This was going to be the first article of Wahtchub's Entertainment section, obviously not of the entire website. But I couldn't help myself but to write about the finale of WandaVision.
Still never mind, zombies are one of my favorite genres of entertainment, I've played several zombie games, watched many different types of zombie movies and tv shows, read comics, but still can't get enough of these brain-eating maniacs.
You can also read - Did WandaVision as a show really Disappoint? My Honest Take on the Show.
Zombies have been used in cinema since 1932, with 'White Zombie' being referred to as the first zombie film. The zombie movies in 40s and 50s were kinda cheesy where zombies were a result of some voodoo or a curse. But these all changed when George A. Romero wrote and directed one of the most influential zombie movies in the world, Night of the Living Dead in 1968. This movie modernized the concept of zombie and was the one of the most profitable movies of that time. Made in a budget of just $114,00, it grossed $30 million at the box office, which was huge in that time. It was also the first movie to depict zombies as slow reanimated cannibalistic corpses, which led on to inspire the modern zombie genre.
Since then many zombie movies have been released, some were great while some were formulaic and boring. Movies such as “Shaun of the Dead”, “28 Days later” and “Zombieland” have a prominent role in popularizing and changing the modern zombie genre.
But amid these huge chunks of zombie movies releasing every year, there are some great zombie gems which many people aren’t aware of. Even if they heard about these movies, they haven’t watched them. So, lets discuss some of these underrated or under-viewed or under-known zombie movies (there are just so many words to describe them), which you need to watch if you’re a true zombie fan.
Note - There are many more underrated zombie movies. I can't list all of these movies in one post or else this would become very long. The movies are not in a particular order. It’s really hard to rank them.
1. Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead (2014)
Starting the list with a bang, a zombie-action movie. What would happen if we mix the style of “Mad Max” movies and zombies? Yes, we would get a wonderful product, Wyrmwood. This Australian movie has everything you would expect from a zombie movie: gore; zombie action; humour; experiments of mad scientist; excellent props and costumes; and even some kind of telekinesis.
The script is original and has some twist and turns laid around. The plot follows Barry, a mechanic in Australia as he tries to find his sister who is kidnapped by military during a zombie outbreak.
The movie is an entertaining ride, but it was left rather open-ended, not many questions were answered in the movie. A tv show was supposed to follow the aftermath of this movie but that doesn’t seem to happen now. Still, there’s a 7-minute sneak peek of the show, which can be regarded as a short film.
But the good news is, the sequel of the original movie titled Wyrmwood: Apocalypse has started its production and the team is currently shooting the movie in Australia. So, let’s wait and hope that it will be as good as the original.
2. Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)
Before watching this movie, if somebody had told me about a Zombie Musical movie, I would have just shrugged them off. Because how will you combine music with zombie without making it feel like a parody? Right? But this movie did a commendable job combining these two.
Anna and the Apocalypse is a MUSICAL ZOMBIE movie and yes, it’s a good entertaining watch. The songs are catchy, the comedy aspect is handled well, the performances are good and there are zombies. What else do you need?
But the plot of the movie is bit generic. Just like every other zombie comedy, the plot follows a group of friends trying to survive a zombie apocalypse, in this case, on Christmas. Still, there are some interesting elements in the plot which keep the movie alive and interesting.
3. REC (2007)
Zombies are horror figures, just like vampires, witches and ghosts. But there aren’t many zombie horror movies out there. Movies like 28 days later and Night of the living dead have proved that if used properly, zombies can be pretty terrifying.
And REC is the best example of that. REC is a Spanish found-footage Zombie-Horror movie and dude, it’s one of the scariest zombie movies . The found footage format works in favour of this movie as it helps to create the required tension and thrills to generate the scares.
The plot follows Angela Vidal, a TV host, covering the working of a local fire station. They receive a call from an apartment about an old woman who is continuously screaming. Later they find out that this woman is a carrier of a deadly virus and it can spread to the entire building. Now, Angela and team have to protect themselves and cover the whole incident for the TV.
4. Dead Snow (2009) and Dead Snow: Red vs. Dead (2014)
Let me just say it “Nazi Zombies were a thing we never knew we wanted.” Yes, this movie has Nazi Zombies and you know what? They can think, run and talk and it is a lot cooler than it seems.
Dead Snow is a 2-part Norwegian zombie comedy movie franchise and these are one of the best international zombie comedies I’ve watched. The first movie is in Norwegian language but the second movie is in a mix of English + Norwegian.
The first one follows the same secluded place concept where some friends plan a trip to such place and are then attacked by ghosts or zombies, in this case Nazi Zombies, but the way the story is written and presented, with the backstory of these zombies, is what makes this movie so interesting.
The second movie, Red vs. Dead, is better than the first one and follows the aftermath of the events of the first part. It also has a battle between the Nazi Zombies and Russian Zombies. Who would want to miss that? Watch these movies and you won’t be disappointed.
5. Pontypool (2008)
Based on his own Novel ‘Pontypool Changes Everything’, writer Tony Burgess with director Bruce McDonald gave zombies a fresh and unique take with this movie. Unlike other movies, in Pontypool the mode of transmission of zombie virus is through the words. Yes, hearing certain English words can make you a brain-thirsty insane zombie.
The movie can be a great thrilling watch, if you don’t mind a little slow pace. It’s a complete character-driven movie with little to no zombie action. Still, it’s a great movie which you can watch if you want to see a different zombie movie with some aspects of psychological thriller.
6. One Cut of the Dead (2017)
One cut of the dead is one hell of a unique movie. This Japanese zom-com movie will defy your expectations with its fresh take on this genre. It will turn out to be a completely different movie than you would’ve imagined in the first few minutes.
The film has a one big twist, and it comes rather early. It is in Japanese language but English subtitles will do the job. I cannot talk about the plot of the movie as it can be a spoiler but still let me try to give you an overview. The plot revolves around a film crew who are shooting a zombie movie but are soon attacked by some real zombies. The director tells the crew to continue shooting it despite zombies attacking them. Will they survive and will they complete the movie?
Watch this movie, guess what’s going to happen next and wait for your mind to be completely blown.
7. Planet Terror (2007)
One part of the double feature Grindhouse, this movie by Robert Rodriguez is a very fun B-Movie. Grindhouse combines two movies – Planet Terror and Death Proof by Quentin Tarantino. These movies pay homage to those 1970s slasher exploitation movies which can be seen throughout these movies.
Planet Terror in particular, is a purely mindless fun movie. What else would you expect from a movie where a girl attaches a gun to her leg and fires it? But still, I enjoyed this movie to core. Sometimes we need this type of movies.
It has been shot and edited like those old zombie, full on gore, movies. Shooting on the old film stocks where some footage can be seen missing; campy humour; relatively good background music and a lot of gore; things like these in this movie, will make you pick up some major 80s vibes. If you want some mindless comedy action or nostalgia, then this is the zombie movie for you.
8. The Return of the Living Dead (1985)
Finally!! A cult classic zombie movie on the list. If you’re one of those people who don’t like to watch old classic movies and were about to skip this movie after reading the year mentioned, then you are making a big mistake. This movie is a zombie comedy gold, a perfect example of 80s silly comedies.
After working with George Romero on Night of the Living Dead, John Russo, the writer of this movie, parted ways with him and kept the rights for the title containing Living Dead. But this movie is way different than Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (NoLD).
It is much lighter, funnier and has a lot of gory as compared to NoLD. This movie popularized the ‘zombie eating brain’ concept and gave one of the best lines in a zombie movie “Brain….more brains” or “send more paramedics”. The soundtrack of this movie is just bliss. It perfectly captures the vibe of those 80s punk rock music.
Frank, while trying to impress a new employee Freddy, accidentally leaks a chemical which reanimates corpses in a cemetery. Now, Frank and Freddy, with the help of other people, have to stop this zombie attacks. The plot may seem basic on the paper, but the makers have integrated the plot so well with the movie, adding some very fine comedy and a brilliant soundtrack which just makes this one of the best zombie comedies of all time. Watch it and I hope you won’t be disappointed.
9. Little Monsters (2019)
Little Monsters is a movie which has its heart in the right place. It follows the basic zombie movie plot where people are trying to survive a zombie apocalypse but still it manages to stay fresh.
The story revolves around Dave who volunteers his nephew and few other children to a school field trip with their kindergarten teacher. As soon as they reach the place, a zombie outbreak takes place. Now all the adults have to team up and save these children from zombies while pretending to play a game.
Little Monsters is not one-dimensional like most zombie comedies out there. The writing is to the point with some good character development and it also manages to keep a light tone, in some rather dire situations. Overall, it’s a feel-good movie which will provide plenty of laughs to lighten your mood.
10. Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (2015)
This movie by Christopher Landon (director of Happy Death Day franchise) is a true zombie comedy. The movie is silly, humorous, goofy and hella entertaining. Just don’t expect some extra-ordinary plot in this movie.
The plot is generally concerned with three scouts who are invited to a “Secret Seniors Party” while a zombie outbreak is taking place. Moreover their friendship is also on edge and with the help of a waitress, Denise they have to save the people at the party as well as their friendship.
Landon does a good job balancing comedy and zombies in this movie while adding a little friendship theme. The action sequences are well done and characters are well handled. The movie can get a little predictive sometime but still it entertains. Overall, it's a pure fun comedy movie, keep your expectations low and watch it when you need some mindless comedy to relax your mind.
So, these were some of my favorite Underrated Zombie Movies. I know, there are many more movies I haven't mentioned or I haven't watched yet. So, if you know more such movies, please comment down below, I'll watch them add those movies to the 2nd part of this list.
If you have any doubts or queries related to these movies like, where to stream them or more movies similar to these or if you want to discuss any movie related stuff, then feel free to contact us or message us on Instagram.
Thanks a lot for reading and yes, let me know what you think about these movies? Bye.