An “emotional” horror film, Train to Busan (2016), is hailed by some fans as the best zombie movie ever and is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. It is a South Korean film set on a high-speed train from the country’s capital, Seoul, to the port city of Busan as a zombie virus breaks out.
The film centres around the experiences of Seok-woo, a fund manager and emotionally distant father (played by Squid Game star Gong Yoo) who is taking his daughter Su-an (Kim Su-an) to Busan to see her mother. One Audience Reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes called it “the perfect movie”. “The ending was really emotional,” they added. “Gong Yoo played the character so well. his performance was on point.”
Another added: “Easily one of the top 5 zombie movies ever made and maybe the most emotionally impactful.”
A third said: “Everything in this movie was phenomenal. The sacrifices, the emotion, the plot, and the characters. Brilliant movie, 10/10.”
A fourth described it as a “masterpiece”, saying: “There’s nothing else to describe it. The characters are all amazing, the sound track is perfect, the ending made me cry. It’s great.”
The film is also highly regarded among critics, with a 95% score on the site’s Tomatometer, which reflects the percentage of approved critics who have given it a positive review.
And while some filmgoers feel overwhelmed by the glut of zombie-themed films and tv shows film reviewer Brian Eggers says train to Busan manages to say something new.
In a write-up on his website Deep Focus Review, Eggers said the movie “defies the notion that all has been said and done when it comes to zombies”.
“It begins with an unrelenting setup, and the second half only becomes more complex, frightening, and emotionally involved as it goes—a strange rarity for zombie films today,” he added.
The film is rated 15 and contains strong bloody violence, so it may not be for everyone.
Train to Busan is available to buy or rent on YouTube and Apple TV now.