"Train to Busan" Movie Review

Movie Title: Train to Busan

About the Movie

  Train to Busan is a South Korean horror film directed by Sang-ho Yeon. The movie, which was released in the year 2016, takes place on a train and revolves around passengers on a train trying their hardest to survive a zombie outbreak that has infected a majority of the other passengers on board. Among the main characters of the movie is the main protagonist, Seok-woo, a divorced fund manager and his daughter, Soo-an. Due to his neglectful nature as a parent, their relationship starts off rough, but as the movie goes on we come to see that the relationship between these two start to develop.

Thoughts on the movie

  As someone who tends to avoid horror themed movies, watching a movie such as this for the first time was a new experience. The eerie background music, jump scares and multiple scenes where the characters in the film escape by the skin of their teeth, definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. The movie is well-paced in a way whereby through the characters in the film, we are able to understand and learn about the predicaments they encounter and make sense of the world they take place in. The movie also does a good job at bringing the animalistic nature of humans into the limelight. This can be seen in multiple scenes.

The Spirit of Self-preservation

                                          

  When people are in frantic and desperate situations such as those that are a matter of life and death, they act on impulse and their true nature reveals itself. One of the most recurring natural impulses in the movie is self-preservation. For example, at the start of the movie, Seok-woo and his daughter are trapped between a horde that is chasing them from behind, and a lone zombie that blocked their path. They would not have been able to escape if Sang-hwa had not assisted them. 

                                          

  However, when the tables are turned, Seok-woo along with the rest of the cabin were more than ready to let him and his pregnant wife die if it mean't that they would be safe. They eventually opened the doors and allowed them in but this was mainly due to Soo-an.

  The first place the train stops is in Seoul. Seok-woo learns early on that Seoul has become a quarantined zone and before they arrived, he makes arrangements with his connection in order to pull him and his daughter out of there. He does all this without informing the rest of the passengers, that were unknowingly headed towards more danger.

                                              

  Aside from Seok-woo, selfish acts can be seen being displayed by Yon-suk, the COO of a company that will do anything to keep himself alive, even at the expense of others. Upon arriving at Seoul station, he informs the conductor of the train that Seoul is a quarantined zone and that they would not be able to enter even if they made it past the horde. When the conductor replies that they should inform those that have already went ahead as well, he desperately tries to stop the conductor and urges him to take off immediately.

                                          

  Of course, not everyone in the movie is portrayed this way. The movie also displays acts of chivalry and self-sacrifice in order to protect those dear to oneself. Later on in the movie, Sang-hwa and Seok-woo work together with Yong-guk to save their loved ones. The two of them eventually had to hold of a horde of zombies so the rest of the people with them could escape to safety.

                                              

  Sang-hwa ends up being bitten and decides to stay behind and buy them time so his wife and future child, along with the rest of them, are able to get out safely.

                                             

Character Development

  Besides that, the movie also does a decent job at showing the growth of the characters as they movie goes on. For example the main character in the movie, Seok-woo shows significant personality development when comparing what he was like at the start and at the end. Initially he was a selfish man that prioritized only himself, which took a toll on his relationship with his wife and daughter. It also caused people around him not to like him very much. He felt no shame in telling his daughter that in dire situation, one should only look out for themselves and not prioritize others. But by the end of the movie, he is shown to genuinely care about others.

                                               

  He is shown to be angry at Yon-suk who led the other passengers to barricade the door, which resulted in Sang-hwa sacrificing himself to keep the rest of them alive. He is also shown to feel guilt when he finds out that the centerpiece of his company's plan was the source of the zombie outbreak. Although he did not know, he still feels somewhat responsible for everything that has happened.

  His development as a character is emphasized even more through a scene at the start of the movie where his daughter is singing a song for him but is unable to finish, and a scene at the end where she actually completes the song. This helps to highlight Seok-woo's change because when the song is sang the first time, the viewer's perception of his is that of a blood-sucking fund manager that only looks out for himself. But the next time the song is being sung, he has grown into a person that not only thinks about others rather than only himself, but is also willing to sacrifice himself in order to protect the people closest to him. This version of him directly contrasts what he was like before.

Finals Thoughts

  Overall, I found this movie rather entertaining and although it will be hard to sleep with the lights off for a while I am somewhat glad that I was able to watch it and experience something outside my comfort zone.