Train to Busan

Writen by Kamurai on July 26, 2020

Fantastic watch, will watch again, and can definitely recommend for those looking for a new zombie movie to watch. This one really had me yelling at the screen: I was heavily invested....until I was basically emotionally exhausted. I don't think I reacted quite how the director wanted me to react during that last act. This is a fascinating premise. A zombie outbreak that leaks onto a train (with just one infected), and these are "World War Z" running, 15 seconds to turn (usually) zombies. I'm staunchly against running zombies, but when you do something well, it is really hard to discredit you for it. There is one aspect that is truly odd for zombies, but it would be quite the spoiler, it's basically the 3rd act (out of 4). The writing structure feels very different, it doesn't seem to adhere to a 3 act staple: it really feels like 4 acts broken into chapters (or levels similar to a video game) and as whichever characters survive the transfer from chapter to chapter, the story progresses. There is clearly though pre-infection establishing act, post infection establishing act, confrontation act, and resolution act. Once you get past the first act, it's pretty much non-stop action, by the by. The one frustrating part about this movie is that most of the characters seem to have a death wish: despite trying to stay alive, they all seem to want to die. I understand that a story can't happen without flawed characters, but the things these people do are so remarkably stupid sometimes that the zombies become more believable at times. It does allow for some of the more amazing scenes though, so it might be somewhat forgiveable. This movie is honestly so good, I really feel like I'm reaching on any of the complaints.