Train to Busan

"Train to Busan" (2016, Yeon Sang-ho, Next Entertainment World, RedPeter Film) is a South Korean zombie apocalypse film set on a busy train from Seoul bound for Busan.

Seok-Woo (Gong Yoo) is a divorced business man who lives in Seoul with his lonely daughter, Su-an (Kim Su-an) and his mother. For Su-an's birthday all she wants is to visit her mother in Busan. A wish that workaholic Seok-Woo decides to grant. He boards a train with his daughter bound for Busan, planning to drop her off and return to work as soon as possible. However, when an infected woman also boards the busy train and becomes a zombie, quickly infecting most of the passengers, the journey becomes a desperate trial to survive and reach Busan in one piece.

Together with fellow passengers; Sang-hwa (Ma Dong-seok) and his pregnant wife, Seong-kyeong (Jung Yu-mi), a high school baseball team, two elderly sisters, an arrogant rich man called Yon-suk (Kim Eui-sung), an elderly homeless man (Choi Gwi-hwa) and the train driver, they attempt to reach safety whilst battling with a fast moving army of seemingly impenetrable zombies.

A fast paced, action packed horror with very little over-the-top gore (for a zombie film), but lots of fun stunts and zombie battles to keep you occupied. The story isn't clever, nor is it trying to be. It's a simple, zombie adventure and a lesson in not being a selfish asshat. The plot delivers some tender moments followed by thrilling zombie chase scenes and exciting action. A truly good movie for the genre and something that a lot of modern Western zombie movies are failing to deliver: scary zombies.

[Image: Next Entertainment World]

Hani

The Horror Express

"The Horror Express" aka "Pánico en el Transiberiano" or "Panic on the Trans-Siberian Express" (1972, Gene Martín, Scotia International Productions, Scotia Barber Distributions, Ltd.) is a Spanish and British horror about the panic caused on a train when an anthropologist's scientific discovery, an ape-like man, comes back to life and wreaks unnatural havoc.

I picked this film up at Comic-Con thinking it would be cheesy and fun and I wasn't disappointed!

Christopher Lee gives an intense performance as the anthropologist responsible for the discovery and Peter Cushing plays his mild-mannered rival wonderfully.

The action is daft, if slightly over explained, and helps recreate the fun Hammer-esque feel. An ape man with super powers, which allow him to drink the essence of and then become anyone, is running around loose on an old fashioned train and then a group of Cossacks, lead by Kojak himself, Telly Savalas turn up to join the party.

It's like a budget version of "The Thing" but on a train and with some of the best horror icons hamming it up with glee. What is not to like?

 

 

[Image: Scotia Barber Distributions, Ltd]

Hani