Reviews by:
@mariwatchingmovies
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This sat in my watchlist for a loooong time, but i'm happy I waited to watch and got Snowpiercer out of the way because damn this was miles ahead of that abomination. I will continue ragging on Snowpiercer because this is my review page and I can do what I want.
The 'race to the front of the train' plot device has been used frequently, but the 2016 Korean zombie drama-horror Train to Busan reimagines the sub-genre to create something both jolting and emotionally powerful. On a train to Busan, South Korea (obviously), a hedge fund manager takes his young daughter back to the home of his estranged wife, at the daughter's wish. Simultaneously, a sinister viral outbreak begins to wipe out urban populations, causing individuals to become infected with some zombie disease and enter into a blind violent rage. Chaos breaks out amidst the train cars as the survival rate drops, with those still alive beginning to turn on each other.
One of my favorite features of most Korean movies I watch is the blurring of lines between genres. In both this one and others like it, action sequences and horror imagery is coupled with borderline melodramatic character development, and Train to Busan certainly did not shy away from including several tear-jerking moments. The central cast-members all had great chemistry with one another, with my favorite stars being Ma Dong-seok as Sang Hwa, the husband and almost father who knows how to fuck up a zombie, and Su-an Kim as the little girl (she acted circles around everyone else). But, everyone else was pretty good too, although there was a lot of B-plot to follow.
Upon realizing that this viral zombie outbreak across Korea may be government-driven, the suspense certainly thickened and I don't think any of my burning storyline questions were quite answered. However, the sheer intensity and thrill of Train to Busan makes up for my short list of criticisms. This movie had just the right blend of thematic depth and anxiety-inducing zombie chase sequences to keep me and my friends entertained, and fulfilled my quota for train-based horror movies (at least for a little while).
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