By Charlie Kendellen
Ahead of the long anticipated release of 28 Years Later, I thought it would only be fitting to dive into some of the best zombie films in cinematic history. The figure of the zombie has been depicted on screen since the dawn of the golden age of Hollywood itself — dating back as far as 1932 with White Zombie, the concept of the walking undead corpse is often used as a means of exploring allegorical notions of imperialism and slavery. This utilisation of the zombie as a social metaphor, in contemporary horror, often being used as a means of exploring issues such as capitalism, recession, and corporate exploitation, seen in films like 28 Days Later (2003), Rec (2007), World War Z (2013), and even AMC’s The Walking Dead series (2010-2022).
This list will delve into my personal picks for the top 5 zombie films of all time!
Train to Busan (2016), Dir. Yeon Sang-ho
Train to Busan masterfully merges zombie horror and action to create a touching story of survival and familial bonds. This film will undeniably entertain and/or emotionally destroy you whether you’re a fan of the zombie genre or not!
MadS (2024), Dir. David Moreau
I’m aware it is bold to put a new release this high on a top 5 list, but MadS is truly a wildly entertaining and anxiety-fuelled ride. If you’re a fan of one shot takes, and the nausea-inducing handheld camera work of Climax (2018), this film is a must-watch.
The Sadness (2021), Dir. Rob Jabbaz
The Sadness, while a tough film to recommend due to its exceedingly graphic content, is still a great satire on the 2020 pandemic…. but fair warning, this film is made for fans of extreme splatter horror and gnarly gore scenes. If you decide to watch, good luck and enjoy.
Evil Dead II (1987), Dir. Sam Raimi
This wouldn’t be a real zombie list without Sam Raimi’s near flawless Evil Dead II. This film ramps up the gore and the camp from the first film and accelerates it. Providing us with some groovy kills, and endlessly quotable lines, there’s a good reason why this film is considered to be one of the greats.
Pontypool (2008), Dir. Bruce McDonald
Where to begin with Pontypool. This film flips the zombie genre on its head and delivers a truly unique experience that combines psychological horror with zombie carnage. I’m a firm believer that this film is a hidden gem within the realm of horror.
Consider this list a non-comprehensive guide to some of the best zombie horror films to catch up on before 28 Years Later finally releases on the 20th of June.
Honourable mentions:
Braindead (1992), Dir. Peter Jackson
Shaun of the Dead (2004), Dir. Edgar Wright
Night of the Living Dead (1968), Dir. George A. Romero
Zombieland (2009), Dir. Ruben Fleischer
Blood Quantum (2019), Dir. Jeff Barnabay
The Cured (2017), Dir. David Freyne