Get into the spirit of Halloween with these zombie movies

Halloween is just around the corner and this year’s celebrations might not be as exciting, especially with the cancellation of Halloween Horror Nights at the Universal Studios Singapore because of COVID-19.

There are still plenty of (safe) ways to get into the Halloween spirit though – like catching some zombie movies.

Here’s a list of thrilling zombie films that will get you into the mood!

If you are a fan of Brad Pitt, this one’s for you.

In World War Z, Pitt plays Gerry Lane, a former United Nations employee who appears to be enjoying post-retirement life with his family. As the world is plagued by a mysterious infection which threatens to consume humanity, Lane had no choice but to leave his loved ones behind and escorted a team of scientists to try halt its spread.

There are plenty of heart-stopping scenes with hordes of zombies chasing after the protagonists, which make your night an exciting one.

Directed by Cho Il-hyung, #Alive is a South Korean zombie thriller starring Yoo Ah-in (Oh Joon-woo) and Park Shin-hye (Kim Yoo-bin) which revolves around a video gamer who attempts to survive a zombie apocalypse. Locked up alone in his apartment in Seoul, he is also digitally cut off from seeking help and desperate to escape at the earliest opportunity.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this is extremely relatable considering the lockdowns or restrictions imposed around the world – including the circuit breaker in Singapore.

#Alive topped the charts in the first three weekends of its release in South Korea in June and was later made available on streaming on Netflix in early September. That alone should be a good enough reason for you to watch to catch it.

If you have yet to catch it, this is one you cannot miss. As its name suggests, the film – which features Gong Yoo (Seok-Woo) and Jung Yu-mi (Seong-kyeong) – takes place on a train to Busan when a zombie apocalypse breaks out in the country and threatens the safety of the passengers on it.

With a plot that’s simple yet straightforward, the film is helped by the sense of threat generated by the fast zombies that in turn increase the tension of its scenes.

A sequel of the film ‘Peninsula’ was released recently and similarly revolves around the spread of a zombie virus, albeit in the setting of a truck this time around.

28 Days Later follows the survivors of the Rage virus caused by a caged chimpanzee which was freed by a group of animal rights activists from a medical research lab and wreaked havoc in Great Britain just after the 21st century.

In the 2002 film, the survivors include protagonist Jim (Cillian Murphy) who wakes up from a coma four weeks later to discover that his city is all but deserted, as well as Selena (Naomie Harris) and cab driver Frank (Brendan Gleeson) who then join forces in their quest to safety.

Be prepared to see zombies that are horrifyingly quick, brutal, and relentless, be it alone or with a horde. By the way, this will not be the movie you would want to watch alone.

A remake of George A Romero’s 1978 film, Dawn of the Dead stars Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Jake Weber, and Mekhi Phifer with Ty Burrell, Michael Kelly, Kevin Zegers, and Lindy Booth all playing supporting roles.

The story depicts a handful of human survivors taking refuge in a suburban shopping mall surrounded by swarms of zombies. But as they wait out, supplies begin to run low and they come to realise they cannot stay put forever and have to come up with a plan to escape.

A fan of movies with blood and gory scenes? This film would be right up your alley.