreciated the heavy emotional weight and moral compromises in Remains, this collection features movies about survival that come at a great personal cost. These narratives explore themes of betrayal, grief, and the dark choices people make to stay alive, often leading to sad or bittersweet endings in a broken world.
The narrative follows survivors who are pushed to their ethical limits, making choices that haunt them. Themes of guilt, betrayal, and the loss of innocence are central. The plot is often straightforward, focusing on the immediate consequences of these heavy decisions, which typically lead to a somber or devastating conclusion.
These films are united by their exploration of the psychological toll of survival. They share a heavy emotional weight, a bleak tone, and a focus on how extreme circumstances force characters to compromise their morals, often leaving them physically alive but emotionally shattered.
Don't stop at just watching — explore Remains in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Remains is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Track the full timeline of Remains with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Remains. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Remains that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.
Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Remains: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.