Did I tell you how great contemporary South Korean cinema is and that it easily beats most of Hollywood's mediocre movies since the beginning of the new millennium? ''Train to Busan'' is another perfect example how to do things correctly. Even though there are at least half a dozen new zombies movies coming out in North American cinemas each year, they disappoint with laughable special effects, poorly scripted dialogs and wooden acting. South Korea's first professional zombie blockbuster easily beats anything done in this genre before. A gripping story line meets astonishing characters with depth portrayed by skilled actresses and actors. Dramatic and emotional moments meet energizing action sequences. Vivid horror elements meet realistic relationship problems. Even the ending is completely unpreditable and offers neither the stereotypical happy end nor an annoying cliffhanger requesting numerous potential sequels. This is the real deal. Anyone who likes horror movies, action films or even dramas must watch this groundbreaking masterpiece!
Please enjoy my review for further details,
Sebastian Kluth
There have been numerous stereotypical, repetitive and gruesome zombie movies since the beginning of the millennium and now South Korea has officially jumped on the bandwagon... and revolutionized the entire genre with the very best movie of its kind.
"Train to Busan" convinces on every single level. The settings are diversified and very well chosen and the gripping atmosphere is pushed forward by the idea of a few random passengers being caught on a train with a horde of zombies. The cinematography is perfectly balanced between intense close-ups and larger angles. There are almost no shaky camera passages as opposed to the disappointing contemporary Hollywood standard. The story finds the right path between brutal intensity and great acting skills. The film is never slowing down and highly intriguing from the very first until the very last scene.
What really makes this zombie movie stand out even compared to the better genre flicks is the depth and diversity of the intriguing characters that are perfectly portrayed by skilled actresses and actors. We get to meet a busy and divorced hedge fund manager and his estranged daughter who is desperately trying to get his attention. We follow the actions of a tough, honest and brave working-class man and his more serious pregnant wife. We are introduced to two old sisters with an intense connection who are inseparable. We meet a naive cheerleader and the baseball player she has a crush on and witness how they mature and become adults within just a few hours. The movie also has a strong antagonist in form of a pitiless chief executive officer who will do anything to survive. I have rarely watched a movie with so many addicting, authentic and profound characters. A special shout- out goes to child actress Kim Su-an who is more convincing in her role in this single film than many ambitious adult actresses in Hollywood in their entire careers.
One has to be aware of the fact that this isn't a Hollywood movie. This movie doesn't try to be politically correct by adding a character of each possible visible minority in the world to the cast but we get a refreshingly realistic portrait of South Korean citizens fighting for survival instead. The film doesn't have a deeper philosophical meaning or tries to explain the zombie outbreak in melancholic images and words because this movie simply focuses on the dangerous situation where the characters don't have any time to over-analyze the situation. The sympathetic heroes of the story won't necessarily survive at the end of the movie and the last half hour includes several shocking and heartbreaking moments that will get you emotionally involved without being pathetic.
In the end, there isn't anything negative to say about this movie that mixes horror, drama and action elements to what might be the best zombie movie of all times. If you haven't watched this movie, you have missed out on one of the greatest movies of the past few years. Along with the stunning South Korean horror film "The Wailing", the epic "Train to Busan'' is the best film of the year 2016.
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