Train to Busan
(Bu-san-haeng)(2016)
Get on board to stay alive.
Critically-acclaimed South Korean zombie horror-thriller that follows a group of terrified passengers fighting their way through a countrywide viral outbreak while trapped on a suspicion-filled, blood-drenched bullet train ride to Busan - a southern city that has, apparently, managed to hold off the zombie hordes.
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Directed by Sang-ho Yeon ('The King of Pigs', 'The Fake')
Starring Yoo Gong, Dong-seok Ma
Written by Sang-ho Yeon
On Demand, DVD & Blu-Ray
Available from 6 providers
Flicks Review
BY Aaron Yap Flicks Writer
The sheer glut of zombie movies continuing to be churned out today means there’s still a voracious appetite for them, even if it’s increasingly tough to find any that aren’t interchangeable. Anime director Yeon Sang Ho’s (The King of Pigs) debut film Train to Busan doesn’t quite reinvent the wheel, but adds novelty by throwing a set of railway tracks under them. More or less delivering what has been called “Snowpiercer with zombies”, it’s pleasingly pitched somewhere between the character-driven, road movie intimacy of Jeremy Gardner’s terrific, little-seen indie The Battery and the colossal, big-budget action of the Brad Pitt misfire World War Z.... More
As per zombie movie formula, the flesh-eating pandemonium is served with a helping of social commentary, here embodied by the film’s protagonist, Seok-woo (Gong Yoo), a privileged fund-managing prick who groups his clients in his phone book as “lemmings” and doesn’t remember what presents he’s already given to his daughter. Hardened gorehounds might feel a little shortchanged by the relative lack of splatter, and the familiar nature of the zombies - they’re the rabid, speedy 28 Days Later sort, with a propensity for digitally augmented World War Z-style clustering.
Train to Busan finds tremendous narrative propulsion in its mode of transport, exploiting its every nook-and-cranny - sliding doors, tiny washrooms, overhead luggage compartments - for claustrophobic, nerve-jangling suspense while leaving ample breathing space before each obstacle hits. Likeable supporting characters - including a baseball bat-wielding high school kid and a burly everyman who’s sure to claim the MVP award from all viewers - contribute to the visceral fun, which remains sharp and consistent until an ending that’s just a shade too maudlin for my tastes.Hide
The Peoples' Reviews
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Train to Busan
BY KennethP91 superstar
If 28 Days Later and Snowpiercer had a baby it would be Train to Busan. This movie offered more than your typical zombie survival movie genre and added a much needed emotional pull to get the audience invested in it’s characters. Our protagonist are likable and you don’t have a problem rooting for them. However... More they’re also humanized as everyone are shown to have flaws of their own.
The cinematography is great and delivered some memorable zombie chase scenes as well as intense and nail-biting sequences. The director did a wonderful job keeping you at the edge of your seat.
Though very minimal the movie does have some problems, at certain times you can easily tell the CG zombies from the real ones and as impressive the practical zombie make ups are, being able to recognize the computer generated does take you out of the movie.
Overall Train to Busan is a solid zombie film. Though you’ve seen similar stories before, Train to Busan still manages to deliver without being too cliched. The characters are likable, your human antagonists get on your nerves and the zombie sequences are a great plus. Train to Busan is a competently made film and highly recommend it to everyone.Hide
BY Dan-Thompson superstar
A terrific film. Fast-paced, with a solid story, and super fast zombies, "Train to Busan" is a far better film than most in its genre. The story has a heart, which makes you care for the characters, and the world's most evil villain. Highly recommended.
BY JackWallace superstar
Really fun Korean zombie action movie. Train to Busan had me on the edge of my seat, lots of suspense and tension, I was never bored. I'm glad I found out this was showing in cinemas. Definitely worth watching. Grade: B+
The Press Reviews
93%
of critics recommend.
Rotten Tomatoes Score. More reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Yeon Sang-ho has instantly transformed himself into Korea's go-to-guy for zombie movies. Full Review
An entertaining ride, as well as providing political commentary when it overtly references the Korean government's response to the MERS virus alongside commenting on the country's class system. Full Review
Pulses with relentless locomotive momentum. Full Review
A view of flesh-eating Armageddon from the first class windows of a speeding train. Full Review
A feast for the scary, gymnastic bit players: contorting their bodies, baring teeth and running full bore. On this express, they're a first-class menace indeed. Full Review
Sprinting right out of the gate, the director, Yeon Sang-ho, dives gleefully into a sandbox of spilled brains and smug entitlement. Full Review
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