Hordes of zombie movies have been released over the decades. While Victor Halperin's 1932 White Zombie was the first movie to feature a zombie, these creatures have become a major staple of horror films and have created their own genre. In more recent films, zombies have been the cause of plenty of apocalypses and tense storylines.
However, given that there are so many options, it can be daunting for fans to pick a great zombie film. With Halloween quickly approaching, fans might be looking for a suspenseful, terrifying, sad, or hilarious zombie movie to enjoy.
10 Night Of The Living Dead Is A Classic
George A. Romero's 1968 horror classic Night of the Living Dead is a must-see film for anyone who enjoys tense zombie movies. Night of the Living Dead started the zombie genre and quickly became an iconic movie.
With plenty of gore and violence, the film is also considered one of the best horror films ever made. Night of the Living Dead made around $30 million and was created with a small budget of $100,000. Additionally, the casting of a Black male lead in the late 1960s was ahead of its time, which helped Romero's flick to be selected for preservation in the National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." Night of the Living Dead inspired many sequels and imitations, but the original still comes out on top.
9 Dawn Of The Dead Reimagines Zombies
Romero's 1968 classic was remade in 2004's Dawn of the Dead, which marked the directorial debut of Zack Snyder. Snyder would eventually go on to direct many successful films, including several DC movies, and enjoyed praise for his work in his first feature film.
While Snyder's movie tried to stay close to the story of the original Dawn of the Dead, the 2004 film included more action-packed scenes as a large group of unlikely survivors found refuge in a local shopping mall. The film received plenty of praise for the talented cast and improved scares, which cement the film as a must-watch in the spooky season.
8 REC Is A Beloved Found Footage Zombie Film
REC is a Spanish found footage horror film that focuses on a reporter and her cameraman as they follow an aggressive resident in a quarantined apartment building. It's revealed that the residents have contracted something similar to rabies, which causes them to attack everyone in the building. The characters in REC begin turning, so the residents and filmmakers are all forced into a hopeless fight for survival.
Considered one of the best found footage films, REC inspired several sequels and an American remake titled Quarantine. Similar to movies like 28 Days Later, the infected in REC aren't undead, but they behave like typical movie zombies and are just as scary and unpredictable.
7 28 Days Later Breathed New Life Into The Zombie Genre
While director Danny Boyle did not consider it to be a zombie film, 28 Days Later helped to bring life back to the zombie genre in the early 2000s. Cillian Murphy's Jim wakes up from a coma 28 days after a brutal epidemic has taken over Great Britain. While the infected in 28 Days Later weren't undead like typical movie zombies, they exhibited similar behavior and sought to attack non-infected humans.
Since the infected in 28 Days Later were not dead, they still had fully functioning bodies, meaning that they could sprint. The creatures in 28 Days Later birthed the idea of fast zombies, which has become a terrifying staple of the genre. Not only did 28 Days Later revitalize zombie movies, but it also added some new ideas that quickly spread across similar films.
6 Scooby-Doo On Zombie Island Is A Light-Hearted Take On The Zombie Genre
For a more kid-friendly zombie movie, viewers should check out Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island. After a year break from solving mysteries, the Mystery Inc. gang reunites and investigates Moonscar Island, which is supposedly haunted by the pirate of the same name.
Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island came out in 1998 and was the first Scooby-Doo production to feature the entire gang since 1984. The fun-filled animated romp was praised for its darker tone, creepy supernatural creatures, and beloved characters, which cement the film as a great light-hearted Halloween watch.
5 Little Monsters Depicted A Group Of Young Survivors
The 2019 zombie comedy Little Monsters puts a fun spin on the genre. Instead of following a group of adult survivors, Little Monsters focuses on a kindergarten class. They try to survive a field trip that takes a dark turn when they are outnumbered by zombies.
Zombie comedy films have a special place in fans' hearts after the release of films like Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland. The light-hearted film follows Lupita Nyong'o's Audrey as she tries her best to defend her students and keep a troublesome musician and arrogant celebrity in check. Of course, some elements are a bit campy, like the zombies responding to music, but it all adds to the humor of the movie.
4 Shaun Of The Dead Is An Iconic Zombie Comedy
The zombie comedy Shaun of the Dead is the first film in Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright, and Nick Frost's Cornetto trilogy, which also includes Hot Fuzz and The World's End. Shaun of the Dead has been lauded as a classic of the genre, which will add plenty of laughs to a fan's zombie film marathon. Shaun of the Dead follows social outcast Shaun and his best friend, Ed, as they lead a small group of survivors through London during a zombie apocalypse.
The movie is full of great creatures, well-developed characters, and hilarious jokes. Shaun of the Dead was so successful that it received two nominations at the British Academy Film Awards and was ranked as the third-best comedy film by the UK's Channel 4. It is worth the watch and will break up the more serious tone of most zombie movies.
3 #Alive Is A Modernized Zombie Movie
Modernizing the zombie genre by following a video game streamer, #Alive is a tense South Korean zombie apocalypse film. Joon-woo is alone in his apartment when a zombie outbreak devastates his neighborhood. He is then forced to survive with dwindling supplies and the increased numbers of undead.
#Alive gained the highest first-day viewership in South Korea since the outbreak of COVID-19 and went on to top the Netflix charts in several countries. #Alive is a refreshing zombie flick that many were able to relate to in some way, especially due to the enduring coronavirus pandemic.
2 Zombieland's Iconic Rules Showed How Clever Characters Could Be
Zombieland is a modern classic in the horror comedy genre. Released in 2009 to critical and commercial success, the movie follows a college student as he tries to survive a zombie apocalypse with a group of strangers.
Jesse Eisenberg's Columbus creates an iconic set of rules for the zombie apocalypse, which encourages fans to think of what they would do in that situation. The list includes a total of 33 rules, with "check the back seat," "be a hero," and "double tap" being the most memorable. This awareness allows the characters to make smart decisions. Zombieland was regarded as the first American horror comedy to have immense theatrical success and its popularity spawned a sequel, Zombieland: Double Tap.
1 Train To Busan Is An Emotional And Poignant Zombie Flick
Receiving mostly positive feedback, Train to Busan is a fantastic action-packed zombie film with poignant themes buried under a terrifying fight for survival. A workaholic and often absent father named Seuk-woo takes his daughter on a train to visit her mother in Busan when a zombie apocalypse unfolds.
Train to Busan has a unique setting, as it takes place almost entirely on the train. This serves to build suspense as an infection spreads around the passengers while they try to seal off cars. Train to Busan does a beautiful job of showing how love for each other can triumph over hardships, which will certainly pull on the heartstrings.