You could call this South Korean zombie thriller Zombies on a Train but that would reduce this fine survival drama to a mere gimmick. The story begins in the busy modern world of Seoul, where a workaholic divorced dad (Gong Yoo) is finally shamed into taking his neglected young daughter back to her mother by train. They leave just as some kind of viral outbreak turns people into voracious, single-minded zombies—the rapid-moving kind—and an infected victim climbs aboard the train. It's a classic set-up: ordinary folks in an extraordinary situation where character is put to the test as the infection spreads and the survivors become separated. There are carloads of classic archetypes on the journey: a working class guy with his pregnant wife, elderly sisters, a high school baseball team, a teenage couple, and a corporate fat cat ready to sacrifice anyone standing in the way of his survival. Filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho makes superb use of the restricted quarters of the train while also adding a few of his own flourishes to zombie conventions in this clever, fast-moving horror thriller. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette (13 min.), a “That's a Wrap” production segment (5 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for an effective horror thriller.] (S. Axmaker)
Train to Busan
Well Go USA, 118 min., in Korean w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $24.98, Blu-ray: $29.98, Jan. 17 Volume 32, Issue 2
Train to Busan
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