12 best zombie movies of all time
From World War Z to Zombieland, check out our compilation of some of the best zombie movies of all time.
Looking for some gory delight? You have landed on the right site. We are counting down the best zombie movies of all time for all our horror zombie fans who can't seem to get enough blood and gore to fill up their stomachs. From sensational costume design to some real horrifying acting, the industry has given us many hits with twisted tales to satisfy our hunger for man-eating monsters.
When it comes to a great movie on zombies, we think of a few blockbusters that just ticked all the boxes right. Gory horror enthusiasts demand tales that not only top the cliche tropes of legendary horror movies but also look for narratives that bring in a new spin to the old tales. Meeting their high expectations is surely a task for the gods. Yet there are several creators who serve the platter hot and are able to satisfy the needs of zombie-gore enthusiasts.
Our list is an amalgamation of not only the spookiest of zombie tropes but also consists of a few splashes of fun with the zombie-coms that add a flair of much-needed comedy to the mix. From the oldies to the new gen-z favourites, we have selected some of the most entertaining movies on zombies. Scroll down below to sift through our compilation of 12 of the best zombie movies of all time.
Check out our list of the best zombie movies of all time below:
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Directed by Justice League's Zack Snyder and written by Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn, the movie is a remake of George A. Romero's 1978 film by the same. Though many feel that Snyder could not top Romero's classic, the film is still regarded as one of the best in the zombie genre. The film casts Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Jake Weber, Ty Burrell, and Mekhi Phifer. Scott Reiniger, Tom Savini, and Ken Foree who was also in the original come in for a quick cameo. The story follows a group of survivors of a zombie outbreak that transforms infected people into flesh-eating zombies seeking safety in a shopping mall. In addition to fighting the undead, they must also deal with internal conflicts.
28 Days Later
A traditional zombie-gore that takes its horror trope seriously, this 2002 movie is all about the fear. Directed by Danny Boyle, the narrative chronicles society's breakdown after a pandemic caused by the unintentional introduction of a highly contagious, rage-inducing virus, with a focus on four survivors coping with the devastation of their previous lives while avoiding others affected by the virus. the film avoids calling the gut-hungry humans "zombies," rather they are depicted in the film as humans that have been infected by a virus. The film stars Cillian Murphy, Naomi Harris, Christopher Eccleston, Megan Burns, and Brendan Gleeson.
Train to Busan
Away from the western shores, this film takes us on a ride across South Korea with the most deadly seat partners. Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, the film stars major South-Korean actors Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi, Ma Dong-seok, Kim Su-an, Choi Woo-shik, Ahn So-hee and Kim Eui-sung. A big part of the film, all action takes place on a train from Seoul to Busan. On his daughter's birthday, Seok-woo takes his child on the train to Busan to see his wife. The journey, however, becomes a nightmare as they become stuck in South Korea during a zombie outbreak.
Shaun of the Dead
Directed and co-written by Edgar Wright alongside Simon Pegg who takes on the role of the lead in the film. With friend Ed, played by Nick Frost, the zombie apocalypse catches Shaun completely unprepared, so they seek safety in a nearby tavern with their loved ones. The film is far from a serious horror and lands more on the zombie-com spectrum. Besides Pegg and Frost, the film employs Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Dylan Moran, Bill Nighy, and Penelope Wilton in supporting roles.
Zombie
Lucio Fulci's Italian zombie movie is absolutely not for the weak of heart. The graphics in this movie are no joke and should be only witnessed by those who are true horror-gore fans. The film tells the tale of a voodoo-cursed Caribbean island where the dead rise as zombies to threaten the living. When her father's boat is discovered deserted in New York City, a scientist's daughter travels to the island. Made with the aim to bring back true classics from the genre, this movie is a barf-fest.
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Starring David Emge, Ken Foree, Scott Reiniger, and Gaylen Ross, the 1978 zombie horror film is written, directed, and edited by George A. Romero, the legend himself. The film depicts the larger effects of a zombie apocalypse on society. The reanimation of the departed, who feast on human flesh, is caused by an unidentified phenomenon in the film. In the midst of public hysteria, Emge, Foree, Reiniger, and Ross play survivors of the pandemic who lock themselves within a suburban shopping mall. Though the zombies in the movie are not exactly terrifying, the film has been lauded by the critics and has garnered a large cult following over the years.
World War Z
A more recent release, this 2013 zombie apocalypse horror is among the best of 21st-century products in the genre. In the movie, Brad Pitt plays Gerry Lane, a veteran UN investigator who travels the world in search of evidence to stop a zombie apocalypse. Supporting Pitt, the cast does an excellent job on the film including Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz, James Badge Dale, Ludi Boeken, Matthew Fox, Fana Mokoena, David Morse, Elyes Gabel, Peter Capaldi, Pierfrancesco Favino, Ruth Negga, and Moritz Bleibtreu. Directed by Marc Forster, the film borrows the title of Max Brooks' 2006 novel.
Cooties
Another horror comedy, Cooties is a zombie-apocalypse parody film. It stars Elijah Wood, Alison Pill, Rainn Wilson, Jack McBrayer, Whannell, Nasim Pedrad, Brennan, and Jorge Garcia as a bunch of elementary school employees that are plagued by a mutant virus that causes students to become violent and bloodthirsty. They try to survive this travesty by any means, except all these cannibalistic zombies are but tiny little kids.
Zombieland
Directed by Ruben Fleischer, the film casts Jesse Eisenberg as one of the leads alongside Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin. The story follows a nerdy college student as he navigates a post-apocalyptic zombie outbreak, meeting three strangers along the way and embarking on a long road trip throughout the Southwestern United States in search of a safe haven from the undead. Though the film is a comedy, it does not lack great costume design and banks on even better action scenes.
Day of the Dead (1985)
Another George A. Romero hit, the film is the third edition in his Night of the Living Dead series. Starring, Lori Cardille, Terry Alexander, Joseph Pilato, Jarlath Conroy and Richard Liberty, the film is about a group of zombie apocalypse survivors hidden in an underground shelter in Florida, where they must decide the fate of humanity's battle with the rotting army.
Return of the Living Dead
In his directorial debut, written and directed by Dan O'Bannon, the film stars Clu Gulager, James Karen, Thom Matthews and Don Calfa. When overseer Frank exposes new hire, Freddy, to a classified military experiment in a storage warehouse, the pair of klutzes discharge a chemical that reanimates corpses and turns them into flesh-eating zombies. Frank and Freddy strive to survive with the support of their employer and a mysterious mortician as the disease spreads around Louisville and the creatures satiate their hunger in horrific and absurd ways.
Pontypool
A contemplative commentary on society and its ways, Pontypool is not your usual zombie tale. Directed by Bruce McDonald, the horror film is based on Tony Burgess' novel Pontypool Changes Everything. A radio broadcaster receives word that individuals have died as a result of disturbances at a doctor's office. The situation worsens when the radio station receives a threat through audio communication and the whole town is put under quarantine. The film is unique for subverting the cliche of zombie bites and taking the social commentary to exaggerated levels.
Comment down below your favourite picks from our list of best zombie movies and let us know of the greats you would like to add to our compilation.
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