
If you’re a horror movie fan, you’re probably no stranger to zombie movies. The genre has been a mainstream in American horror for decades and with recent additions like the land of zombies and the small screen The walking dead, the zombie theme is only gaining popularity. English-language cinema isn’t alone in capitalizing on audiences’ love for the living dead, with the film industry around the world showcasing its scariest portrayals of the Flesh Eaters.
If you’re looking for your next undead gorefest, look no further. Foreign language zombie movies impart all the courage, blood and fear that any horror lover could ask for.
[REC]
Country: Spain
Director: Jaume Balagueró & Paco Plaza
[REC] differs from most zombie movies in that it doesn’t focus on a global outbreak or doomsday storyline. Instead, the entirety of the film takes place in a singular apartment complex, putting audiences next to the zero case of a zombie outbreak. [REC] follows the journalist, Ãngela Vidal (Manuela Velasco), as she covers a group of firefighters on an emergency mission to a local apartment. The simple news turns to terror when the complex is quarantined with a contagious cannibal virus.
[REC] is known not only for its place in the zombie genre, but also for its role in popularizing movies of images found in modern cinema. The film’s success led to a sequels franchise, as well as an American remake, Quarantine.
Train to Busan
Country: South Korea
Director: Yeon Sang-ho
One of the most iconic zombie movies of recent years, Train to Busan has won critical acclaim for its contained story and quick acting. A father, Seok-woo (Gong yoo), and his young daughter, Su-an (Kim Su-an), board a crowded train bound for Busan. Undetected by the passengers, a woman infected with an artificial virus hid on board. As the train rushes through South Korea, Seok-woon, his daughter, and the other travelers must survive the zombie-filled train bomb.
If you like Train to Busan, the stand-alone suite, Peninsula, was released last year.
The night eats the world
Country: France
Director: Dominique rocher
Although it takes place in a France filled with the living dead, The night eats the world is not what you would expect from a typical zombie movie. The movie isn’t necessarily meant to be scary, but rather a slow-burning character piece. This is less of a zombie apocalypse and more about what a zombie apocalypse will do to a person.
Apparently the only survivor of an undead epidemic, Sam (Danielsen lie) lives alone in an abandoned apartment. As cannibalistic creatures roam the streets, Sam remains unharmed in his boarded up building. Despite being physically intact, the trauma of the world takes its toll and Sam wonders how long he can remain in complete isolation.
#Living
Country: South Korea
Director: Cho Il-hyung
Another recent South Korean zombie flick, #Living uses modern technology to tell its doomsday story. Like The night eats the world, the film takes place almost entirely in the apartment of the protagonist. A young influencer, Joon-woo (Yoo Ah-in), is trapped alone while the world is plunged into chaos. As the living dead take to the streets, Joon-woo’s previous addiction to social media betrays him when the internet goes down. Confronted with being truly alone for the first time, Joon-woo must survive not only zombies, but isolation as well.
#Living is actually based on the same script as the American movie Only, so if you are looking for a similar movie, take a look at this one.
The end?
Country: Italy
Director: Daniele Misischia
The history of the Italians The end? is entertainingly simple, making it an easy watch to quench your thirst for the living dead. On his way to an important meeting, a callous businessman (Alessandro Roja) is trapped in the elevator in his office. Aggravated by the interruption and unable to contact help, the man is unaware that the outside world has been turned upside down by a zombie virus. The end? contains an easy-to-follow plot and content location, emphasizing the sleek, stylistic cinematography used to show the protagonist’s view of everything outside the elevator.
Oh, and good warning, you’re going to spend the entire movie hoping the protagonist of Dickwad dies. But hey, that’s part of the fun.
What we become
Country: Denmark
Director: Bo mikkelson
The idyllic summer of a family of four is ruined when a viral epidemic spreads through their town. With their neighbors transforming into flesh-eating monsters, their block is placed in an ultimately failed quarantine. As the virus rages on the outside, the household must test its emotional limits with tough decisions to survive.
What we become is truly the story of the family, and it’s on this emphasis that the film absolutely shines.
Voracious
Country: Canada
Director: Robin aubert
Voracious is both drama and horror in its portrayal of a small town grappling with the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse. The story revolves around a patroller, Bonin (Marc-André Grondin) who is running in the woods after zombies have attacked his town. While fleeing, Bonin connects with a possibly infected woman named Tania (Monia chokri), as well as a little girl, Zoé (Charlotte st-martin), which the couple recovers along the way.
Voracious has been critically compared to George A. Romero‘s Night of the Living Dead because of its similar societal themes of survival.
Dead snow
Country: Norway
Director: Tommy wirkola
A kind of horror comedy, Dead snow is, as the title of this listing suggests, about zombies. It turns out that the zombies are Nazis. Sure, that’s a bit of a silly idea, but what’s scarier than zombies? Nazi zombies, of course!
Dead snow follows a group of medical students on a ski trip to the Norwegian mountains. Their vacation is cut short after an army of the aforementioned WWII zombies attacked the party, leaving a bloody trail through the Scandinavian snow.
A cup of the dead
Country: Japan
Director: Shinichirou ueda
A proud comedy and a hilarious meta about the genre, A cup of the dead is a perfect low-budget feature for fans of the iconic Shaun of the Dead.
In the first half of A cup of the dead, a film crew is making a zombie B movie in an abandoned warehouse. While in the midst of their filming, fiction and reality begin to merge as the zombies come to life. With monsters roaming free and a movie to shoot, the cast and crew must comically fight for their lives. Without giving too much away, the second half of the film differs hugely from the first, featuring one of the most immersive twists of recent years.
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