My Favorite Infected Zombie Movies

An epidemic that spread from the island of Haiti to the entire world: The Zombie Phenomenon.

Though nowadays when we say “zombie,” Voodoo spells, Haiti, or the Caribbean don’t immediately come to mind. However, the origin of this phenomenon is exactly what I just listed. Anyway, since that’s not our topic, I won’t go on any longer. The thing we call zombies isn’t just one type. We’ve encountered them in many different forms, undead ones, caused by viruses, even fungal ones. So we decided to narrow down the list a bit and I’ve prepared a “Best Infected Zombie Movies” list. Of course, my list ended up consisting of extremely well-known films. Regular visitors to korku101.com know that’s not something I’m particularly fond of. That’s exactly why I expanded my 6-film list to 10 films for you adventurous horror lovers and added 4 more lesser-known films.

1. 28 DAYS LATER (2002)
2. WORLD WAR Z (2013)
3. RESIDENT EVIL SERIES (2002-2016)
4. I AM LEGEND (2007)
5. REC (2007)
6. TRAIN TO BUSAN (2016)
7. ONE CUT OF DEAD (2017)
8. NIGHT OF THE COMET (1984)
9. BLOOD QUANTUM (2019) – THE LIST’S HIDDEN GEM
10. IN THE FLESH (2013-2014) – SERIES BONUS

28 DAYS LATER (2002)

This is the first film that comes to mind when we talk about fast, aggressive zombies. Directed by Danny Boyle, this film deals with the chaos caused by a deadly virus spreading across the United Kingdom. According to many, it’s the best infection-based zombie film. There’s also a sequel called 28 Weeks Later. The real bombshell is that a continuation titled 28 Years Later is coming soon. If it were up to me, I’d have waited until 2030.

WORLD WAR Z (2013)

Directed by Marc Forster, this film is adapted from Max Brooks’ novel of the same name. It focuses on people turning into zombies as a result of a pandemic spreading worldwide. Brad Pitt is in the lead role and, as always, is ridiculously handsome. This film contains scenes so famous that even those who haven’t watched it will recognize them, and it’s quite satisfying in terms of action.

RESIDENT EVIL SERIES (2002-2016)

Actually a video game series that’s continued from 1996 to the present day, with a huge fanbase. Some of the games are masterpieces, some are utterly terrible. It’s changed styles, and even its remakes have broken records. That said, the films never approached the quality of the games, but I included them on the list due to their immense popularity. In the director’s chair sits Paul W.S. Anderson, who also directed Event Horizon, one of my favorite films. This film series, starring Milla Jovovich, involves a virus outbreak caused by the Umbrella Corporation, people turning into zombies, and a whole lot more.

I AM LEGEND (2007)

A film that even those who haven’t seen it will recognize when they see certain frames and go “Oh! So that’s what that film was about?” Adapted from the book “I Am Legend” by Richard Matheson, an author I absolutely love, this excellent film features Will Smith delivering a captivating performance in the lead role. It tells the story of a scientist and his dog trying to survive against humans transformed by a virus.

REC (2007)

“Muy buenas noches les habla Ángela Vidal.” (Good evening, this is Angela Vidal) The film opens with this line and its repetition, and for some reason it became etched in my mind. This Spanish horror film directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza is one of the finest examples of the found footage genre. It centers on a television crew getting caught—by coincidence—right in the middle of a zombie outbreak in an apartment complex. It’s a film that stands out with its fast-paced and tension-filled scenes. Manuela Velasco in the lead role does an excellent job. Sequels were made but I wasn’t too fond of them. An American remake was also made called Quarantine, but of course it doesn’t hold a candle to the original.

TRAIN TO BUSAN (2016)

A tearjerker, dramatic zombie film. From what I’ve seen, there’s a positive bias toward works coming from Korea. This is probably related to Korean dramas and K-Pop. This film received more than its fair share of praise and created huge expectations for me. Perhaps that’s why I didn’t quite find what I was looking for. However, due to the difference in perspective, I think it absolutely deserves a place on lists like this. Directed by Sang-Ho Yeon, this South Korean production focuses on a rapidly spreading virus outbreak during a train journey.

ONE CUT OF DEAD (2017)

A crew that has to shoot a found footage zombie film in one take, and zombies that actually attack the crew. Originally titled “Kamera O Tomeru Na,” this film can be classified as a straight comedy rather than horror-comedy. Initially seen as underrated, as its recognition grew it inevitably began to be seen as overrated. While I was wondering whether to include Shaun of the Dead or Zombieland on the list, I suddenly decided on One Cut of the Dead. This way I also managed to mention the other two films. So for attentive readers, this list became not 10 but 12 films.

NIGHT OF THE COMET (1984)

I’m someone with an ’80s fetish. Even though this ’80s fetish definition was made with the intent to belittle, I’m perfectly happy with myself. Directed by Thom Eberhardt, this science fiction and horror film deals with events following a comet’s approach to Earth. The fallout during the comet’s passage causes people to transform. Reggie (Catherine Mary Stewart) and her sister Sam (Kelli Maroney) aren’t affected by this fallout, but they too must now deal with both zombies and humans in this new world order. Since the film is heavily influenced by ’80s teen movie atmosphere, it’s far from conveying the seriousness of the situation, but I don’t think that’s a disadvantage. If you love the great music of the ’80s and well-placed musical choices, you shouldn’t miss this film.

BLOOD QUANTUM (2019) – THE LIST’S HIDDEN GEM

We’ve arrived at the film on the list that excites me most. Written and directed by Jeff Barnaby, himself a Canadian Indigenous person, this Canadian horror film tells of a zombie apocalypse taking place on a Native American reserve. The film successfully blends traditional Indigenous mythology and culture with the modern zombie horror genre. But I should warn you—the film is quite bloody. The virus, to which Indigenous people are immune, turns the rest into zombies, and the viewer watches an allegorical revenge for what white people did centuries ago. Because of how it tackles such a subject in a different way, despite some of its flaws, I think it absolutely must be watched by genre fans.

IN THE FLESH (2013-2014) – SERIES BONUS

Created by Dominic Mitchell, this miniseries brings a different perspective to the zombie genre. The story deals with efforts to reintegrate surviving zombies back into human society after a zombie outbreak has ended. Going beyond being just a zombie-themed series, it explores the complexity of human nature, belonging, and prejudice. You’re accustomed to the zombie phenomenon being used to tell another story, and almost all the films on this list serve that purpose. But what makes this series valuable is that it can tell the issue directly and enable the viewer to empathize. The series harshly and realistically portrays young zombie Kieren Walker’s (Luke Newberry) attempts to repair his relationships with everyone from his family to his social circle and surviving humans after returning to his former self, as well as society’s prejudices and fears toward zombies. I definitely recommend watching this BBC Three series, which ran for a total of 2 seasons.