Zombie
films have been one of the most enthralling subgenres of horror for decades. The concept of reanimated ᴅᴇᴀᴅ humans has its roots in cultures with Voodoo traditions, but the monsters wouldn’t be nearly as popular without George A. Romero. Considered the godfather of zombie cinema, the filmmaker effectively developed the living ᴅᴇᴀᴅ concept that audiences are familiar with today. In addition to pioneering their global appeal, Romero established many of the most common zombie horror tropes.

Romero’s Night of the Living ᴅᴇᴀᴅ movies and other zombie properties were the inspirations for works moving forward, and it shows. Most movies today seem to follow the same basic guidelines. The zombies want to eat humans, they’re at shambling speed, and they only die via a fatal blow to the head. While it’s nice to see that the original characteristics have persisted over time, the majority of films in the genre never dare to test the boundaries. With that being said, there are still several noteworthy тιтles that break the typical zombie conventions.

10

ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Snow (2009)

Directed By Tommy Wirkola

Some films are so ridiculous that they call into question the mentality of their creators, and Tommy Wirkola’s 2009 horror comedy ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Snow ​​​​​​is one of them. For some reason, there is a common characteristic of modern horror movies in which Nazi soldiers mysteriously reappear in the present day. For example, in Iron Sky, the Third Reich is secretly building a base on the moon. In the case of ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Snow, they come back as zombies.

It’s easily one of the most absurd movie premises, but the results are undeniably entertaining. The story follows a group of eight Norwegian medical students who venture to the Arctic for a skiing trip. Things quickly go awry when it’s revealed that a battalion of German World War II soldiers has turned into zombies that terrorize the land. As far as Nazi zombie movies go, ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Snow certainly wasn’t the first attempt. However, it’s one of the best modern executions of this odd concept.

9

The Girl With All The Gifts (2017)

Directed By Colm McCarthy

In consideration of the history of zombie movies, the past decade has been relatively devoid of memorable releases. Few films have managed to capture the atmosphere of works like Dawn of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ or 28 Days Later, the latter a zombie movie regardless of whether it pretends to be otherwise. However, there are recent exceptions that brought a breath of fresh air to the genre. Colm McCarthy’s The Girl With All the Gifts represents a prime example.

In a post-apocalyptic world that has been ravaged by a fungal infection, the remaining humans live among diseased populations called “hungries.” At an army base, a young girl named Melanie is revealed to have a connection with the zombies that causes them to ignore her. As humanity falls apart, she has to deal with sinister forces that hope to sacrifice her in pursuit of a cure. While the premise is somewhat straightforward, the movie does an excellent job of approaching it with an innovative style.

8

Fido (2006)

Directed By Andrew Currie

The nature of horror films often grants their directors a higher degree of artistic freedom than other genres can afford. Given that these movies are generally low-budget, horror filmmakers have a chance to portray the wildest of scenarios without too much at stake. It’s never totally clear how such ideas come to fruition, but they make for great entertainment. Andrew Currie demonstrated this idea in full swing with his 2006 film Fido, wherein the director approaches an unᴅᴇᴀᴅ invasion with the optimistic perspective of a horror comedy.

After a cloud of space dust transforms the deceased into bloodthirsty zombies, Zomcon Corporations offers a solution: a remote control collar that domesticates them. All of a sudden, the living corpses are essential pets that do the human’s busy work. At the center of the story lies Fido, a now-docile creature who makes friends with his owner’s son. It’s an unfairly overlooked zombie movie and a funny way of showing how the unᴅᴇᴀᴅ might fit into an idyllic 1950s lifestyle.

7

Pontypool (2008)

Directed By Bruce McDonald

As far as unique premises go within the zombie genre, there aren’t many films that feature a more original idea than Bruce McDonald’s Pontypool. The movie has predominantly flown under the radar since its 2008 release, which comes as a surprise given its quality. In a genre packed with similar features, Pontypool imagines a virus that leaves its influence through spoken word.

The plot follows DJ Grant Mazzy, who runs a radio show in Pontypool, Canada. After discovering that a zombie outbreak has taken place in the town, he is tasked with warning his listeners from the refuge of his station. The only problem is that the infection is spread through certain words in the English language. Thus, Mazzy is forced to navigate the dynamic of the virus to communicate the important message. Nobody would expect language to present a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly mode of zombie transmission, but McDonald depicts the scenario masterfully.

6

Re-Animator (1985)

Directed By Stuart Gordon

In the realm of cinematic horror, films tend to follow a pre-existing schematic based on previous releases. This approach is oftentimes guided by the stories of traditional monsters within the genre. Without a doubt, one of the most famous formats was popularized by James Whale’s original Frankenstein​​​​​. The iconic story of a mad scientist and his reanimated corpse has inspired countless other works, but it’s refreshing when someone adds a twist.

Stuart Gordon’s Re-Animator blazed a new trail within the genre because it was one of the earlier films to blend cookie-cutter horror stories thoughtfully. The plot is essentially a case of zombies combined with Frankenstein, in which Herbert West suffers the dire consequences of bringing his professor back to life. With a great blend of scares and laughs, the film offers an interesting take on the unᴅᴇᴀᴅ. As of today, there are a total of three Re-Animator movies, with the most recent installment arriving in 2003.

5

Warm Bodies (2013)

Directed By Jonathan Levine

Romance has played a pivotal role in horror films since the earliest days of the genre; audiences are often drawn to the forbidden relationship between monsters and humans. Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight ​​​​​​movies managed to build a wildly successful franchise off this premise alone. The idea makes sense when it’s done with normal-looking vampires, but the very concept of a romantic zombie movie seems completely ridiculous.

Despite how bold the move was, Jonathan Levine executed the challenge in impressive fashion with Warm Bodies​​​​​​. In a tale of unlikely love, Julie begins an abnormal relationship with a zombie named “R” after he saves her from his fellow monsters. The film manages to distract from R’s unfortunate circumstances and present a love story that prevails despite the harsh odds. Considering it was the first attempt by any director to create a movie like this, Warm Bodies deserves more credit.

4

One Cut Of The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ (2017)

Directed By Shin’ichirô Ueda

It’s no secret that comedy is integral to the horror genre. There is a very thin line between the emotional foundations of fear and humor, which is part of the reason that films of this nature are so popular. In contemplation of the most entertaining horror comedies ever made, Shin’ichirô Ueda’s One Cut of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ is painfully underrated. It’s a shame that more people aren’t familiar with this movie, but since it’s such a small-scale production, the film never managed to gain widespread notoriety.

However, the horror comedy’s cult status doesn’t detract from its greatness by any means. The plot focuses on Director Higurashi as he and his crew try to make a low-budget zombie movie. As luck would have it, things take a turn for the worse when real zombies show up on set. One Cut of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ has many good qualities to offer, but it truly stands alone in its hilarious employment of meta-storytelling.

3

The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Don’t Die (2019)

Directed By Jim Jarmusch

Horror movies are more popular than ever, but the same cannot be said for their zombie subgenre. Although breathtaking films like World War Z conjured a small resurgence, few тιтles of this nature have managed to break onto the mainstream stage. Consequently, Jim Jarmusch’s The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Don’t Die presented an anomaly: It was intriguing to see the presence of a modern big-budget zombie production with a star-studded cast.

Even with A-listers at the helm of the ship, the movie failed to connect with critics and audiences alike. Despite the poor reception, the premise is unique to a fault. The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Don’t Die is essentially a metaphor for climate change that uses zombies as a medium. The outbreak comes as a result of polar fracking, which causes environmental disturbances that ultimately raise the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. It might not make it to the top of the list of Jim Jarmusch’s best movies, but the idea is undeniably quirky.

2

Anna And The Apocalypse (2018)

Directed By John McPhail

“What happens when a Christmas musical takes place in the middle of a horrific zombie apocalypse?” John McPhail strives to answer this question in Anna and the Apocalypse, and the results are priceless. In this holiday horror flick, Anna and her friends are forced to fight off an unᴅᴇᴀᴅ invasion during Christmas but quickly find themselves in over their heads.

Holiday horror crossovers have been attempted by hundreds of directors over the years, but never in quite the same fashion as this. The creators took three separate genres and morphed them into a product that satisfies many different tastes. It effectively creates a distinct category and claims the number-one spot. As with any absurdist film, the plot is only elevated by the ridiculousness of the circumstances. In Anna and the Apocalypse, every layer of incredulity makes each moment more fun than the last.

1

Shaun Of The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ (2004)

Directed By Edgar Wright

When it comes to zombie comedies, there aren’t any movies that hold a candle to Edgar Wright’s 2004 cult classic Shaun of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. Although it wasn’t the first project of its kind, this film undoubtedly set the standard for similar works that followed it. It strikes a perfect balance between humor and horror that hasn’t been emulated since. Out of all the reasons this film is held in such high regard, Shaun of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ is arguably most well-known for its introduction of the everyday zombie hero.

Instead of a jacked veteran leading the charge against the unᴅᴇᴀᴅ, it’s a completely average loser named Shaun. He’s a nobody when circumstances are normal, but when a zombie infection breaks out, he is forced to step up. There’s a hilarious dicH๏τomy between who Shaun is and the stereotypical apocalypse survivor he’s supposed to be. As he haphazardly makes his way through the chaos, Shaun looks like a hysterically helpless fish in unfamiliar waters. Even though newer releases have tried to employ the same unconventional layout, no zombie film has come close to Shaun of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ.