The Best Zombie Movies of All Time

The zombie movie is a genre unlike any other in film. It can be a complete exploitation vehicle or can serve as a metaphor for the time audiences are living in. When MovieWeb interviewed the Godfather of zombie movies, George A. Romero, he was asked if he wanted to make any more Dead films. To paraphrase, he said that he did, but he wanted to have the films “mean something.” One could argue that you could do this in any genre, but there is something about the zombie genre that lends itself to metaphors.

So what makes a great zombie movie? There is no hard and fast rule. Zombies as a creature are very malleable and can be made to fit a variety of genres. Obviously, horror is the primary genre audiences think of, but they have also been used in comedy and even romance. They provide social commentary and allow filmmakers and audiences alike to confront the fine line between what it means to be truly alive. The genre is rich and vast, filled with incredible films from multiple decades.

With that said, here are our picks for the best zombie movies of all time.

24

‘Juan of the Dead’ (2011)

Juan of the Dead is a film by Alejandro Brugues that resembles Shaun of the Dead in tone. However, it is less middle-class suburbia and more impoverished street gang. Juan of the Dead utilizes political underpinnings reminiscent of many of its predecessors.

Why It Makes the List

The film follows Juan and his best friend Lazaro, two slackers who capitalize on the zombie apocalypse. The pair starts a small business that will clean up the zombified remains of loved ones for a nominal fee, of course. Juan of the Dead is equal parts horror, comedy, and thought-provoking, which is why it makes this list.

23

‘Bio Zombie’ (1998)

On the face of it, Bio Zombie might play as a redux of the themes in Dawn of the Dead. A Hong Kong shopping center is experiencing business as usual until zombies appear and take it over. From this moment on, Wilson Yip’s film becomes a frantic game of cat and mouse as the remaining shoppers and employees fight for survival.

Why It Makes the List

This is a film that most casual zombie fans probably don’t talk about too much. However, those in the know truly understand just how important this overseas import is. Sure, it is from the 1990s, but its heart is in the 1980s, and even more importantly, one can tell the filmmaker and writers love the movies that inspired it.

22

‘Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island’ (1998)

Few cartoons have steadily reigned supreme quite like the one and only Scooby-Doo, with the lovable Great Dane and Mystery Inc. entertaining audiences since its debut in 1969. In 1998, the enduring franchise decided to venture into darker territory and pushed the scare-factor with Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island, which follows Shaggy, Scooby, and the rest of the gang as they head to Moonscar Island, Louisiana to investigate an alleged real ghost haunting the bayou.

‘Scooby-Doo’ Embraces Its Dark Side

It’s equally unexpected and refreshing that an animated movie could make a case for itself for being one of the most memorable horror flicks of the ’90s and beyond, and the best Scooby-Doo offering thus far, yet that’s exactly what Zombie Island achieves. The classic features actual zombie monsters, ancient voodoo curses, and a surprisingly creepy premise in which werecats lure their prey (like Scoob & the gang) to the island, while also including some seriously spooky moments and an eerie aesthetic that helped it become a hit with fans of all ages.

21

‘Slither’ (2006)

Slither sees a small town infected by aliens. Shortly after this, the town becomes a zombie haven that must be stopped. Slither is a different kind of zombie movie featuring an eclectic cast that includes Nathan Fillion, Elizabeth Banks, and Michael Rooker.

Why It Makes the List

Yes, we’ve seen this story a million times before. However, director James Gunn seems to be reveling in what it means to be a flesh-eating monster. This film is filled with blood, gore, and humor. While there doesn’t appear to be a big message like the films of George A. Romero, this movie is a good time because it is so well executed.

20

ParaNorman (2012)

While ParaNorman may stand out from the rest of the films on this list, both because it was made with stop-motion animation and is appropriate for younger audiences, it deserves a spot on this list nonetheless. Norman, voiced by Kodi Smit-McPhee, is a young boy with the extraordinary ability to see the dead. While this never made him the most popular kid in school or in his family, his gift causes even more problems when he learns that he must read from a sacred book to keep a witch’s curse from raising the dead.

Why It Makes the List

Things don’t quite go according to plan, but at least everyone else can see the zombies, too. The ending of the film delivers a gut-wrenching twist and, similar to many other zombie movies, delivers an important message about how accepting others can be difficult, but it’s important to avoid the zombie apocalypse. Or maybe it is just important to be kind so we don’t cause harm to each other, but either way, it’s a good moral to the story.

19

‘White Zombie’ (1932)

Horror legend Bela Lugosi followed up his iconic portrayal of Count Dracula when he starred in 1932’s White Zombie, in which he plays the ominously named white Haitian voodoo master “Murder” Legendre as he leads a small army of zombified Haitians who obey his every command. When spurned plantation owner Charles Beaumont goes to Legendre to turn the object of his affection, Madeleine, into a zombie so he can have her for eternity, the evil necromancer decides he wants her for himself.

‘White Zombie’ Helps Make Horror Cinema History

Widely regarded as the first feature length zombie film, White Zombie helped lay the foundation of the subgenre in the years to come, becoming an archetype for how the monsters looked and behaved with their dead-eyed, vacant stares and mindless shuffling (though they wouldn’t start eating flesh until later on). White Zombie may not be the most exciting horror film on this list, but Lugosi is in fine form as the nefarious voodoo master and it certainly delivers plenty of spine-tingling scenes that would be replicated in the ensuing decades.

18

‘Rec’ (2007)

Director Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza helped revitalize the found footage genre with their spine-tingling horror masterpiece Rec, which tells the terrifying tale of reporter Ángela Vidal (Manuela Velasco) as she and her cameraman head to an apartment building to cover a news story about a woman allegedly trapped inside. When the pair arrive and subsequently get locked inside by the authorities, they discover a horrific disease is causing the building’s residents to become aggressive, deranged cannibals.

The very idea of being trapped in a building crawling with ravenous zombies and no way of safely escaping is downright nightmare-worthy, and the decision to embrace the found footage aspect while employing shaky camera work and an imminent sense of dread helped Rec petrify audiences all around the world. It has since been lauded as one of the best films of the decade and a standout in the unsettling genre, while also launching a successful horror franchise that spawned three sequels and two remakes.

17

‘Train to Busan’ (2016)

Undeniably one of the finest modern day zombie movies of all time is the South Korean horror sensation Train to Busan, which takes place on a high-speed train where the cynical, workaholic father Seok-woo is traveling with his estranged daughter to drop her off at her mother’s. While aboard, an undead outbreak spreads throughout the country and things go from bad to gruesome when someone on the train is infected and wreaks havoc on the train.

Zombies Are Fast & Relentless in ‘Train to Busan’

Like with Rec, Train to Busan traps its characters in a confined space and forces them to go into survival mode, with Seok-woo fighting to keep his daughter safe despite the hair-raising threats that await him. The depiction of the zombies are unforgettable, as they are able to sprint after their prey with terrifying speed, gnashing and crawling over one another in an effort to get at the living. Train to Busan brilliantly mixes horror and action and audiences will be unable to catch their breath long after the credits roll, making for one heck of a ride.

16

‘The Beyond’ (1981)

Lucio Fulci’s The Beyond is another artfully done horror affair. The story follows a woman who inherits a home (a classic horror movie trope) and comes to learn that it sits on an entrance to hell. On its own, this story probably doesn’t pop off the screen, but one doesn’t necessarily enjoy a Lucio Fulci movie for the story.

Why It Makes the List

This film is visually stunning. There is gore and grotesque goings-on that are entirely on another planet. However, this movie always remains tasteful. Lucio Fulci can straddle those worlds that make this film stand out. It was released in 1981, and while it looks dated because it is an older film, there is nothing “old” about The Beyond.

15

‘Night of the Creeps’ (1986)

How could a zombie movie by the creator of The Monster Squad not be good? Night of the Creeps focuses on these small creatures who invade human beings through their mouth and then turn them into zombies. Keeping with the great 1980s tradition of young people solving their problems, it takes a few teenagers to realize that something needs to be done.

Why It Makes the List

With horror movie stalwart Tom Atkins involved in the proceedings, Night of the Creeps still makes for a great late-night viewing experience. While maybe not as well known as some of the more popular zombie-fare, Night of the Creeps holds up because it is a zombie film that honestly believes in itself and has gone on to amass a passionate cult following.