At this point in cinematic history, there have been so many zombie movies made that there probably should be a longitudinal study conducted of why we like to watch people glaze over and eat each other alive. Why do we like to see the cities we know and love crumble in post-apocalyptic madness? Is it because we, too, feel like mindless beings as we aimlessly wander through our dreary capitalist existence? Whatever the reason, the genre scratches an itch in our human brains that is mildly concerning but undeniably satisfying. To aid you in this sick and twisted journey, we’ve attempted to rank the best zombie movies of all time. As you scroll, please bear in mind that the art of making the perfect zombie movie is subjective: some are in it for the blood; some are in it for the catastrophic action; others have no idea how they got here.

16. WORLD WAR Z (2013)

For people who like to see images of New York descending into zombie madness, you’re bound to like Marc Forster’s World War Z. It‘s action-packed, and there’s a family at stake, so that will pull at your heartstrings. It’s also the highest-grossing zombie movie of all time, but it follows a tired, USA-heavy hero narrative, which is why it’s not higher on the list. 

15. BLOOD QUANTUM (2019)

As one of the lesser-known zombie movies, Blood Quantum offers a refreshing take on the over-saturated horror sub-genre. In the film, almost all of Earth’s population is decimated due to a zombie virus, except for the indigenous people of the isolated Mi’kmaq reserve of Red Crow, who are immune to the zombie plague. It’s an interesting plot embedded within a wider sociopolitical context (for those who like to think critically while watching gore), and the effects are gross and spectacular. 

14. I AM LEGEND (2007)

There’s online debate about whether or not I Am Legend is technically a zombie movie (the Darkseekers are more like vampires or mutants), but it’s filled with enough jump-scares to get your palms just as sweaty. There’s a grieving Will Smith, a virus, a beloved dog, and an empty New York – which is enough for most people, even if they aren’t technically zombies. 

13. REC (2007)

If Paranormal Activity is one of your favourite horror movies, REC is for you. The Spanish horror film follows a TV host and her cinematographer, who follow the fire service on a call to an apartment building, only to find the Spanish police have sealed off the building after an old woman is infected by a virus that gives her inhuman strength. You can probably guess the rest (zombies), but it’s arguably one of the best found footage movies of all time, so it’s well worth the watch. 

12. ZOMBI 2 (1979)

This movie is fairly slow in the first hour (keep in mind that it was made in 1979), but once it gets going, you can’t look away. The zombies are bedazzling, and there are some truly iconic scenes involving an eyeball and a zombie wrestling a shark (you just had to be there).

11. OJUJU (2014)

We couldn’t do a zombie roundup without mentioning the 2014 gem, Ojuju. The micro-budget film is set in the neighbourhood of Ikeja, Lagos, where people start exhibiting symptoms of rabid river blindness. The contaminated local water supply turned zombie outbreak is a creative take on the genre, and it has all the elements of a Nollywood classic. 

10. ONE CUT OF THE DEAD (2017)

Many people give up on this movie during the first 30 minutes, but most of those who make it through become obsessed with the independent Japanese zombie comedy film. The plot follows a team of filmmakers shooting a zombie horror film for live television that must be shot in a single take, and it’s split into thirds: the film within the film, the origins of the project, and then the perspective of the cast and crew. You’ll have to trust us when we say it’s a creative and low-budget masterpiece. 

9. NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968)

Night of the Living Dead was rejected by major studios when it was released for graphic imagery that was controversial at the time (so you know it’s good). Decades later, it’s become a campy cult favourite (for a good reason).

8. SHAUN OF THE DEAD (2004)

If you’re looking for arthouse cinema, this zombie comedy is not that. But if you’re looking for a movie about what happens when a 30-something-year-old, lazy British man faces a zombie apocalypse, Shaun of the Dead is exactly your movie. Where other zombie comedies can enter into cringe territory, this one is self-deprecatingly funny and filled with comparisons between zombie life and capitalist life.

7. ZOMBIELAND (2009)

Zombieland is another fun and light zombie movie that follows Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin, who play two sisters set on getting to an amusement park in the middle of a societal collapse. The best part of this movie is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Also, there are plenty of all-American shooting scenes for action lovers. 

6. WARM BODIES (2013)

If your zombie movie obsession also overlaps with a soft spot for romantic comedies, you’ll love Warm Bodies. The zombies are slow and idiotic, but Nicholas Hoult gives a wonderful performance of an almost-dead person flesh eater who will do anything for true love – how touching?

5. DEAD ALIVE (1992)

Out of all the bizarre zombie origin stories, Dead Alive’s young man’s Sumatran rat-monkey may be the most bizarre. This Peter Jackson film is about as gory as it gets (we’re talking buckets upon buckets of blood) and was banned in Finland, Singapore, and South Korea at the time of its release.

4. ZOMBIE FOR SALE (2020)

Zombie for Sale was another budding teen zombie romance movie for the books. It’s perfect for people who are adjacent fans of the zombie genre because it’s surprisingly sweet, but even true zombie-horror enthusiasts will appreciate its touching portrayal of the undead. 

3. DAWN OF THE DEAD (2004)

There’s a reason why Dawn of the Dead has four official sequels. George A. Romero’s film is one of the most influential horror movies of all time, and has inspired countless other zombie movies (the most obvious being Shaun of the Dead). 

2. 28 DAYS LATER (2002)

28 Days Later is a perfect zombie movie. Stephen King allegedly bought 800 movie tickets when this British post-apocalyptic horror film hit theatres in November 2002, and we can see why. The cinematography is lofi and dream-like, the soundtrack is sensational, and the fast-moving ’infected’ re-invented zombies for a new era.  

1. TRAIN TO BUSAN (2016)

South Korean zombie movie Train to Busan will forever have our hearts because the speeding train adds a delightfully difficult element to warding off zombies (who are also extremely fast). While the gore and explosions are there, it’s also a fundamentally beautiful story about a workaholic father fighting to protect his daughter, so it’s as sweet as it is scary.