While it was just beginning to take form throughout the late 2000s, no singular decade was as wildly enamored by the concept and allure of zombies as the 2010s. From the wildly popular The Walking Dead show beginning in 2010, the release and popularity of many popular zombie video games like DayZ, Dying Light, and Call of Duty: World at War – Zombies, and most importantly, a non-stop barrage of zombie movies. From massive blockbusters to low-budget indies, the 2010s saw a massive explosion of zombie filmmaking that was seemingly inescapable as a trend.
The trend had reached its absolute height of popularity and widespread attention throughout the 2010s, almost to the point of overexhaustion where many people grew tired of the massive amount of zombie media being released. However, this didn’t take away from the inherent quality of many of the zombie films released during this era, as many of them are still widely celebrated as some of the most iconic, memorable, and overall successful zombie movies of all time.
10
‘Zombieland: Double Tap’ (2019)
While the original Zombieland was one of the defining zombie experiences of the late 2000s and helped usher in a wave of zombie comedies, the long-awaited sequel is often overlooked despite its increased scale and upping the ante over the original. Zombieland: Double Tap mostly takes the classic formula from the original film and expands upon it in the future, as the heroes deal with an array of new, evolved zombies, as well as the difficulties of growth and change in the apocalypse.
While it’s hard for the film to live up to the all-time classic original, Double Tap is still a charming and simple fun time that fully embraces its stature as a dumb, fun zombie comedy for the modern era. Just like before, a lot of the strength can be attributed to the comedic strength of the cast, both in terms of the top-notch returning cast and surprisingly great new cast members like Zoey Deutch, who hold their own alongside the pre-established stars.
9
‘World War Z’ (2013)
Easily the highest-budget zombie movie to be released during this era, World War Z made massive efforts to take a classic zombie apocalypse story and transform it into a true blockbuster experience. It’s easily the most prominent and exciting prospect of the film compared to the various other zombie experiences, as it utilizes top-of-the-line visuals and a gargantuan scale to explore the full gravitas of the world being destroyed by a zombie outbreak.
While it certainly has more in common with the traditional action blockbuster than a classic zombie story, it was a prominent pillar of zombie stories for the decade that helped bring them further into the mainstream. Brad Pitt also has an undeniable screen presence in the leading role, so that even when it isn’t one of his greatest films, his very inclusion and strengths in the film serve to elevate the surrounding experience. Even as the film has received some mixed reception from die-hard zombie fans, the film’s widespread popularity within the genre is undeniable.
8
‘Juan of the Dead’ (2011)
While it may seem from the outset to be little more than a Spanish-Cuban interpretation of Shaun of the Dead, Juan of the Dead proves to be much more dynamic as one of the most unique zombie movies out there. The film follows the titular Juan (Alexís Diaz de Villegas), a carefree slacker living in Cuba who finds his life upended when his city is overrun by undead zombies. Believing that these zombies were started by capitalist dissidents, he and his sidekick Lazaro (Jorge Molina) begin a business where they kill and dispose of the undead for a fee.
While it may seem like a wild combination to tackle both a traditional zombie outbreak story and an examination of capitalistic ventures and socialism amidst chaos, Juan of the Dead pulls off this balancing act with ease. Its greatest strength is easily its inherent creativity, as it makes sure to explore every wild and chaotic zombie concept imaginable, simply having fun with the concept and doing everything it can to make Juan of the Dead a one-of-a-kind zombie experience.
7
‘Anna and the Apocalypse’ (2017)
A Yuletide horror comedy that combines a deadly zombie outbreak with a wholesome coming-of-age story, upbeat musical numbers, and overwhelming Christmas spirit, Anna and the Apocalypse quickly became a high-energy cult classic. The film follows the titular Anna (Ella Hunt) as she has to fight alongside her friends to defend her small town from a zombie apocalypse that occurs during the Christmas season. As they soon learn of the massive scale of the zombie apocalypse, they learn that the only people they can trust when civilization begins to fall are each other.
Anna and the Apocalypse fully understands the inherent fun and possibilities that the zombie apocalypse premise provides, using it as a jumping-off point for a classic story of holiday spirit and friendship. While the musical numbers sound as if they would clash with the style and chaos of the horror comedy, they work perfectly in the tone that the film creates and make for a wholly individual experience.
6
‘Little Monsters’ (2019)
While the inherent appeal of zombie movies seems to be the massive destruction and massive amounts of carnage on display, the real staying power of the genre comes from the interactions and perspective of humanity’s attempts to survive in such a harsh situation. Little Monsters proves to add a great comedic edge to this distinct appeal, getting a lot of mileage out of the inherent chemistry of its cast as well as the added wrinkle of having to protect an entire class of toddlers.
The Hulu original movie finds its greatest strengths in its cast, with the likes of Lupita Nyong’o exemplifying a sweet yet determined and committed teacher, Alexander England playing an aimless and confused burnout, and Josh Gad being a depressed, alcoholic children’s show host. This trio brings out the most in each other in terms of comedy, emotion, and just about everything that one would want out of a zombie comedy, making Little Monsters one of the most underrated films in the genre.
5
‘The Girl with All the Gifts’ (2016)
While many zombie films simply stick to the largely popular genres of being either horror, action, comedy, or a combination of these things, The Girl with All the Gifts attempts to tell a completely different style of film through a dramatic adventure thriller. The film takes place in a future where a mysterious fungus has transformed large chunks of humanity into flesh-eating monsters. However, a scientist (Glenn Close) and a teacher (Gemma Arterton) seem to have possibly found the key to saving humanity when they discover a girl who seems to be immune to the fungus.
While its initial premise seems to be not too different from a traditional zombie film, there are an array of distinct differences and tonal choices that help The Girl with All the Gifts stand out. As opposed to everyone infected with the virus being a dangerous zombie, the film sees a group of young, infected children being experimented on and tested in hopes of preserving the future. With this setup, the film has much more in common with a classic sci-fi infection thriller as opposed to a straight-up horror film, fully engrossing the pain and emotion of the post-apocalypse in a completely different way.
4
‘Warm Bodies’ (2013)
After films like Twilight and Beauty and the Beast showed the potential of romance stories with non-traditional, monstrous characters, it was only a matter of time before a genre-shifting zombie romance film was created. Warm Bodies is a cult classic rom-com that follows the unexpected romance that begins to blossom between the zombie, R (Nicholas Hoult), and the girlfriend (Teresa Palmer) of one of his most recent victims (Dave Franco). What little remains of R’s humanity begins to shine through as their romance sets into motion a possible end to the zombie apocalypse.
Despite one half of the romantic duo being largely unable to talk and communicate traditionally, there is a touching and impactful connection between Hoult and Palmer on-screen that makes this romance work despite the odds. Hoult himself adds a lot of charm and wit to the film through his narration, giving R a distinct personality despite being a literal walking corpse. Its seemingly strange premise quickly turns sweet as it wins audiences over with the concept of love persevering through life and death.
3
‘Blood Quantum’ (2019)
Ever since the beginning of zombie filmmaking, it has been exceptionally utilized as a tool to tell greater stories about human nature and their parallels to the struggles of modern day, with Blood Quantum being one of the best modern explorations of this. The gritty horror film sees the effects of a zombie outbreak being unleashed on a First Nations reserve, where the Indigenous inhabitants find themselves strangely immune to the effects of the zombie virus. However, despite their strong genetics, they still find themselves having to deal with the consequences of the virus in the world around them, including people seeking shelter on the reserve.
Blood Quantum brilliantly uses the zombie virus and the pain that it inflicts as a jumping off point for an exploration of not only the traditional zombie themes, but also of generational trauma and historical tension between native and white individuals. The post-apocalyptic setting proves to heighten the already tense situation of their dynamic, making each kill and the topical conversation of land that much more effective.
2
‘One Cut of the Dead’ (2017)
The Japanese horror comedy One Cut of the Dead proves to be one of the most ingenious and intelligent explorations of the zombie genre as it is known, feeling like a love letter not only to zombie stories as a whole, but to the art of low-budget filmmaking. The film follows a small-scale film crew shooting a low-budget zombie movie in an abandoned warehouse before finding their shoot overrun by real-life zombies. However, the crazed director decides to keep filming amidst the chaos to bring out the best performances possible from his cast.
While it’s hard to truly delve into what makes One Cut of the Dead such a brilliantly impactful experience without spoiling its shocking mid-point plot twist, it’s an experience that is at its best when seen completely blind. The film is fully aware of its presentation and style, setting up the pieces for an exceptional comedic payoff that is tailor-made for fans of filmmaking and the intricacies of creation. The unbroken one-take style of its filmmaking is also incredibly impressive, made even more so when examining the full context of its story.
1
‘Train to Busan’ (2016)
While the 2010s saw the release of many exceptionally well-made zombie movies, Train to Busan easily stands out as not only the best that 2010s zombie filmmaking has to offer, but a must-watch zombie film that is among the best the genre has to offer. The South Korean film is about as perfect as a zombie film can get, with top-of-the-line makeup, compelling and interesting characters, thrilling action, and tearjerker emotional moments that make the most of its setting.
The film has largely grown to be one of the most widely celebrated and impactful zombie films of recent memory, a shining beacon of South Korean filmmaking, and has elevated zombie filmmaking to new heights. Anyone and everyone who is a fan of zombie films owes it to themselves to watch the film, as even those who aren’t as accustomed to foreign cinema will find a lot to love in its crowd-pleasing thrills and dynamic storytelling. It’s difficult to imagine another modern zombie film that can come close to living up to the masterful standard that Train to Busan has set.
Train to Busan
- Release Date
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July 20, 2016
- Runtime
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118 minutes
- Director
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Yeon Sang-ho
- Writers
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Park Joo-suk
