When a chemical spill causes a zombie apocalypse in South Korea, the passengers aboard a train headed to Busan must fight to survive. Seok-woo (Yoo Gong), a finance manager in Seoul is dealing with business and family problems. In an effort to appease his daughter and repair his marriage to his estranged wife, he accompanies his daughter to Busan.
"Train to Busan" is a 2016 Korean horror film written by Park Joo-Suk and Yeon Sang-ho, and directed by Yeon Sang-ho. Starring Yoo Gong (Seok-woo), Ma Dong-seok (Sang-hwa), Jung Yu-mi (Seong-kyeong), and Kim Su-an (Soo-an), "Train to Busan" features a very talented ensemble cast of actors. This apocalyptical zombie thriller is South Korea's sixth highest grossing domestic film. Ma Dong-seok (Sang-hwa) was also nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category for his role in the film.
As seen here in the states, zombie flicks are churned out faster than you can blink, and many of them have been rather insubstantial in terms of character depth. That's not the case with Yeon's "Busan."
There are many layers to our main character, Seok-woo (Yoo Gong) and his relationship with his daughter, Soo-an (Kim Su-an) is complicated. Ma Dong-seok, while exemplifying the token buff guy of the cast, shows a range rarely seen in zombie movies. Jung Yu-mi, Ma's counterpart, is natural and aptly emotional while Yoo Gong's daughter (Kim Su-an) provides some near tear-jerking performances. Lastly, what big movie wouldn't be complete without a villain that is easy to hate? Kim Eui-sung's role as Yon-suk, while a bit cliché, is also dynamic. There's definitely a lot to appreciate in the cast and script of this outstanding thriller.
Big props should be given to the team who worked on the zombie and visual effects. There are several sequences that use extras rather than CGI zombies, and it makes a big difference. The zombies in "Busan" are similar to those in "World War Z," and are seen running quickly throughout the movie, but their subtle movements are also of merit. The makeup effects for the zombies are great as well. I'm not sure of the budget, but most of the visual effects are excellent--aside from a few scenes involving large trains and zombie falling out of the sky 😆.
If there's anything working against the film, it's its runtime and setting. At almost two hours, "Train to Busan" can feel a bit lengthy for a zombie movie, and being limited to the confines of a train makes it difficult for the movie to spread its creative wings.
There's a lot "Busan" gets right though--plenty of zombie action, emotional situations, and a group of characters you actually care about. It offers much more than you'd expect from your typical zombie flick.
If you're new to Korean cinema, this is a great place to start. Of course, you have to like zombies, too...but who doesn't like zombies?! 😅Do yourself a favor and check out "Train to Busan." You'll be pleasantly surprised at how effective the film is at pulling on your heartstrings. There's even an animated prequel from Yeon Sang-ho called "Seoul Station," and keep your eyes peeled for the official sequel "Peninsula" coming soon!
