The “Near-Perfect” Zombie Thriller ‘Train to Busan’ Is Streaming for Free

One of the most intense zombie movies ever made just landed on free streaming. The zombie horror subgenre may have slowed down in recent years (although Danny Boyle is keeping it alive with the revival of the 28 Years Later franchise), but that’s because many movie fans still only focus on domestic shores. Turn your attention abroad, and you’ll find some of the greatest zombie movies ever made are just a fingertip away on streaming. Some are even within biting distance on free streaming. One such film is one of the best foreign zombie movies in history, which also introduced many to Korean cinema (three years before Parasite). If you’re in the mood for zombies scarier than those in World War Z, with a story and characters that are genuinely engaging, then Train to Busan is our pick for your next movie night.

Train to Busan is now streaming for free on Tubi. The 100%-free streaming platform added Train to Busan on Feb. 1, along with dozens of other fantastic movies. For those who have splashed out for a Peacock account, the Korean horror movie was also recently added to that streaming platform as well. Just like the film’s zombie virus, Train to Busan might be coming to infect every major streaming platform.

Released in 2016, Train to Busan was directed by Yeon Sang-ho and starred major Korean names, like Gong Yoo, Ma Dong-seok, and Yeon Sang-ho. The story, written by Park Joo-suk, follows a father and daughter on a train headed to Busan (they should name the movie after that). However, their journey is rudely interrupted by a nationwide pandemic turning people into flesh-eating zombies.

‘Train to Busan’ Is More Than Just a Good Zombie Movie

Strangely, it’s hard to do zombie movies well. Perhaps it’s because the genre is so overdone, or because zombies have become more of a campy horror trope rather than a scary one. Zombie films either tend to have terrifying zombies while not being great overall, or the zombie moments are lackluster and secondary to a phenomenal film. There are exceptions, like the aforementioned 28 series (but only the opening scene from 28 Weeks Later). However, Train to Busan manages to blend horrifying zombies with a genuinely captivating and well-made film.

Critics and audiences agreed, as Train to Busan holds a near-perfect 95% Rotten Tomatoes rating, with an impressive 89% audience score. One impassioned viewer wrote, “This was a near-perfect zombie flick. The sense of impending doom never lets up, and the tension builds with every stop the train makes. The pacing is nonstop—in the best possible way—driving you straight into an emotional, adrenaline-packed climax. An absolute standout in the genre.”

‘Train to Busan’ Has a Not-So-Good Sequel (That You Should Still Watch)

Seok-woo and his daughter running away from the zombie horde in Train to Busan

Netflix

If you get to the end of Train to Busan and weirdly find yourself wanting more, then fret not, because the film received a sequel in 2020. There’s just one catch, though: it’s nowhere near as good.

Peninsula is a loosely connected sequel to Train to Busan. Set after the events of the first movie, the film follows Jung Seok (Gang Don-won), a soldier sent into the wasteland of South Korea to help deal with the growing zombie horde. Peninsula is currently streaming on Netflix.