The Top 10 Best Zombie Movies
Zombie Movies are as Undying as their Subject Matter.
As a fan of horror, there’s nothing that I love more than really great zombie movies. Luckily for me, it looks like we might just have a few hitting theaters in the near future. That’s why I decided to put on my thinking cap and come up with a list of the 10 best zombie movies of all time. Given the fervent fandom of zombie movies, I knew that this would be no easy task and my research led me to dozens and dozens of flicks. It was a tough task to narrow it down to only 10, so I made it a rule that I could only choose one movie per franchise (excluding remakes), and I also wanted to try to find some of the more unique and in my view, entertaining zombie movies out there. The end result is an eclectic mix of the best zombie movies I’ve seen over the years. So, take a look and be sure to leave me a comment letting me know what you thought of the films that made the cut.
10. Dead Alive aka Brain Dead
Before he did Lord of the Rings, director Peter Jackson made a whole lot of weird movies, one of which was Dead Alive. The film is an impressive blend of camp and gore, and for a while it had the distinct honor of having used the most fake blood of any movie (300 liters alone was used in the final scene). Dead Alive launched Jackson’s career earning more than Batman Returns per screen in his native New Zealand. The movie is a fever dream featuring a claymated “Sumatran Rat Monkey,” a weaponized lawnmower, and a zombie baby wreaking havoc on a playground. As far as zombie movies go, Dead Alive might not be the scariest or the most influential, but it’s probably one of the weirdest ones out there and every horror fan should see it at least once.
9. Warm Bodies
Warm Bodies is easily one of the most unique zombie movies ever made. When Twilight struck gold by giving teens a toxic relationship with a vampire to swoon over, author Isaac Marion decided to cash in on the whole supernatural love story trend. Incredibly, he actually wrote a good book which turned out to be a pretty good movie too. You’re probably wondering, “how could you make a romantic movie about a human falling in love with a zombie?” Well, you’re just going to have to watch the movie to find out. Of course, it helps that Warm Bodies central zombie protagonist is played by Nicholas Holt, because, let’s face it, no amount of special effects make-up could make him look gross.
8. Return of the Living Dead
Return of the Living Dead is 80s horror at its finest. The film is filled with incredibly gory sequences that are only watchable because of how over the top they are. Best of all it’s filled with nearly indestructible zombies, including the infamous Tar Man. Sure, it went on to inspire tons of terrible sequels (though the second film wasn’t half bad), but if you’re a fan of hardcore over-the-top horror than you’ll love this cult classic. The movie centers around a metal barrel that the military managed to misplace which ended up in a warehouse that sells cadavers. An accident releases the gas trapped inside (among other things) and soon the dead start to rise again. The living also have a pretty nasty reaction to the gas and the whole thing gets way out of hand really quickly.
7. Dead Snow 2: Red vs Dead
It’s not often that a sequel is better than the original. Then again, it’s not often that zombie movies feature an undead army of Nazis risen from the grave in order to finish the war that cost them their lives. With an army of zombie Nazis marching across Norway (that had a chance to get a hold of a freaking tank thanks to a museum they came across) it looks like the end of the world might be at hand. That is until an army of zombie Russian soldiers rises in order to do battle with their Axis enemies once more. I know that sounds like a lot to take in, but trust me when I tell you that it’s totally worth it. Red vs Dead is one of those crazy ideas that’s executed perfectly thanks to a lot of blood and even more laughs.
6. Zombieland
Speaking of a lot of laughs, I wasn’t going to be able to put together a list of the best zombie movies without slapping Zombieland on here. So many zombie movies play the whole apocalypse thing straight-faced with a warning that the survivors are the real monsters you have to look out for. This, on the other hand, focuses mostly on a ragtag group that miraculously manages to stay alive despite all odds. It sports an impressive cast of actors with Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson, and Abigail Breslin. The movie is uproariously funny as this unlikely quartet makes the most of the end of the world. For those of you who loved this flick, I have good news: A sequel is set to be released this October!