If I’m being honest, I can never decide if I am a horror movie fan. Get Out, Mother! and It were some of my favorite movies in the past year, but when I’m scrolling through Netflix, scary films tend to fall down on my list of priorities (probably because I can’t handle jump scares to save my life). But as I was picking out shows to get into the spooky spirit this Halloween season, I watched Train to Busan for the first time, and it pretty much changed my life (or at least the role that horror movies play in it). For some reason, anything with zombies tends to catch my eye (I can never get enough of The Walking Dead or the video game, The Last of Us). Now I’m dying for a Train to Busan sequel and can’t wait to binge-watch more films like it on every streaming platform that I can get my hands on.
Train to Busan stood out to me as a scary movie beyond the norm because of how it balanced humor and fear. One moment, I would be covering my eyes and biting my nails, and the next I would be in tears from laughing so hard. Additionally, the entire plot put me on an emotional rollercoaster, to the point where I was crying from legitimate devastation before the credits hit the screen. Not that many films (especially in the horror genre) can interact with the viewer on multiple dimensions as well as Train to Busan did. It’s definitely one-of-a-kind.
Another aspect of the movie that contributes to its success is how the zombies are portrayed. In my extensive zombie experience, those who have risen from the dead tend to move rather slowly, making chase scenes less terrifying (unless there is a mob, of course). But in Train to Busan, the transition from human to zombie happens in the blink of an eye, and the dead can move so quickly that my heart pounds just thinking about it. The manipulation of speed added a fear element that I’ve never seen before, and developed a continuous sense of terror without having to resort to cheap jump scares.
If you already have plans with your friends to bake spooky cookies and watch a Halloween movie, Train to Busan should go straight to the top of your list. After all, it’s on Netflix, so how can you say no?
Gif Courtesy of Giphy