For a variety of reasons, zombies have fascinated the minds of writers, dirctors and viewers alike. Their mindless cannibal attitude, the horde mentality, the immense amount of gore they deliver to the screen. This all dates back to George A. Romero, who invented the modern day movie zombies as we know em.
I’ve also seen a fair few of these films, ranging from great – to some of the worst, trashiest movies I have ever seen in my life. Mind you not all of these are technically zombie films, others prefere the term ‘infected’, but whatever is clearly meant to be zombies will be included. No BSing around the cage alright! So without further-ado, from worst to best, let’sa go:
* Scooby Doo on Zombie Island will not be included, since I last watched it like 10 years ago as a kid
The Rezort
Oh boy, let the Zombie Movie Walk of Shame Commence. The Rezort takes place in the Canary Islands, after having survived the zombie pandemic, a rich lady turns a zombie infested island, into a hunting resort for tourists. It stars a cast with 0 charm or characterisation.
Pandemic: Fear the Dead
Next up, Pandemic: Fear the Dead. Only thing I feared in this movie is how such a bad movie is legally allowed to be released. It’s the story of a lady in post-apocalyptic L.A. who gets into a military mission to extract some people or something and the whole thing is in a first-person shooter type perspective. I get what they were trying to do back then, but the execution was unbearably terrible.
Dead Trigger
Hope this doesn’t trigger anyone, but tied dead last with The Rezort, is Dead Trigger. It stars Dolph Lundgren as a commando, leading a group of emotionless teenage soldiers across a zombie-infected island to find a scientist we’re aparently supposed to care about. An example of a film that did everything wrong on a major level, but still managed to get two b-star actors in it.
Alone/ Stay Alive
Just a bad American version of Korea’s Alive. Appreciated Donald Sutherland’s performance though. Believe me, exact same movie…Just read the article below.
Zombieland: Double Tap
While I could go on and on about how much I enjoyed the first film, I have never been so dissapointed by a movie sequel in my life, the exception being The Last Jedi.
This really for the most part boils down to Zoey Deutch’s character. She got on my nerves like I didn’t know possible. Imagine The Hunger Games, but instead of Katniss being the strong, surviving woman who fights her way to survive by any means necessary – we instead got a whiny, pacifist, spoiled little Princess who refuses to adapt to her surroundings in the slightest ways.
So yeah, her character really ruined it for me. Which is a shame, because the characters felt more or less the same, the storyline for the mist part was decent, and the zombies – well yeah they could have at least been made more consistent.
Cell
Graphic-novelist John Cusack is an everyday Joe Schmoe who lives in a Stephen King adaptation. He’s going about his day, when suddenly the airport he’s at is overrun by a horde of zombies. The culprit? Cellphones! For some reason some radio waves or something cause the general population to turn into zombies or ‘Phoners’ as they’re called. Overall the film goes for a “Your cellphones are turning you into zombies” type of message. Little on the nose tbh.
Despite poor reviews, I kinda liked this one. It reunited the classic tri-force of King, Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson. Sure, this was one of the first zombie films I had seen, so maybe I didn’t have much to go by, but either way, I enjoyed my first ( and only ) viewing of it.
Maggie
Ever wanted to see the Governator in a zombie film? Well now you can! Arnold Schwarzenegger stars in the astonishingly low-budget film about a world that has managed to survive the zombie apocalypse, with the exception of a few isolated areas. One of those zombies bites Arnold’s daughter Maggie ( Abigail Breslin ). The slow burn story follows Arnold as he copes with his daughter slowly losing her humanity.
World War Z
Though not the biggest fan of this flick overall, it did offer some decent CGI action scenes. Patricularl applause for thr Wall of Jerusalem scene, good work team. Otherwise, not much to yap about here. Wasn’t great, wasn’t bad, just meh+. Which just about sums up a lot of Brad Pitt movies in general.
Little Monsters
The Australian film follows a former rockband member whose fallen in love with his nephew’s kindergarten teacher ( Lupity Nyong’o ). He decides to tag along on a fieldtrip to some safari thing or whatever – then zombies happen. The group takes refuge in a giftshop and are joined by Josh Gad, the mascot man forced to spend his days yelling out the most miserable/ annoying little speaches all day.
Despite it’s heavy use of little kids, make no mistake; this film does indeed have some gory moments attatched to it.
I liked this film’s unique sense of Australian humor. Although it did take a while to get going ( around 30 minutes ) and the kids did get on my nerves – A LOT it still offered a lot more than your average zombie flick. I wonder if any of the child actors have actually been allowed to watch the movie?
Day of the Dead
Though this might not be the technically best zombie flick, I’ve got to hand it to Sherman Howard for playing the best zombie in the HISTORY OF CINEMA!!!
Cargo
The Australian film stars Martin Freeman. An infected Father wandering the outback to find a home for his infant daughter. This was a slow-burn film, as he slowly loses his mind to his blood-craving instincts, knowing he may very well not find a safe place for his daughter. Very solid film altogether.
Army of the Dead
Oh I remember the days when I was plotting a zombie heist flick. Never really set it in motion, a year later Zack Snyder gets Dave Bautista and a whole Motley Crue to rob Vegas in a satisfying and refreshing take on the genre.
And cudos to the Zombie Tiger. PS, Army of Thieves though technically doesn’t count, is a solid film in general. Congrats Schweighofer on proving you can actually act.
28 Days Later
Directed by Danny Boyle, this British film follows Cillian Murphy 28 Days after the start of the rage-inducing virus. Technically these aren’t zombies, the film instead going for the term ‘infected’.
Bizarrely enough, despite Boyle being such a decorated and talented director, who already had a few films under his belt; the film felt oddly amateur. The cinematography and directing style are surprisingly basic yet effective in their own way.
I am Legend
Technically this is cheating since their more vampire than zombie but I don’t care. Will Smith plays Robert Neville, scientist and lone man surviving a vampire-infested NY with his German shepherd. Safe by day, endangered at night. The film shows off Smith’s acting chops as he’s left to fend for himself and slowly developes a deeper level of insanity as the world around him seems more and more hopeless.
Night of the Living Dead
Given the historical importance of this film, it’d be a war crime not to put it in the top 5 of all time. The first ever true zombie film starring Duane Jones and Barbara, who becomes the least important character in a film of all time.
The film centers around Duane Jones and Barbara in a Pennsylvanian house in the midst of the zombie apocalypse. NOTLD pathed way to every other zombie film/ show ever made and still manages to be a solid flick. Even if it is stuffed with tropes and cliches ( thought not it’s fault, since it started them )
Zombieland
Ah the original Zombieland. Back when Ruben Fleischer was a reliable director, and Zoey Deutch wasn’t in zombie movies. In contrast to it’s sequel, which dissapointed the ever lasting hell out of me, this film got me hooked on zombie films in the first place.
It’s the story of Columbus ( Jesse Eisenberg ) who journeys across zombie-ruled America with comrades he finds along the way – Tallahassee ( Woody Harrelson ), Wichita ( Emma Stone ) and Little Rock ( Abigail Breslin ).
Great humor, believable characters, well done zombies and overall top notch zombie comedy. 9/10 would probably be my original review, but due to the unbearable tragedy that was Zoey Deutch in Double Tap…best I can do is a 7.8
Alive
Taking place in Seoul, this fast-paced story about a streamer caught in the middle of a zombie outbreak. This was one of the films that really got me interested in Korean cinema, particulary Korean horror. At the time I give his a 7.5, though now I’m leaning more towards a solid 8. For a full review read here:
Shaun of the Dead
If it weren’t for the sequel semi-ruining the original for me, Zombieland could very well have made spot 1. I’ve always been conflicted wether I prefer Zombieland or Shaun of the Dead better. However, Edgar Wright managed to wrap up the original in a neat little bow that didn’t have any room for a sequel with one of the most annoying characters ever created.
Anyways, in my opinion Shaun of the Dead is a phenomenal classic that takes every shot it can at the zombie genre. From the unique British form of humor, to the borderline legendary chemistry between Pegg and Frost, everything just works in this movie.
Did you agree with my list of best zombie movies? Any I absolutely need to see? If so, lemme’ know in the comments below.
By the way, shoutout to TWD!
-The Screenwriter
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