Stephen Kingpraised a classic zombie film from 2016, and he even ranked it among the best movies of the 21st century. Besides being known as one of the most prolific horror authors of all time, Stephen King is no stranger to movies too. Many of his books have been adapted, and some of his films are bona fide classics.
Because of his status as an icon of horror,King’s opinion is highly valuedboth in the world of literature and cinema. His deep understanding of character and storytelling craft makes him something of an expert, especially in the realm of horror films. Even if his opinions aren’t always popular, he has the credibility to back them up.
Stephen King’s praise can help elevate a movie, and his stamp of approval often gets a film newfound attention. When asked to vote in theNew York Times' 100 Best Movies Of the 21st Century poll, Stephen King’s ballot was filled with established classics. However, he also made a surprising choice, placing a modern zombie epic in the top 10.
Stephen King Rated Train To Busan As One Of The Best Movies Of The 21st Century
The King Of Horror Loves The Korean Zombie Flick
Stephen King was one of the many industry insiders who voted in theNew York Timesmovie poll, and his ballot featured a few surprises. Sneaking in at number 10,the Korean zombie filmTrain to Busantook its place among King’s favorite 21st century movies.
The story concerns a workaholic father who decides he wants to reconnect with his young daughter after he senses that his absence is harming her development. Unfortunately for them,their father/daughter time is interrupted by the outbreak of a zombie virus, and they find themselves aboard a train trying to avoid the undead hordes.
It’s no surprise that Stephen King loved the movie, and it mirrors many of his best books in its story structure.
By 2016, the zombie craze had already hit critical mass, butTrain to Busanwas different. The movie not only had tons of exciting zombie action, but alsotold a compelling story witha heart-wrenching conclusion. It’s no surprise that Stephen King loved the movie, and it mirrors many of his best books in its story structure.
2016
95%
100%
2020
55%
Train To Busan Is Definitely The Best Zombie Movie Of The 21st Century
Maybe Not One Of The Best Movies Of The 21st Century
King’s praise is warranted, andTrain to Busanis one of the best zombie movies of the 21st century. In fact, it’s one of the best ever, and it adds new layers to the conventional zombie film format. It takes a great film to revitalize a tired horror subgenre, andTrain to Busanwas the perfect film to do it.
However, it’s hard to argue that it should have taken a spot from one of the movies that made the list. The movie is brilliantly written, and its greatest strength is that it pulls from classic zombie stories while also being infused with plenty of character drama.
Stephen Kingis right to loveTrain to Busan, and if the list was bigger, it would be a shoo-in. However, there were other horror movies that surpassed it, and horror was largely unrepresented on the list. Only time will tell how history remembersTrain to Busan, but its status as a zombie classic isn’t in question.
The only two horror films to make the top 100 list wereLet the Right One InandGet Out.
