Train to Busan

The tension was brutal; there hasn’t been such a good zombie flick in years. The reviews often, and correctly, compare it to Snowpiercer and World War Z; Train to Busan is a first-class hybrid of both, which unfortunately applies only to the almost perfect first half, but when it reaches its destination, it’s already second class. The social criticism typical of zombie films is almost surprisingly wanting. There are some redundant revelations and melodramatic moments that slow down what up to that point was an exceptionally driven catastrophic steamroller (and stretch the run to a slightly excessive two hours). But the positive impression certainly remains. (09/12/2016)

I was quite skeptical, not believing that the Koreans could create a decent zombie film, let alone one of a higher level. I was completely wrong. Along with Dawn of the Dead and World War Z, it now belongs in the TOP 3 apocalyptic zombie films. The unknown faces, certain innovations, and the sheer determination of these undead give the film its edge. Among the performances, I especially liked the man with the pregnant wife (Dong-seok Ma). His natural fighting skills, where he would simply punch and beat the infected (now more like creatures), were impressive. His storyline overshadowed all others, and no one, not even the main hero, could catch up with him. The idea of a train full of zombies was certainly unique, and I enjoyed the scenes in the tunnels where these creatures lost their orientation after a fresh and plentiful human meal. The filmmakers decided to cut down the heroes one by one, trimming the initially large cast down to an absolute minimum. There are emotional moments as well, which Koreans excel at. For the budget, the visual quality is also quite good. The ending is a bit predictable but bearable. A well-made product. I give it 82%. EDIT: After a second viewing on September 20, 2020, I have to lower my rating by a few percent. The overacting of some characters, especially towards the end, became quite obvious and distracting. I give it 78%. (07/09/2018)

The first half goes by like a frightened cadaver express - building tension / "mandatory" genre scenes in maximum harmony, as well as interesting characters drawn on a small area. The level layout of the wagons and the work with the claustrophobic space add tension. It's a pity that Yeoon can't resist and pulls out the first heart-breaking scene in the middle - with the right character, in the wrong place and with unnecessarily whipped emotions. When he repeats it at the end, it works much better. The social critique of selfish establishment and the highlighting of ordinary people is just straightforward enough, and Soo-an Kim as the main child protagonist is great... The result is a pure nail-biter, which I have not seen from Hollywood for a long time. In terms of Korean films, it's actually an unusually pure genre film, which I really enjoyed. (12/28/2016)

I wasn’t very far to let myself get carried away to the highest rating. Train to Busan has everything a quality zombie survival flick should boast, and thanks to the inventive direction full of unorthodox ideas and a script that manages to treat even the through-and-through good guys in a completely uncompromising and surprising way, it has something extra at times. If it had been made in Hollywood by a filmmaker like Antoine Fuqua, it would have been a massive box office hit. In the closing twenty minutes I could barely breath. 85% (08/04/2017)

Train to Busan is an incredible surprise for me and a demonstration that the zombie genre should never be underestimated because there are always authors capable of handling the material in a way that keeps you entertained. Sang-ho Yeon proved it and with Seoul Station, he showed that there are still possibilities for the zombie genre. Moreover, it even dares to throw in some nods to classics, like in the finale when the soldier aims at the last survivors. (02/04/2017)