Train to Busan (2016)
September 5, 2016 4:15 PM - Subscribe
While a zombie-virus breaks out in South Korea, a couple of passengers struggle to survive on the train from Seoul to Busan.
Saw this at the Melbourne Film Festival and it was terrific!
The actors playing the zombies must have had the BEST time filming, they were going completely bonkers.
Pacing in some parts is patchy -- there are a couple of moments where it slows down for no good reason -- and the ending goes to a very soppy place. But those are such small quibbles -- this movie is a hell of a lot of fun.
posted by prettypretty at 10:33 PM on September 5, 2016
The actors playing the zombies must have had the BEST time filming, they were going completely bonkers.
Pacing in some parts is patchy -- there are a couple of moments where it slows down for no good reason -- and the ending goes to a very soppy place. But those are such small quibbles -- this movie is a hell of a lot of fun.
posted by prettypretty at 10:33 PM on September 5, 2016
Caught this a couple of weeks ago, and, yes, it was really good. Well drawn characters, intense action. It looked to me that there was originally a bigger subplot about how the zombie apocalypse started that was edited down to exactly the wrong size, though--there was enough there to distract from the story, but not enough to be interesting or have any particular consequences. They should have probably ditched it entirely. But that's a minor quibble about what was a very strong film that managed to do something different and interesting in the increasingly threadbare zombie genre.
posted by Pater Aletheias at 11:23 AM on September 8, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Pater Aletheias at 11:23 AM on September 8, 2016 [2 favorites]
This movie is fucking great, even if you reflexively wrinkle your nose at fast zombies, I'm hard pressed to think of a modern zombie movie I liked better.
posted by lkc at 5:09 PM on September 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by lkc at 5:09 PM on September 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
I saw this at a film fest and loved it. The audience vibe was raucous and enthusiastic, and I got caught up in it too, even though I don't normally like zombie movies.
And the opening scene with the vehicle...OMG brilliant. It set the tone so well.
The actors were delightful, especially the little girl, who was so good!
It looked to me that there was originally a bigger subplot about how the zombie apocalypse started that was edited down to exactly the wrong size, though--there was enough there to distract from the story, but not enough to be interesting or have any particular consequences.
The same director made an animated film called Seoul Station, released a month after this movie, that serves as a prequel to the events in Train to Busan. I'm curious to see it--I'm assuming it goes into more depth about the origin of the problem.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 1:13 AM on September 11, 2016 [5 favorites]
And the opening scene with the vehicle...OMG brilliant. It set the tone so well.
The actors were delightful, especially the little girl, who was so good!
It looked to me that there was originally a bigger subplot about how the zombie apocalypse started that was edited down to exactly the wrong size, though--there was enough there to distract from the story, but not enough to be interesting or have any particular consequences.
The same director made an animated film called Seoul Station, released a month after this movie, that serves as a prequel to the events in Train to Busan. I'm curious to see it--I'm assuming it goes into more depth about the origin of the problem.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 1:13 AM on September 11, 2016 [5 favorites]
Definitely going to make a point to see this if it comes to my area. (We've got a couple of local indie theaters that might pick it up.)
posted by tobascodagama at 5:39 PM on September 11, 2016
posted by tobascodagama at 5:39 PM on September 11, 2016
I'm not sure if it was intentional but I got a heavy reunification vibe from the film, particularly the middle part of the film where the protagonists are trying to get through the infected train cars to the other group of isolationist passengers and the parts with the two senior sisters.
posted by cazoo at 7:51 AM on September 15, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by cazoo at 7:51 AM on September 15, 2016 [4 favorites]
I thought so too, cazoo--I'm pretty sure that was intentional.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 2:29 PM on September 17, 2016
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 2:29 PM on September 17, 2016
This was fantastic. I suspect the loose threads relating to the larger outbreak may be setup for the animated prequel that came out around the same time, Seoul Station. Have not seen that to confirm though.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 9:57 AM on February 16, 2017
posted by DirtyOldTown at 9:57 AM on February 16, 2017
Seoul Station is pretty good, but totally unrelated to this film, except that it's got zombies and a train station and the same director.
I've got to say, having finally gotten through Train to Busan, that child actor really is convincing. Great flick overall and goes on way longer than I thought it would.
posted by Catblack at 8:30 PM on April 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
I've got to say, having finally gotten through Train to Busan, that child actor really is convincing. Great flick overall and goes on way longer than I thought it would.
posted by Catblack at 8:30 PM on April 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
This is currently available on Netflix, by the way. Popped up recently, probably the beginning of the month.
posted by tobascodagama at 7:11 PM on April 8, 2017
posted by tobascodagama at 7:11 PM on April 8, 2017
I am not generally a zombie movie person but I thought this was good. It is a pretty great train movie.
posted by janell at 9:35 PM on November 9, 2017
posted by janell at 9:35 PM on November 9, 2017
I'm not sure if it was intentional but I got a heavy reunification vibe from the film, particularly the middle part of the film where the protagonists are trying to get through the infected train cars to the other group of isolationist passengers and the parts with the two senior sisters.
I suspect Korean audiences would pick up a lot more subtext than North Americans or Europeans (and I say this as a fairly clueless westerner who knows very little about Korean culture). By the same token, if it was remade in English as Train to Portland or something, it as all too easy to imagine it as a mediocre action flick.
That said, I loved it.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:40 PM on December 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
I suspect Korean audiences would pick up a lot more subtext than North Americans or Europeans (and I say this as a fairly clueless westerner who knows very little about Korean culture). By the same token, if it was remade in English as Train to Portland or something, it as all too easy to imagine it as a mediocre action flick.
That said, I loved it.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:40 PM on December 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
RIP baseball boys. I was rooting for you.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:38 AM on December 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:38 AM on December 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
That one dude who basically is responsible for the majority of innocent deaths doesn't really get what he deserves. And that bothered me, but also was refreshing -- since you don't see that often in a movie. That's life.
posted by knownassociate at 8:10 AM on February 3, 2019
posted by knownassociate at 8:10 AM on February 3, 2019
Just re-watched this after seeing it a few years back and it was very fun AGAIN! My attention span is horrible due to Covid19 stress and this was a great break from that. If you can, give in completely to all the emotive personal stories because they are wonderfully cathartic.
posted by dog food sugar at 10:41 AM on May 23, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by dog food sugar at 10:41 AM on May 23, 2020 [1 favorite]
Finally caught this as I had been hearing it was going off Netflix. One thing I realized is that it's unclear if anyone from the train actually manages to ever kill a zombie.
posted by ckape at 7:34 PM on August 23, 2020
posted by ckape at 7:34 PM on August 23, 2020
Deadline: ‘Train To Busan’ Remake: New Line Taps Timo Tjahjanto To Direct Its Remake To South Korean Box-Office Hit.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 2:36 PM on February 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 2:36 PM on February 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
T-I-M-O T-J-A-H-J-A-N-T-O!!!!
posted by DirtyOldTown at 2:56 PM on February 18, 2021
posted by DirtyOldTown at 2:56 PM on February 18, 2021
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posted by turbid dahlia at 5:09 PM on September 5, 2016