Train to Busan is the Snowpiercer of zombie flicks, and while I'm not generally partial to the zombie genre, Korean cinema provides just enough of a spin on old formulas to make it appealing. Indeed, despite the zombie mayhem, the film has a sensitive core about an absentee father and his young daughter, and thematically underscores their interrupted connection with questions of responsibility... for the plague, for others in times of crisis, and through a pregnant couple whose daughter is not yet born. As a horror flick, it is claustrophobic, taking place almost entirely aboard a train (with side-quests in train stations and yards), the characters trying to survive by figuring out the rules, and so on. It's a real nailbiter, and I found my heart rate increasing through the last two acts. Visually, it looks great, none of the obvious CGI you expect from squirming masses of attacking zombies, and despite the subject matter, isn't gore-porn. Two severed thumbs up!
A good zombie movie on its own and a great zombie movie considering it came out in 2016, after and amidst so many terrible ones. It's not groundbreaking, but it is fresh and entertaining and it has great zombies, a good emotional subplot and a nice moral theme throughout.
It seems that the prime factor that sinks a zombie film is the quality of the zombies themselves. Despite not being a major budget film (at least I don't think it is) the zombie design is fantastic and very unnerving. Particularly the rather gruesome neck-snapping motions, very nuts. It's not terribly acted and actually manages to make you feel something for the characters involved. Director Sang-ho seems to be a fan of George Romero and the ending scene feels like a direct homage to the final scene of Night of the Living Dead, albeit with a different outcome.
Fans of The Walking Dead will see a lot of similar material here: the zombies are not the real villains but the people around you and how they react.
However, this is put together as a claustrophobic and effective thriller with a very human and emotional core, so it feels very fresh with characters you are really rooting for.
Without getting spoilery, it's satisfying to see the characters' choices really affect them, and to see the continual lesson of empathy carry throughout the movie. More like this please!
The older lady opened the door because she was really depressed when she got seperated from her sister. Then they almost got reunited, but her sister got killed because the people wouldn't let her in on time. The older lady was depressed again, saw her sister behind the glass as a zombie. Wanted to thank her for everything, not thinking straight and opening the door (it was a selffish act, but the people were selffish when they wouldn't let the healthy people inside, otherwise the sisters would've been reunited)!
The hand in the zombie's mouth: he was trying to hold back the zombie from his daughter and the pregnant lady. Maybe not the best tactic, because he got infected, but IT was a stressful situation.
But there were some more strange moments: like the opening of the train door with the zombies inside, while you can see them through the glass. Although now I understand. People were panicking and in such stressful situations you do stupid stuff.
I really did like the movie, although I really don't like zombieflicks. I was rooting for the main characters to survive. That's why its a good movie with moving and like-able characters.
And the message of the movie is: help eachother! Not only yourself.
Pretty solid zombie movie. Not sure why it got quite this much hype since it is overall fairly standard stuff, but I guess it did manage to make its characters likeable despite their limited development and it used its train setting to the maximum. A few bits left me scratching my head
like when the older lady opens the door for the zombies to eat most of the survivors, or when the main character almost literally sticks his hand in a zombie's mouth
. It did have a touching ending, and a few great moments of tension.
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Comments 1 - 15 of 29
Ares Capeta
Worst birthday ever.MetaBull
Just watched it in the cinema. About half an hour too long, but really good. It has its cliché moments, it has however a critical message about society which is woven into the action packed scenes. The end is a real tearjerker. Soundtrack was excellent. Had a few laughs as well.Siskoid
Train to Busan is the Snowpiercer of zombie flicks, and while I'm not generally partial to the zombie genre, Korean cinema provides just enough of a spin on old formulas to make it appealing. Indeed, despite the zombie mayhem, the film has a sensitive core about an absentee father and his young daughter, and thematically underscores their interrupted connection with questions of responsibility... for the plague, for others in times of crisis, and through a pregnant couple whose daughter is not yet born. As a horror flick, it is claustrophobic, taking place almost entirely aboard a train (with side-quests in train stations and yards), the characters trying to survive by figuring out the rules, and so on. It's a real nailbiter, and I found my heart rate increasing through the last two acts. Visually, it looks great, none of the obvious CGI you expect from squirming masses of attacking zombies, and despite the subject matter, isn't gore-porn. Two severed thumbs up!crazy_bitch
A good zombie movie on its own and a great zombie movie considering it came out in 2016, after and amidst so many terrible ones. It's not groundbreaking, but it is fresh and entertaining and it has great zombies, a good emotional subplot and a nice moral theme throughout.DisneyStitch
It seems that the prime factor that sinks a zombie film is the quality of the zombies themselves. Despite not being a major budget film (at least I don't think it is) the zombie design is fantastic and very unnerving. Particularly the rather gruesome neck-snapping motions, very nuts. It's not terribly acted and actually manages to make you feel something for the characters involved. Director Sang-ho seems to be a fan of George Romero and the ending scene feels like a direct homage to the final scene of Night of the Living Dead, albeit with a different outcome.frankqb
A well made zombie movie about class warfare in Korea. Very well made but the narrative thrust is dissolvedsegismunda_
THE zombie cult movie in a few yearsAndrewski
Fans of The Walking Dead will see a lot of similar material here: the zombies are not the real villains but the people around you and how they react.However, this is put together as a claustrophobic and effective thriller with a very human and emotional core, so it feels very fresh with characters you are really rooting for.
Without getting spoilery, it's satisfying to see the characters' choices really affect them, and to see the continual lesson of empathy carry throughout the movie. More like this please!
Monk1
Fantastic movie! Amazing performance by Gong Yoo! I recommend Train to Busan for anyone who loves zombie movies.acoltismypassport
I normally despise zombie films, simply because I judge them outside of the fandom. This, however, zombies or no zombies, is excellent.peterskb45
Train to Busan is the movie that World War Z wanted to be.Videl
@ Rasheru: I can answer the questions you have!The hand in the zombie's mouth: he was trying to hold back the zombie from his daughter and the pregnant lady. Maybe not the best tactic, because he got infected, but IT was a stressful situation.
But there were some more strange moments: like the opening of the train door with the zombies inside, while you can see them through the glass. Although now I understand. People were panicking and in such stressful situations you do stupid stuff.
I really did like the movie, although I really don't like zombieflicks. I was rooting for the main characters to survive. That's why its a good movie with moving and like-able characters.
And the message of the movie is: help eachother! Not only yourself.
Malteser
Good zombie movie, you will still enjoy it even if you have been watching other zombie movies or used to TWD seriesRasheru
Pretty solid zombie movie. Not sure why it got quite this much hype since it is overall fairly standard stuff, but I guess it did manage to make its characters likeable despite their limited development and it used its train setting to the maximum. A few bits left me scratching my headryano1076
One of the better zombie films I've seen. Action-packed, suspenseful, and a great ending.Showing items 1 – 15 of 29