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What are the best serious zombie movies?

FUNKNOWN iXi

FUNKNOWN iXi

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Oct 25, 2017
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I've been thinking about zombie movies that are serious in tone and generally considered good, but not many live up to Dawn of the Dead's watchability for me. Here are some others I find entertaining:
  • 28 Days/Weeks Later
  • World War Z is okay
  • I Am Legend is okay, if it counts
  • Resident Evil 1
What else is there? I have to be missing some..
 
PlanetSmasher

PlanetSmasher

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Oct 25, 2017
115,488
Shaun of the Dead is still pretty serious in tone despite being a comedy, in my opinion. Some pretty strong themes there.

But if you aren't going to accept Shaun as an option, it's pretty much Dawn or nothing in my personal book.

Also, I just now realized Shaun of the Dead rhymes with Dawn of the Dead. How did I not notice that? I've seen it like 13 times.
 
BLEEN

BLEEN

Member
Oct 27, 2017
21,869
The Dead trilogy obviously and the remake by Savini.


PlanetSmasher said:
Shaun of the Dead is still pretty serious in tone despite being a comedy, in my opinion. Some pretty strong themes there.

But if you aren't going to accept Shaun as an option, it's pretty much Dawn or nothing in my personal book.

Also, I just now realized Shaun of the Dead rhymes with Dawn of the Dead. How did I not notice that? I've seen it like 13 times.
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You should feel the shame of the dead.
 
blinky

blinky

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Oct 27, 2017
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Night of the Living Dead is kind of a no-brainer here. Awesome film that still holds up well.
 
Rangerx

Rangerx

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Oct 25, 2017
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You haven't watched Romero's trilogy? Nothing else even comes close to touching those. Romero's Dawn shits on Snyders, which I still find quite entertaining.
 

Deleted member 11157

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Oct 27, 2017
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Zac Snyder's Dawn of the Dead
dawn_of_the_dead.jpg


Rigor Mortis
3e4000992b12a413997
 
Z-Beat

Z-Beat

One Winged Slayer
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Oct 25, 2017
31,837
Dawn of the Dead (original or remake)
28 Days/Weeks
Train to Buscan
Return of the Living Dead 3 maybe
 
BLOODED_hands

BLOODED_hands

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,931
Is Zombi 2 too Fulci to be considered serious?

Dead Set, although a series, is sort of serious in tone and I think it's a good watch for zombie fans.

The Dead 1 & 2 are serious in tone, but I'm not sure what people's consensus of them are.

Girl with All the Gifts is up there imo.
 
OgTheEnigma

OgTheEnigma

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Oct 27, 2017
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Dawn of the Dead remake is one of my favourites, even though a lot of people seem to hate it. Also I loved the first half of 28 Days Later (and first scene of Weeks Later).
 
retroman

retroman

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Oct 31, 2017
3,056
Night Of The Living Dead is probably my fave, but Return Of The Living Dead 1-3 are also pretty good. Sure, the first two are a bit comedic in tone, but part 3 is dead serious and also rather gory. Give it a shot, you might be pleasantly surprised!
 
BLOODED_hands

BLOODED_hands

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Oct 25, 2017
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m0therzer0 said:
A zombie film list without Zombi 2 is a list that I refuse to be involved in.
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I just got done rewatching it last night. Still a crazy good film. The sequels are something else though. Whoever is interested in the sequels, be warned that they take a sharp dive towards fuckery. Whether that's good or bad is up to your individual tastes.
 

admiraltaftbar

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Dec 9, 2017
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28 days later is in my opinion the best Zombie movie ever made. I enjoyed Train to Busan (it's definitely worth watching) but I think it gets a little too much love on the internet.

Otherwise definitely check out Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of Dead (1978 original) both are classics of the genre.
 
retroman

retroman

Member
Oct 31, 2017
3,056
Does REC count? The first one was great! The sequels not so much.

And how about the Re-Animator films? I enjoyed those as well.
 
Pilgrimzero

Pilgrimzero

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
8,129
Doggg said:
I don't remember the film well. When did this happen?

It did have an awesome opening credits sequence



edit: nevermind, found it. In the opening scene, right?
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Twice i recall. The little girl zombie at the start and then when the zombies are chasing humans up the strairs near the end. They spot the humans going through a door. They stare at each other for a beat or 2 then the zombies continue up the stairs.
 
Infernostew

Infernostew

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Oct 25, 2017
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retroman said:
Does REC count? The first one was great! The sequels not so much.

And how about the Re-Animator films? I enjoyed those as well.
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REC is definitely a great choice but the sequels are bad. Re-Animator films are about as serious as Frankenhooker.

BLEEN said:
I was gonna say Pontypool but there's no way in hell it can be classified as serious. +1 to it anyway so others can check it out!
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It's been a while since the last time I saw Pontypool but I remember it pretty much playing it straight. My memory of the tone could be completely off though.
 
Z-Beat

Z-Beat

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Oct 25, 2017
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Doggg said:
I don't remember the film well. When did this happen?

It did have an awesome opening credits sequence



edit: nevermind, found it. In the opening scene, right?
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The gradual collapse of civilization has always been the most interesting part of zombie fiction to me and it's the part they always skip in favor of foxusing on survivors stuck in a single location either just as or long after shit hits the fan. It's part of why I like the special features section and intro of this movie.
 
Praxis

Praxis

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Oct 25, 2017
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I hate the Dawn remake. The zombie baby bullshit is straight up comedy and something I always imagined would be a thing with zombie law, but to see how it was done... the beginning was good and there was a video diary extra on the dvd about the guy from across the street from the mall and how he was surviving that was okay (reminded me of the Day by Day Armageddon books). Other than that it was straight trash.

To answer the op though I would have to echo most of the recommendations in the thread.

The original Romero trilogy, obviously. Still not been beat, not even close.

Dead Set - Excellent, only let down by its budget and shaky cam effect Brooker chose to use. It has a great sense of dread though, which is what I look for in a zombie film.

Train to Busan - Was a nice surprise, didn't expect it to be as good as it was.

Zombi (or Zombie Flesheaters as it was known here) and Zombi 2 - 2 is better, but I have a special place in my heart for Zombi, love the soundtracks and practical effects.

The Dead - Watched this around the same time the DayZ mod first came out, it was a perfect fit.

You already mentioned the 28 Later films.

Edit: Seems I was getting mixed up with Zombi 2 and 3. Not used to the numbering on them in the UK.
 
retroman

retroman

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Oct 31, 2017
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Infernostew said:
Re-Animator films are about as serious as Frankenhooker.
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It's been so long since I've seen the first part. I thought that one was still a bit serious in tone, but I might've just misremembered. I saw the third one quite recently, and yeah, that one is really more a comedy that happens to feature reanimated corpses.
 
VenomousCoffee

VenomousCoffee

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Oct 25, 2017
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The best zombie movie is Romero's original Dawn of the Dead (1978). The Zack Snyder remake is a pale copy.

The Girl with all the Gifts is probably the best recent one I've seen (not counting 28 Days Later, which is very good but a bit older now).
 
Praxis

Praxis

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retroman said:
It's been so long since I've seen the first part. I thought that one was still a bit serious in tone, but I might've just misremembered. I saw the third one quite recently, and yeah, that one is really more a comedy that happens to feature reanimated corpses.
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Dude straight up gets a reanimated, decapitated head to go down on a woman.
 
CurseVox

CurseVox

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Oct 27, 2017
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28 Weeks Later is my favorite of all time.

Also loved: The Horde, Train to Busan, Dawn of the Dead (both versions), and the one that started it all: Night of the Living Dead.


* REC is fantastic too but those were "demons" no?
 
Mr Spasiba

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Oct 26, 2017
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Train To Busan and 28 Days Later are GOAT. Dawn Of The Dead is a classic, but everyone and their mom has seen that one so I usually recommend Day Of The Dead, it's just as good if not better in a few ways but I feel like people sleep on it a lot.
 
robosllim

robosllim

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Dec 4, 2017
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Dook's Revenge said:
Day of the Dead is the single greatest serious zombie flick.
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I've always liked it more than Night or Dawn personally.

REC is one of my all-time favorite. 28 Days Later is another great one, with Weeks being decent too.
Aside from that, it's mostly comedies: Dead Alive/Braindead, Return of the Living Dead, and Dead Snow 1 & 2 are all fantastic.
 
Praxis

Praxis

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Mr Spasiba said:
Train To Busan and 28 Days Later are GOAT. Dawn Of The Dead is a classic, but everyone and their mom has seen that one so I usually recommend Day Of The Dead, it's just as good if not better in a few ways but I feel like people sleep on it a lot.
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Day of the Dead is easily one of the most quotable films. Captain Rhodes is so over the top and has so many great lines. Still, I don't think it's anywhere near the quality of Dawn personally. Still absolutely love it though.
 
TheBeardedOne

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Oct 27, 2017
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BLEEN said:
The Dead trilogy obviously and the remake by Savini.



You should feel the shame of the dead.
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blinky said:
Night of the Living Dead is kind of a no-brainer here. Awesome film that still holds up well.
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Pilgrimzero said:
Original Dead Trilogy. (and the 1st remake)

Um....
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These people know

Romero's Dead Trilogy is great. All three have held up well, and are all good for different reasons. Day doesn't get enough recognition.

Savini's remake of Night was also pretty good, and Snyder's Dawn of the Dead surprised me.

Versus was alright
Pontypool
Quarantine was decent
I liked the Crazies remake but still need to see the original
Day of the Dead was pretty good, but you either like it or hate it.
 
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