Cast: Kang Dong-won, Lee Jung-hyun, Kwon Hae-hyo, Kim Min-jae, Koo Kyo-hwan, Kim Do-yoon, Lee Re, Lee Ye-won
Release: 2020-08-12
Runtime: 114
Plot: Peninsula takes place four years after Train to Busan as the characters fight to escape the land that is in ruins due to an unprecedented disaster.
Yeah, pretty big let down after the masterful first movie. I'd agree with 6/10.
On its own, it isn't exactly horrible, but it isn't great. Compared to the original, it is dogshit. As stated, way too much of trying to be an action movie, and nowhere near enough existential dread. On top of that, we've got the stereotypical precocious kids that almost take you completely out of it. The one daughter that you see in the trailer (if you told me it was a dude, I wouldn't have thought otherwise) is maybe 12 or so? And she apparently learned how to drive, and drift via the e-brake, while in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. And she does it with even more of a stone face than Dom ever could have. Like it is no big thing to drive straight at a horde of zombies, pop the brake, drift through all of them (gotta save that engine), flick the lights on momentarily to attract more of them to get in the way of her pursuers, then casually make the tiny little alley that she has to fold the mirrors in to fit through. While her little sister giggles because it is fun.
Not to mention, when everyone is in their "homes" they apparently know that there aren't any zombies within a mile or more (that's obviously false) because they shout and yell and clearly don't give a fuck about attracting anything...even though several times in the movie they purposely attract zombies with less noise. And of course cars all work just fine several years later. They could have at least made a point of having them all be electric cars or something (no idea if those would work years later if given a charge, but I'm more likely to believe that than gasoline/oil still being usable).
There just wasn't any real heart to the movie. Although, when you think there might be some motivation finally, I was sort of impressed that they completely obliterated it:
When he's all guilt-ridden over leaving her behind 4 years ago, she says he's just one of 31 that drove right on by without stopping...which is kind of brutal really
And let's not get into pretty much the entire "bad guy civilization". The game they play in the trailer where they unleash the zombies on prisoners is just stupid, and seems to be done just to be "cool."
Damn, now I wonder if 6/10 is too high. No, I'll keep it there, because there are some redeeming qualities. I just can't really think of them right now! Don't go in thinking it is anything like the first one. It couldn't be further.
To wash down the disappointment I recommend two zombie comedies I mentioned before. A korean one The Odd Family : Zombie on Sale and a japanese one One Cut of the Dead (endure the first third to discover why it is pure genius). Or, again, Seoul Station, the animated movie set in the same universe as Train to Busan and Peninsula.
To wash down the disappointment I recommend two zombie comedies I mentioned before. A korean one The Odd Family : Zombie on Sale and a japanese one One Cut of the Dead (endure the first third to discover why it is pure genius). Or, again, Seoul Station, the animated movie set in the same universe as Train to Busan and Peninsula.
One Cut of the Dead is fantastic and I highly recommend watching it on Shudder as it was on the Last Drive In this season. It added a lot to the movie for me.
