Review of Train to Busan (2016) by Jim Y — 31 Dec 2016
Done to undeath, as in they just won't die, zombie movies as a genre have been repackaged to the point where trite is trade. And yet with this gem, it was a pleasure to see a new jolt of life. "Train to Busan" may borrow heavily from its predecessors, but it stands apart in its lensing, editing and overall execution, never afraid to take a more thoughtful visual approach, as it willed itself forward towards the conclusion.
The film posits the judgement of one's soul as a weightier matter than the survival of its mortal coil. We are all on a long journey filled with perils - a journey that will eventually end for us all. Our body, like the train, is merely the vehicle.
The complex calculus of right and wrong decisions in the face of terrible fear and horror, while carefully related in the film, brings about mixed results - sometimes we get a bang, sometimes a whimper.
Perhaps, the film too pointedly decides for us who to pay attention to, who to root for and who to hate. It also falls prey to sentimental arcs, but at least they are effectively utilized to drive the audience through the nailbiting wringer.
All in all, the film is a pleasure to watch and made on a sparce US$8.3mn, I found myself very impressed.
This review of Train to Busan (2016) was written by Jim Y on 31 Dec 2016.
Train to Busan has generally received very positive reviews.
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