In the more than century-long history of horror cinema, only a handful of titles have managed to achieve “masterpiece” status. From the early days of the genre with the Universal Monsters to Alfred Hitchcock’s iconic Psycho in the ‘60s, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre in the ‘70s, and The Blair Witch Project in the ‘90s, these films have helped define the genre. The 21st century has also delivered a few horror masterpieces, including a standout 2016 horror film that just arrived on Peacock at the perfect time!
Videos by ComicBook.com
James Wans’ planned American remake of Train to Busan, The Last Train to New York, has all but stalled, but Peacock is softening the blow by adding director Yeon Sang-ho’s 2016 seminal modern zombie film to its library. Train to Busan started streaming on the NBCUniversal streamer on February 11th, a welcome addition for fans of the movie and those sad over news about its American remake. The South Korean action horror movie centers around a father and daughter on an express train from Seoul to Busan as a zombie apocalypse suddenly breaks out in South Korea.
Train to Busan Blends Fast-Paced Zombie Action With Powerful Emotional Drama
Train to Busan wears many “best of” hats – from one of the best zombie movies of all time to one of the best horror movies ever – and it deserves every one of them. The movie is an absolute masterpiece from beginning to end that perfectly balances the terrifying nature of a fast-paced, fight-for-survival zombie movie with a deeply emotional story of human connection and sacrifice. It’s really no surprise that the film secured a “Certified Fresh” badge on Rotten Tomatoes with a near-perfect 95% critic score. Its audience rating sits only slightly lower at a still impressive 89%.
Train to Busan garnered those high scores for good reason, and you’d be hard-pressed to find something to criticize about the film. The movie is non-stop action that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats from the first scene to the last with rapid, aggressive zombies that pose a visceral threat. Train to Busan manages to amplify that pulse-pounding action with the claustrophobic nature of a KTX train, where almost the entirety of the movie takes place. What sets Train to Busan apart is the fact that it’s just as focused on its characters as it is on all of that gore. The terrifying zombie story is anchored by an incredibly rich narrative and character study on human nature under pressure and a father’s struggle to protect his daughter. Gong Yoo delivers a fantastic performance as a man who evolves from a detached, selfish character into a hero, making Train to Busan not just a terrifying watch, but a rewarding and emotional one, too.
What’s New on Peacock?
Train to Busan is far from the only movie newly streaming on Peacock. The streamer has been stocking fresh titles all February long, with the largest number of arrivals dropping on February 1st. Peacock subscribers can now stream hit movies like Above the Rim, The ‘Burbs (1989), Happy Gilmore, and Talk To Me, among numerous others.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Image courtesy of Tor Books/Macmillan -
Official art by Bastien Lecouffe-Deharme
