Completed
LeejLicious
102 people found this review helpful
Sep 13, 2016
Completed 3
Overall 9.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
If you want the story, the actors, magnificant screenplay and feel your heart skipping a beat? Don't miss this great movie!!

This is one of the best zombie movies in the world. Yes it all has the same old same story, its lighthearted. But not all movie directors can make it so perfectly like they did here. The actors were amazing, all of them. I said 'wtf' troughout the whole movie, I could feel my heart pumping, heck, I am even sweating!
The music added so much emotion and tumult in this movie. It has the loads of action, thrilling scenes, gory parts and hair-raising parts troughout this movie.

Why am I so ridiculously excited? The good pacing of this movie, you get sucked into it the minute you watch it. The actors whom all did an excellent job, they were convincing, Ma dong Seok is like always the freaking badass. Everyone had their time and story in this movie. The CGI was greatly made and the actors of the zombies felt so real, the nasty bone breaking scenes and blood everywhere. The music added so much tension in everyscene.

I would rewatch this movie any day and I do think this will be one of first Korean movies to be seen around the globe, because here in my home town, where they never heard of Kdrama land, now knows about this movie.

A 100% must watch!

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Completed
ENKII
124 people found this review helpful
Aug 21, 2016
Completed 6
Overall 9.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers
This darn tear-jerker.

If you're looking for a real horror, this isn't it.
If you hate crying, this definitely isn't it.
I'd say for this movie, it's tragedy before horror. Sure, there are some horror elements, however- it's really more sad than scary.

The story is subtle. It's not deep. I have to remind you that this show's literal title is TRAIN TO BUSAN. It's a whole show about characters doing their utmost best to reach the safe zone- Busan. On a train. It lived up to its title, i'll give it that.

The acting and characters were great. Gong Yoo's acting is excellent, as expected. His character's development was amazing. He went from a selfish to selfless man that learned to truly care for others more.
Ma Dong Seok's character is as likeable here as his character in Bad Guys. You'll get fixated with his character for sure. This actor deserves more recognition.
And the most unexpected- Kim Soo An. She's an adorable and talented little actress. Then again, most Korean child actors and actresses raise the international standard for acting capabilities amongst children.
Kim Eui Seong's character is extremely unlikeable, proving that he played his role well.

The music is good. It's suitable when it's suitable.

Rewatch value: 10
Heck yeah i'd watch it again.
I can tell you that I am definitely not a fan of zombie movies but as I said earlier, it's more of a tragedy than horror. So if you're a major zombie-apocalypse-kind-of-movie fan that finds value in the horror aspect and expects this movie to fulfil it to its best, don't expect too much. The makeup is realistic and well-done.

Even if I cry my eyes out again, it's worth the watch.
If you enjoy a little bit of horror, action, thrill, a little wincey bit of comedy and quite a bit of tragedy, give this movie a go. It's one hell of a ride.

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Completed
OnionTime
13 people found this review helpful
Oct 12, 2016
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.5
Train to Busan is compelling and thrilling, with an emotional edge that is often forgone in apocalypse stories. Unfortunately, the story and logic are sacrificed for introspection and insightful performances.

The story is quite linear, with no explanations and no proper closure, but this flaw allows the film to be more focused on our bundle of characters, who try to brave their disastrous situation. The film examines human nature and conflicting interests. In such a heightened and delirious state, people are bound to be pushed to their limits. We see selfishness and greed, but we also see change and loyalty. The actors and actresses do a wonderful job in making these characters real and flawed.

Train to Busan is definitely thrilling and it's not cheap. The special effects are very convincing (as they ought to be in a film with zombies!) and coupled with the music, creates a tense atmosphere that is maintained throughout the film. Dirty jump scares are limited and the true horror is actually the prospect of this occurring to you.

Despite the flaws in the storyline, my eyes were glued to the screen the entire time. Train to Busan draws you in and makes you stay.

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Completed
allicya
20 people found this review helpful
Aug 30, 2016
Completed 1
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.5
Watched it at the local cinema just now. I watched it because of Gong Yoo and Ma Dong Seuk so I don't really care about that zombie storyline.

Turned out the storyline was good. The movie will catch your attention right from the start. The pace was nice, there are no moments that I found boring. The storyline is clear, it tells you what it wanted to tell, nothing requires critical thinking. You just ponder on what should they do to survive that zombie attack. Yes, there will be some scenes that are going to disturb your emotions. Sometimes you feel like you want some characters to die fast because they are plain annoying, even at some points Gong Yoo will annoy you. He delivered the selfish role right. Kim Soo An also delivered her role well, I am impressed. Ma Dong Seok is a sweetheart, I really like his role here.

No songs whatsoever have been used as the background except Soo An's singing and the ringtone. But then the sound effect that they are using are appropriate at the correct time. Typical of zombies movies to have that sudden shock effect on the viewers, so be alert all the time. You will never know when a zombie will appear.

Tho personally I think they can give a better ending, this is a good movie indeed. Maybe I will rewatch it again 5 years later, it still leaves quite an impression to me. Go watch it, it's worth your time.

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Completed
NutsyNoona
14 people found this review helpful
Aug 23, 2016
Completed 2
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers
I'm not gonna lie, the only reason I considered watching this movie was because I was thrilled to see that a Korean movie was playing in the movie theaters of my city (which is not something that happens a lot). And even more when I saw that several actors, which I knew and liked, starred in it.
That being said, I have but very little interest in apocalypse movies. Especially zombie movies. So, I wasn't expecting much from Train to Busan. And that may be why this movie left such a great impression on me.

(It's hard to praise this movie without including any spoilers so I'm just gonna do a check list of everything I loved about Train to Busan)

Layered characters? Check. Character development? Check. Action-packed? Check. Suspenseful? Check. Funny moments? Check. Sad scenes? Check. A great moral? CHECK.

To sum it up, GO WATCH THIS MOVIE. It's not just for zombie fans. You won't regret it.

Just a warning: Be prepared to be emotionally involved (and maybe don't watch it just before taking the train)

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Completed
gia
5 people found this review helpful
Nov 3, 2019
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
Train to Busan is a pretty straightforward zombie movie. The plot is a little predictable, but the fast pace stops it from being boring. The action drives the plot and is the main focus of this movie, not very shocking and sometimes over the top, but perfect for casual watching.

The characters are strong, though. Gong Yoo as always does a great job as the distant father, but Kim Su-an is definitely the star of this movie. Their relationship is the best part of the film and it’s best scenes are focused around them. The rest of the cast do a great job too. I especially like the zombies: the way they move and behave is super cool and grotesque to watch. The cast seems very human, too. I like how each character has a different reaction to the zombies.

There are a lot of emotions in this film. I think one of the reasons it’s ratings are so high is the character’s relationships with each other and the tragedies that ensue because of them. There are some striking moments that are moving and the ending scenes are definitely the strongest of the film.

I will repeat though that it’s a straightforward zombie movie and I didn’t find it particularly special. It was enjoyable and I liked it, and I’ll probably rewatch it if I’m ever bored, but I don’t think it’s a film that’ll stay with me for a long time.

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Completed
TTT
5 people found this review helpful
Sep 19, 2016
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 9.5
For someone who doesn't like kind of thriller movie, this is one of great step for me. I didn't watch the trailer or anything, I just watch it and boom, i like it. This is so..... scary yet tear-jearking movie!!

I like the idea of this plot, how they can think about all around train and every scene will leave your heart drop, and feel mixed feelings. Sometimes I cry, shout, scream and anything.

The actors gave their best to movie. But I feel Gong Yoo sometimes being lost at his act being father, yeah but it doesn't mean he's bad, he's okay. On the other hand, I want to give my salute to Ma Dong Seok (my hero!), Choi Woo Sik (YA!! you're my first reason to watch this movie), and Jung Yu Mi (mom I cried everytime your scene appeared, my heart feel like breaking) but overall, these actors are great.

Since I hate thriller horror movie, I'll never watch it again but I recommend it to watch; 100%!!
Oh and looking forward to Train to Busan sequel because there are so many unsolved things yea lets just go straight!

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Completed
invisible_ink
8 people found this review helpful
Mar 21, 2017
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
I will keep it brief.

I HATE sad endings. Hate them. If I catch a whiff of an unhappy or uncertain ending, I drop a drama or movie like a hot potato.

With this one, I didn't even care. No, it's not a "happy ending," but it's not totally depressing, either.

This is the best zombie movie I've ever seen, and I watch a lot of Walking Dead and have loved World War Z for a long time. This tops it.

Watch it.
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Completed
Soula
4 people found this review helpful
Feb 23, 2019
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 6.5
So I've been procrastinating to watch this because it looked kind of scary, but my husband wanted to watch it and my mother was dying to see Gong Yoo (her favorite Korean actor) in something new, so we finally sat down to watch it....in broad daylight. ;P And I actually really liked it! My mother had a heart attack about 10 times while watching but my husband helped keep the atmosphere much lighter by cracking jokes throughout the movie.
It wasn't *as* scary as I thought I'd be but it still had more scary moments than I usually go for in a movie (if you've read my other reviews, you'll know that I'm not usually a fan of horror/scary stuff). I think the plot was pretty well written and the acting was pretty great. I also think it's superrrrr f-ed up that the bus-rider CEO literally was responsible for EVERYONE who died. He was soooo selfish and self-centered. If he had just been more caring and less self-serving, everyone would have been fine. Personally, I think Gong Yoo should have ringed his neck from he beginning to save everyone.
The little girl singing the song in the end which helps the military realize that they're actually humans was soooo tragically sweet - that part really stuck out to me.
Overall, I liked it! I'm not sure if I'd ever watch it again, but I definitely thought it was a well done movie!
It also had a lot of famous actors in it, which I didn't realize so that was nice.

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Completed
AudienceofOne
6 people found this review helpful
Mar 19, 2018
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
Possibly the best zombie film of the modern era, Train to Busan tells the seemingly-simple tale of a group of people trying to get to Busan during a zombie outbreak.
Like Snowpiercer before it, Train To Busan deals with societal issues in a tight and claustrophobic environment of a train. But unlike Snowpiercer, which was complex, metaphorical and somewhat inaccessible, Train to Busan has a pared-back plot, effective in its simplicity. It's emotional and even heart-rending at times, with the emphasis on the human aspect of the story. The moral messages and social commentary are there but subtle enough that you can just enjoy this as a film about zombies if you so choose.
Gong Yoo gives his usual stellar performance, Ma Dong-seok is excellent as well and Kim Su-an demonstrates why she's a child star to watch.
If you're tired of your zombie films being thinly-veiled xenophobia and NRA propaganda, you'll enjoy this one set in a country where no one has guns so the protagonists have to survive using their wits instead.
For action and horror - and probably quite a few tears - in a film paced as fast as the train in which it's set, watch Train to Busan.

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Completed
manicmuse
6 people found this review helpful
Sep 20, 2016
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
So I have two biases that I should reveal before I start with this review. Bias one is that I heart Gong Yoo, and It takes a lot for me to hate him. He has to really screw up "BIG" time (see what I did there? lol), so the idea of seeing him in action - in an actual theater - already sold me! Bias two is that I love psychological horror! I know a lot of people say that this wasn't a real horror movie, but I don't agree. It's the kind of horror movie that shows us how f@#%ed up we can be. If anyone has seen the movie "The Mist", you know exactly what I mean. The ending of that movie is one of my favorite movie endings! I would rather see a haunting ending that makes me think, than a happy one where a hero saves the day.

The story is pretty standard for a Zombie film. There's not too much originality, as far as innovating the genre. If you have ever seen a Zombie movie, this follows the usually story structure. What makes this movie work so well is the focus on the characters. Many of the characters are a little stereotypical, but getting to know them is what drives the story. The story is less about the Zombies, and where they came from, and more about wanting to see the characters survive. Being invested in the characters is what makes the action so intense. It also helps that the zombies look cool... really cool!

The cast does a great job! Gong Yoo did not disappoint me. He manages to have charm, even when he's a jerk. Kim Soo An really looks like she could be his daughter, and also did a great job. Even with the extra cheesy moments, the characters felt real to me. I loved Ma Dong Seok, and Jung Yu Mi. Choi Woo Shik had some really good moments too. So Hee was my least favorite in the main cast, and sometimes a little too overdramatic for me, but still mostly good. I forgave a lot of the overacting because it fit the genre.

The MVP of this cast is Kim Eui Seong, who I also think was the MVP in "W". I wish I could say more about how much I loved his character, but instead I will say that I can't wait to see what he does next!

I think the rewatch value for this is pretty high, especially if you like horror movies. The suspense of what will happen next will be gone, but it's still an entertaining story, and the zombies in action are really awesome!

I did tear up at the end, and thought it was extremely well done, and better than most zombie film endings. The ending definitely falls under the category of haunting, and will stay with me for a long time.

Overall I think this is a must see movie, even if you are not a horror fan! In the pantheon of zombie movies, and there are so many great ones, this one definitely holds it's own.

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Completed
Kenny Perry
6 people found this review helpful
Sep 15, 2016
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
OMG This movie is the real deal! A movie with a complete package. Horror, suspense, comedy (a little bit of) lovestory and a surprisingly it was also a tear jerker (drama).

The story was way different than any other zombie apocalypse movies. It will make you scream for the rest of the movie, and you'll also feel the excitement and adrenaline rush will run throughout your body. It's like your actually in there being followed by zombies.

The acting of the cast was great. Not only the main actors but also the supporting ones especially the zombies :D Also I like to point out the effects.. It was cool, yeah it was like watching a holywood film.

This is now my new favorite. Highly recommended! :)

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Train to Busan (2016) poster

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