My family and friends all know how much I love zombie flicks. I mean, my favorite show of all time is “The Walking Dead.” Let’s also not forget about underrated gems like “Overlord,” which has earned a permanent spot in my top movies of all time. But one movie that is also ranked high on that list is “Train to Busan,” and it's leaving Prime Video on December 30, 2024.
“Train to Busan” is the perfect apocalyptic thriller (I'm not the only one who thinks this considering it's 95% on Rotten Tomatoes). It has everything you need for a tense experience: a diverse cast of characters, a chaotic and terrifying outbreak, and a protagonist you can’t help but root for.
What sets it apart, though, is its heart. Unlike most zombie movies, the action takes place on a train, and at its core is the touching story of a father and his daughter. That emotional thread never fails to tug at my heartstrings, no matter how many times I watch it.
If you’re a fan of “28 Days Later” and you’re counting down the days until “28 Years Later” hits theaters next year, this is the movie to tide you over. Here’s why you should add “Train to Busan” to your Prime Video watchlist before it disappears from the streaming service at the end of December.
What is ‘Train to Busan’ about?
“Train to Busan” is a South Korean apocalyptic thriller that follows a group of passengers trapped on a high-speed train during a deadly zombie outbreak. The story begins with Seok-woo (Gong Yoo), a workaholic father, reluctantly taking his young daughter, Su-an (Kim Su-an), to visit her mother in Busan for her birthday. As the train departs, an infected woman sneaks aboard, triggering a terrifying chain reaction as the virus spreads rapidly through the train cars.
The survivors, including Seok-woo and Su-an, must work together to navigate the chaos. They team up with another group of passengers, including Sang-hwa (Ma Dong-seok), a tough, selfless man traveling with his pregnant wife; Yong-guk (Choi Woo-shik), a high school baseball player, and his crush, Jin-hee (Ahn So hee); and Yon-suk (Kim Eui-sung), a selfish businessman who values his survival above all else.
‘Train to Busan’ is a relentless thrill ride that still manages to be sentimental
“Train to Busan” delivers plenty of thrills and shocking moments, making it a standout apocalyptic thriller, but those aren’t its best qualities. Director Yeon Sang-ho did an excellent job at setting this apart from other zombie flicks by focusing on its emotional core. At the center of the chaos are Seok-woo and his young daughter, Su-an, whose relationship brings depth and sentiment to what could have been a standard zombie drama.
The movie opens by showing Seok-woo as a flawed father. He’s distant, overworked, and struggling to connect with Su-an. Their strained bond is what makes the movie such an emotional journey, and one that makes the zombie attacks even more harrowing. From the very first watch, I knew this movie would take me through every single emotion imaginable. Seok-woo and Su-an make you care deeply about their fate, shifting the focus from just the zombies to the people fighting to stay together.
It’s not just these two characters that ground the movie. Ma Dong-seok and his pregnant wife, Seong-kyeong, add even more emotional weight as a loving couple caught in the chaos of the outbreak. The movie’s characters feel and act like real people you might encounter on a train, and that includes high school students navigating crushes and making impulsive decisions because they’re scared.
Sure, the strong cast of characters is a huge draw, but the relentless action and copious amounts of fake blood are more than enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. Most of the chaos unfolds on a speeding train, and it’s this claustrophobic, high-stakes setting that cranks up the tension and keeps you sweating. The movie doesn’t dive too deeply into the origins of the virus, but it does tease a sinister backstory involving a deadly artificial mutagen created by a biotech company (a setup reminiscent of the human folly seen in “28 Days Later.”)
Now, don’t expect blockbuster-level special effects in “Train to Busan.” The visuals might not always hit the mark, with some shots of the speeding train and swarming infected looking a bit rough around the edges. But honestly, who cares when the story and characters are this good? The movie’s sentiment and believable characters easily overshadow any minor CGI hiccups. You’ll probably be too busy wiping the tears and sweat from your eyes to even notice.
Stream ‘Train to Busan’ on Prime Video now
Now is your chance to stream “Train to Busan” on Prime Video before it leaves on December 30, 2024.
Like “28 Days Later,” “Train to Busan” takes the zombie genre to new heights with relentless tension, a claustrophobic setting, and characters you’ll genuinely care about. Whether you’re a fan of apocalyptic thrillers or just looking for a story that has plenty of action and fake blood, “Train to Busan” deserves a spot on your watchlist.
Not only that, but this apocalyptic thriller has 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, and it deserves every percent. Kristy Puchko from Nerdist said: “Train to Busan is an intense and intimate thrill ride that plays like Snakes on a Plane meets 28 Days Later.” Meanwhile, Daily Telegraph’s Rebecca Hawkes sums up my thoughts perfectly: “Characters you can't help but care about? Check. A spot of amped-up social commentary? Double check. Lashings of bloody, bite-y mayhem? Triple check.”
Also, “Train to Busan” is best experienced in its original Korean audio with subtitles, as it preserves the authenticity and emotional depth of the performances. Watching without the English dub also allows you to fully appreciate the cultural context and subtleties in dialogue, which is another reason why this movie feels so impactful.
Not feeling it? Check out the top new TV shows to stream this week. And if you’re not in the festive mood yet, watch these Christmas movies on Prime Video to get your fix.
Stream “Train to Busan” on Prime Video now.
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