This widely acclaimed Korean horror film, essentially World War Z on a comparatively modest scale, is well crafted but suffers from a pervasive sensation of déjà vu.Although the zombie outbreak genre is beyond stale at this point, Train to Busan is more of an impressive execution of these already played-out tropes rather than a reinvention of them.
The plot centers a divorced, workaholic father as he transports his middle-school aged daughter via train to visit his ex-wife. The father and daughter, their relationship already strained, become trapped on the train with a rather clichéd group of supporting characters (villainous businessmen, young lovers, and sweet old ladies) as both the transport itself and the surrounding cities become increasingly besieged by zombies that run like Usain Bolt but can’t figure out door handles.
Sang-ho Yeon’s direction is kinetic and lively, and he has a sharp eye for unsettling notes, like the rag doll brutality with which the zombies hurl themselves through windows and off high places. This is the first live-action film for Yeon, who had previously only worked on animated features, and it’s an attention-grabbing debut. Unfortunately, the writing, with a tired premise and some unresolved threads, doesn’t always give Yeon the best material with which to work. But while the characterizations and thematic messaging of generosity over selfishness are far from subtle, the action and scares are effective enough to justify revisiting this played-out genre.
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