Netflix just got one of my favorite apocalyptic action-thriller movies of the past decade — and it’s a wild ride without any breaks
“Bullet Train Explosion’s” reign as the best train-set movie on Netflix really didn’t last very long. Just a couple of weeks later, the streaming service has now added “Train to Busan” to its expansive library, and this apocalyptic action-thriller is a high-speed ride that you simply can’t afford to miss.
A favorite of “Shaun of the Dead” director Edgar Wright — and the two movies certainly share some DNA — this 2016 Korean zombie flick is a rare genre effort that offers pulpy fun, but also finds the time for some surprisingly strong character work. It was added to Netflix U.S. earlier this week (May 2), and you need to drop what you’re doing and stream it now.
The streamer also added the movie’s standalone sequel, “Peninsula,” but as is often the case, the original shines brightest. “Train to Busan” has developed a cult following over the years, and it’s certainly not just me who thinks it’s a first-class thriller; its impressive 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes is proof it’s much more than a mindless zombie feature.
If you want to add some extra cinematic excitement to your weekend watchlist, here’s why “Train to Busan” is the latest addition to Netflix that needs to be on your radar.
What is ‘Train to Busan’ about?
Seok-woo (Gong Yoo, who you may recognize from “Squid Game”) is a workaholic father with a strained relationship with his young daughter, Su-an (Kim Su-an). His overworking habit even cost him his marriage.
At Su-an’s insistence, he agrees to take her on a train from Seoul to Busan to spend her birthday with her mother. However, this 323 km journey soon becomes a nightmare when a zombie outbreak sweeps the country, and the train is similarly infested with rabid undead looking for flesh to munch.
Forced to fight for his life and desperate to keep his daughter safe, Seok-woo and his fellow passengers attempt to evade the zombie hordes while also finding refuge. But while the outside world has fallen into horrific chaos, there are also threats onboard the train beyond the zombies.
‘Train to Busan’ is a fan-favorite thriller for good reason
“Train to Busan” kicks off with a brisk opening that sets up Seok-woo’s fractured relationship with his daughter, and ratchets up the foreboding tone as we see a few early signs of the zombie infestation that will very soon consume South Korea. Then, as we board the train alongside the pair, it’s only a matter of minutes before the events spiral into pure chaos.
While some action-thrillers opt for a peaks-and-valleys approach — periods of high tension separated by calmer moments — in “Train to Busan,” the dial is turned to 11 relatively quickly, and from here it’s high-speed intensity all the way through to the closing credits.
This sense of momentum is fitting as it mirrors the main character’s own experience in a dire situation where safety is always just out of reach. With zombies filling up the train cars, and every train station they pass already overrun with neck-biting undead, there isn’t a moment to breathe for anybody. Even the senior passengers must run for their lives.
The people on the train beyond Seok-woo and his daughter aren’t the most fleshed out, and several fall into predictable archetypes, but it’s not exactly hard to root for the likes of a kind elderly woman and a husband trying to protect his heavily pregnant wife. Yon-suk (Kim Eui-sung), a selfish and very shouty businessman, adds a villain to the piece who isn’t a zombie.
“Train to Busan” holds your attention throughout its two-hour runtime because it constantly serves up do-or-die situations for its core cast to navigate. A mid-movie highlight sees a train platform melee as a survivor attempts to get back onto an already moving train with zombies spilling out from all sides.
However, scratch below the surface and there’s real emotion here as well.
Much like “Shaun of the Dead” is a zombie movie that’s really about a slacker learning to take responsibility for his life, “Train to Busan” is at its core about Seok-woo’s journey from absentee father to dependable dad.
Early on, he scolds his daughter for looking out for others at her own potential cost, but as the movie progresses, so does his outlook. And eventually, his quest for survival becomes about more than merely protecting his own.
Nevertheless, viewers who just want to see fantastic action set pieces are well catered to, as “Train to Busan” will keep your heart rate ramped up throughout. While you’ll have to excuse a few moments spoiled by ropey special effects, this apocalyptic thriller is consistently entertaining, and with just enough social commentary to make it more than brainless.
You need to stream ‘Train to Busan’ on Netflix right now
If you need further convincing of “Train to Busan’s” credentials, perhaps its 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes will be enough to get you to click the play button this weekend.
“Train to Busan delivers a thrillingly unique — and purely entertaining —take on the zombie genre, with fully realized characters and plenty of social commentary to underscore the bursts of skillfully staged action,” reads Rotten Tomatoes ‘Critics Consensus.’
This isn’t one of those movies where the critics love it, but viewers offer a much cooler reception, either. Again, on Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a strong 89% score from more than 10,000 ratings. This is very much an action-thriller that managed to hit with both camps.
“Train to Busan” is a movie that asks you to strap in and then hold on for dear life as you’re sent speeding down a dangerous and intense track. It’s relentless, and exciting, and with just the right dash of emotion to elevate it above only offering cheap blood-soaked thrills.
Its arrival on Netflix makes it virtually a shoo-in for our list of the best Netflix movies, but if you want to consider some alternatives before making your movie night selections, here’s a roundup of everything new added to Netflix in May 2025.
But I can save you some time. Just pick “Train to Busan.” You really won’t regret the two hours spent onboard this zombie-filled bullet train.
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