Weighted from a 7.8 average · Why?
A zombie thriller that earns its scares and its tears, if not its originality.
Verdict tier Recommended, most critics liked it, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.
Not streaming in India
Critic consensus
Train to Busan receives a strongly positive critical reception, with reviewers broadly recommending it as an effective and entertaining zombie film. Critics most commonly praised its ability to blend genre thrills with emotional resonance and subtle social commentary, as well as its confident execution of familiar conventions and the performances drawn from its cast. The most consistent criticism is that the film breaks no new ground within the zombie genre, and at least one critic found the fight scenes lacking visceral impact and some emotional moments overly dramatic.
5 not-rated reviews aren't plotted
The Monk Score is weighted from a plain average of 7.8 · how scores work
Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10
AI-generated summary of 9 critic reviews · may contain errors
Report inaccuracyFrom the papers
Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated
Top critic
Film review ·
Train to Busan also makes you credit Danny Boyle for reigniting the zombie outbreak in the film industry. Boyle turned the concept of zombies from slow moving dumb creatures that could be outrun, into fiery raging monsters that you have absolutely no chance to escape from. If you have watched Train to Busan and have not seen Boyle's horror masterpiece, you could head home from the theater and make this one a double bill.
Film review ·
Train to Busan is one of the best surprises of the year; a redemption tale that reminds us how close we are to losing our humanity, but also the compassion we are capable of. All aboard.
Film review ·
A good horror film is chicken soup for the soul and when such a film is tailor-made to be a family affair (similar to Bong Joon-ho's 2006 Korean monster film The Host), it becomes all the more 'important'. You begin to root for the characters fighting insurmountable odds and miss them when they die in gruesome, undeserving ways. Train to Busan has all these qualities and probably the worst thing we will get from the film is that Hollywood has already begun remaking it. Yes, hide kids.
Film review ·
Director Sang-ho Yeon coaxes restrained performances from the talented cast which allows the eventual melodramatic climax to hit home without being too hard to digest. This combination makes 'Train to Busan 'a thoroughly enjoyable, and occasionally thought-provoking experience, making it a must-watch for horror fans!
Film review ·
Train to Busan is a fulfilling film because it smoothly blends entertainment and social critique without being didactic; the class struggle between the characters remains subtle yet profound, and the genre of the zombie apocalypse horror film is not compromised. It has plenty to offer both casual and serious cinema-goers.
Film review ·
Watch it for the gripping narration as the director gives you robust zombie flick. If you are sucker for the undead, you should certainly not miss this as this one is like a breath of fresh air.
Film review ·
Train to Busan doesn't make many emotional demands of the viewer, nor does it further the zombie genre in any significant way. But you don't really need to break new ground if you can tread familiar paths so confidently.
Film review ·
Much of the film is a cat-and-mouse game between the zombies and the humans. The fight scenes lack the visceral punch that would make them interesting and the emotional moments are at times corny and overtly dramatic.
Film review ·
Train to Busan brings absolutely nothing new to the zombie genre, but it shows that lack of novelty needn't be a handicap at all. It has everything you'd expect in a zombie film: The close calls, the mass slaughters, the long chases. A lot of it is quite beautifully shot.
From our readers
9 ratings · user score 7.1
Awsome Thriller-Train to Busan must watch
worth Watching for it's thrillness and amount of human connection
To be very honest, I had never watched a zombie film in my entire life. I had heard about such films and also realized that mostly Hollywood produces such films. TRAIN TO BUSAN is an exceptional addition not just to the list of the best zombie apocalypse action thriller, but also to the list of best films of world cinema which portray human emotions in the most realistic and heart-touching way possible. Yes, it's that excellent. TRAIN TO BUSAN is the first South Korean film to have a wide theatrical release in India. That attracted too. It was released in India in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. I watched the film first in Korean with English subtitles, and then in Hindi. And I realized that the film manages to convey its message and make you reciprocate emotionally for the film, whether you watch the dubbed version or the original version. The Hindi dubbing was good enough to add to the positive feel. The art South Korean filmmakers know is how to add an emotional feel to different genres. Thus, TRAIN TO BUSAN is no exception as it makes you feel for every character. Gong Yoo takes his performance to a higher level and raises the bar for world cinema actors in the climax. He is extremely likable and excellent. Ma Dong-seok is brave, lively and energetic too. Jung Yu-mi impresses big time with her beautiful & emotionally active character. Kim Su-an is cute & impresses with her strong act in sequences which one can't expect from a child artist of her age. Other actors too deliver performances great enough to make you care for them. The film's scale is big, and the visual effects are amazing. Cinematography is excellent and captures the locales & thrilling action sequences with plenty of intrigue, while also succeeding in sending chills down your spine through the emotional sequences. Thankfully, it's not an Indian film, otherwise filmmakers won't have rested without adding songs & unnecessary romance. Whatever you see in the film, looks very, very realistic. The tension is very well built and neither do you deviate from enjoying the film, nor does the film deviate from storytelling. The story and screenplay are both excellent, and the editing is excellent. The only thing that disappointed me was the A certificate given to it by the Indian Censor Board called CBFC. Why? No nation of the world gave this film an 18+ rating except India & Malaysia. Leave Malaysian Certification system because they follow equal rules for all films Irrespective of the target audience. But in India, films with dozens of gory violence & bucket loads of vulgarity get a UA (PG) certificate. TRAIN TO BUSAN is a clean family entertainer despite the A certificate it has been subjected to. But it's not a mistake of the makers, so there was no flaw I found in the film. Overall, TRAIN TO BUSAN is a must watch film for any movie enthusiast. Irrespective of language and nation barriers, the film deserves to be watched by one and all. And yes, I forgot to tell. This film was the first one that actually made me cry. No film before had compelled me to shed tears, but this film did. Even the emotionless will emote. Such strong is this film. Go, watch it with your family and enjoy it fully, along with respecting the safe life we have from zombies in reality.
More often than not, zombie movies inevitably are Zombie humor. This movie is different and who better can justify zombie and gore better than Koreans :-). Surprisingly a zombie movie which is also heart warming !
Just like any other zombie film, Sang-ho Yeon's Train to Busan starts and ends like you would expect it to be unless you deep dive into the dialogues between the characters that create a much more emotional impact on you. There's a biomedical threat engulfing the city of Seoul and its neighboring areas when a selfish fund manager has to take his daughter to her mom (they are separated) in Busan. But they don't know what's coming to hunt them. How these two characters plus a bunch of other ones try to save themselves from the impulsive zombies forms the crux of this horror thriller that has some insane CGI work to keep you hooked. I watched the Hindi dubbed version (with English subtitles), so naturally the effect was a bit low if you are not a Korean native. But I found Train to Busan to be an emotional drama about relationships and their absence more than it is about a zombie apocalypse. You have to decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing. TN.
Credits
Gong YooSeok-woo
Kim Su-anSoo-an
Jung Yu-miSeong-kyeong
Choi Woo-shikYoung-gook
Ahn So-heeJin-hee
Ma Dong-seokSang-hwa
Kim Eui-sungYong-suk
Shim Eun-kyungRunaway Girl
Yeon Sang-hoEnglish films like Train to Busan
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