If you enjoyed last year’s excellent “Train to Busan,” then check out its animated prequel, “Seoul Station.” They’re both directed by Yeon Sang-Ho, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie. (I don’t usually prefer animated features — even the truly impressive anime classics.)
But this was worth a watch — and it even had some moments of real tension toward the end.
Everything you’ve heard about “Train to Busan” (2016) is indeed correct; it’s a first-rate South Korean zombie film that fans of the genre won’t want to miss. I’d give it a 9 out of 10.
It’s maybe a little campier than I expected, with some over-the-top zombies that feel more reminiscent of the “Evil Dead” films than George A. Romero’s movies or Robert Kirkman’s work. It’s also a bit long at nearly two hours — if I were editing it, I would have swapped out some of the time devoted to car-to-car melees with additional scenes showing what’s transpired beyond the train. Imagine how a skilled screenwriter could further expand on the (really cool) train station plot points we already see … what if the train was forced to stop at every station? What if it couldn’t stop? What if its passengers were turned away at safe areas? What if desperate stragglers tried to board the train?
This was a good one, people. Check it out.
Eric Robert Nolan, Author 