Normally I take notes when I’m watching these horror films. One, because I have a baby who can obviously feel my fear through the walls and wakes up often to comfort me in the evenings while I watch these. He’s very kind. Also, so I can remember key plot points when I write down a review. I don’t know how film and theater critics do it in the dark. More props to them. However, during this movie, I took ZERO notes because my eyes were the size of saucers the entire time. Not just because it wasn’t in English, but because it was just so riveting (a word that is vastly overused).

If someone is reading this in a time capsule, first off, thank you for printing out my blog posts. And secondly, kids, you should know that before 2020, there were heated debates about “fast zombies” and “slow zombies.” The debate over which was more realistic: rabid, uncontrollable feral animals versus lobotomized, insatiable human forms. We were super cute in our arguments before the world went to shit. Because obviously now we know, real plagues make you angry at the guv’ment for not letting you go to a concert or barber. Actually that one leans towards “lobotomized, insatiable human forms.”

This film is fast zombies. Super cool, parkour fast zombies. The filming was so much fun, I forgot I was supposed to be scared. Instead it was more like an action thriller with a side of snark AND heart. I need to watch more Korean rom-coms to see if it involves this much acrobatics.

The plot centers around a workaholic father and his young daughter who (in many heartbreaking scenes) tries to keep his attention and love. The two get on a train in Seoul to go meet the estranged wife in Busan for the daughter’s birthday. This is about the distance from NYC to Boston, if you need a reference point. This train however, is probably not like a train from NYC to Boston. For one, it was probably manufactured in this century. Despite the zombie invasion that was about to happen, I’m always fascinated by other countries’ mass transit infrastructure, while in America we just keep finding new cameras to put in our cars that drive one person.

Socialism rants aside, the zombie invasion happens VERY quickly most likely due to a chemical contamination at a plant outside of the city. It spreads across all of South Korea in a matter of hours thanks to the densely populated urban settings. The next 90 minutes is just a love letter to trains and all their glory. The conductor is the unsung hero as he really has no idea what’s going on, despite the fact that communication among cell phones seems fine, but train dispatch apparently is not. I’m glad though, because it obviously means the conductor wasn’t on his phone. Safety!

They join up with other passengers to try to stay alive, and make it to Busan because it’s the only area that was able to be quarantined successfully. This was the most unrealistic part: the government was able to mobilize a “hot zone” system in a matter of hours, all while the military was able to expertly apply their fabulous and flawless “camo” makeup. BravO, South Korea.

Spoiler alert, not everyone makes it. But the ending was very hopeful. So hopeful in fact, the director made a follow up animated film almost immediately. I haven’t found this film yet, but I also don’t have a lot of time for follow up right now. Maybe next year. If we are still here. Oh that was dark. If the plague is still here.