Zombie lovers rejoice! The subgenre is stronger than ever these days. With Danny Boyle‘s 28 Years Later racking in all sorts of acclaim and success, this proves zombies will always be one of the most popular monsters in pop culture. We still can’t seem to get enough of them these days. Since the late George A. Romero first popularized them in 1968 with Night of the Living Dead, these hungry flesh-eaters have dominated the box office nearly every year and every decade since.
In honor of this glorious subgenre and 28 Years Later, let’s take a trip back to an age that was truly defined by zombie flicks, the 2000s. What a time to be a horror fan, truly. The 2000s witnessed significant changes in horror, marked by the rise of newer franchises and the emergence of modern classics. But it is also a decade full of some of the best zombie movies to date, and they’re ones we’ll never forget. From a cult classic video adaptation to one of the funniest horror comedies of all time, here are the ten best zombie movies of the 2000s.
10
‘Resident Evil’ (2002)
Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson
Based on the popular, beloved survival horror game series, 2002’s Resident Evil is an action thriller directed by Paul W. S. Anderson. A decently paced story with thrilling violence, it follows an elite military unit and an amnesiac woman as they fight their way through a horde of mutated flesh-eaters in a top-secret underground facility.
While not the most revered adaptation or the most well-structured story, throw in some cool-looking zombie action and a badass Milla Jovovich lead performance, and you get one hell of an exciting film. Resident Evil has become a cult favorite among zombie enthusiasts for its pulse-pounding action and semi-faithful recreated feel of the games it was based on. It may not be all good, but it certainly isn’t boring.
Resident Evil
- Release Date
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March 15, 2002
- Runtime
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100 minutes
9
‘Fido’ (2006)
Directed by Andrew Currie
A wholesome tale of a boy and his zombie, 2006’s Fido is a unique entry in the zombie subgenre, one that can charm anyone watching it. Starring Sir Billy Connolly as the titular character, it tells of an alternate world where humanity has suppressed a zombie outbreak and started using the undead as labor and domesticated pets.
Darkly hilarious and uniquely bizarre, there’s nothing quite like Fido out there. It’s a lighthearted tale that pays tribute to the zombie subgenre and tells a hilarious story that could please any fans of these movies. It’s not scary or gory, but it’s charming and likable and sure to satisfy any zombie heads out there who give it a chance.
- Release Date
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September 7, 2006
- Runtime
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92 minutes
- Director
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Andrew Currie
- Writers
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Robert Chomiak
8
‘Dead Snow’ (2009)
Directed by Tommy Wirkola
Taking the thrilling concept of Call of Duty‘s Nazi Zombies to the big screen, 2009’s Dead Snow is a wild, over-the-top zombie thriller that blows audiences away with its impressive gore. Featuring a unique premise and a terrifying setting, it follows a group of medical students as they battle a resurrected horde of the Third Reich.
Though its plot is uneven and lacks memorable characters, Dead Snow is a much-enjoyed cult classic that gives a bloody good experience. It’s insanely gory and beautifully outrageous and knows not to take itself too seriously. It was made to satisfy zombie lovers’ bloodlust, and it certainly delivers that.
7
‘Pontypool’ (2008)
Directed by Bruce McDonald
One of the most one-of-a-kind horror movies in cinema, 2008’s Pontypool is a unique and intriguing film that terrifies you by hardly even showing anything. Starring Stephen McHattie, it follows his character, Grant Mazzy, a has-been radio talk show host now working in a small Canadian town, who goes on the air just as everything around his studio starts going to hell as a mysterious virus spreads throughout the town, transmitting through sounds.
Forget bites and scratches: Pontypool warns us that outbreaks can happen just by hearing a few simple words. It’s a fascinating tale that, while not the most action-packed zombie flick, is enough to keep you drawn in from start to finish. It’s tense, atmospheric, and so suspenseful that it can leave you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
6
’28 Weeks Later’ (2007)
Directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
When 28 Days Later changed the game for zombie movies in 2003, a sequel was bound to happen, and in 2007, we got to see a continuation of Juan Carlos Fresnadillo‘s 28 Weeks Later. Another bleak nail-biter, it takes place seven months after the initial rage virus outbreak. All seems to be under better military control until an asymptomatic woman unintentionally causes more chaos.
Though admittedly not as compelling or highly regarded as its predecessor, 28 Weeks Later is a decent zombie thriller with memorable moments and shocking violence. It has an intense opening scene that perfectly captures the madness and harsh reality of this story. It’s nowhere near the perfection of the first one, but it’s certainly worth your time.
5
‘Dawn of the Dead’ (2004)
Directed by Zack Snyder
From Zack Snyder comes one of the most impressive remakes in horror history, 2004’s Dawn of the Dead. A thrilling retelling of George A. Romero’s 1978 masterpiece, this modern version takes some of the elements of the original and combines them with running zombies, an idea that was wildly popular at the time. It sees Ving Rhames and Sarah Polley as they lead a group of survivors to fend off the undead in a massive shopping mall.
A more action-oriented film that certainly does skip on the gun action, the ’04 Dawn of the Dead is a blast of entertainment that hasn’t lost its ability to thrill in the 20 years since its release. Admittedly, it’s nowhere near as perfect as the original or as compelling, but it’s intense, gory, and definitely terrifying. It’s an unforgettable film that no list talking about great 2000s horror movies can be without.
4
‘[Rec]’ (2007)
Directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza
Hailing from Spain, 2007’s [Rec] is often brought up as one of the scariest, most nightmare-inducing zombie flicks of all time. Shot in a found footage style, it follows an ambitious news reporter (Manuela Velasco) and her cameraman (Pablo Rosso) as they and a firefighting team fight for their lives in a quarantined apartment complex surrounded by a possessed horde of killers.
It’s incredibly bleak and unforgiving, featuring a horrifying finale that’ll leave you speechless long after the end credits. [Rec] is a powerful story that’s intense and never lets up on the terror, and that’s what has made it so memorable all these years. It led to a franchise that could never top the original and remains scary and remarkable today.
3
‘Zombieland’ (2009)
Directed by Ruben Fleischer
Who knew a cross-country road trip through hordes of hungry cannibals could be so much fun? In 2009, audiences were treated to Zombieland, a hilarious and now legendary zombie comedy that satirizes the subgenre and pays tribute to it. It sees Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, and several others on an adventure through a zombie-infested U.S. to find a new home.
It’s a rollercoaster ride full of dark comedy and decent zombie action. Harrelson and Eisenberg have perfect chemistry as an odd couple forced to work together and even grow to befriend each other during a zombie apocalypse. Throw in a unique set of survival rules, plus a beloved Bill Murray cameo, and you get a hilarious zombie classic that will never be forgotten.
2
’28 Days Later’ (2002)
Directed by Danny Boyle
Now, of course, there’s no mentioning zombie movies of the 2000s without talking about one of the scariest and most compelling of them all, 28 Days Later. Danny Boyle created a benchmark for horror by delivering this tense nail-biter. It follows Academy Award-winner Cillian Murphy as a bike messenger who navigates through a post-apocalyptic world where infected chimps have unleashed a deadly virus that turns people into unthinking killers.
It’s bleak, pulse-pounding, and rewrote the book on zombie tropes by popularizing a newer, more aggressive, fast-running zombie that stops at nothing to go after its target. 28 Days Later is an essential piece of 2000s horror cinema. It continues to be praised and adored by fans who still consider it to be a modern masterpiece.
1
‘Shaun of the Dead’ (2004)
Directed by Edgar Wright
It is widely considered one of the greatest zombie movies of all time and certainly one of the funniest: Edgar Wright‘s hilarious Shaun of the Dead. A brilliantly written and neatly paced tale that pokes fun at the subgenre but also adds something new, it follows Simon Pegg as directionless salesman Shaun, who, along with his lazy flatmate Ed (Nick Frost), must rise to the challenge and lead a group to safety when London is devastated by a zombie epidemic.
Shaun of the Dead is quite literally a perfect zombie comedy. Everything from the lovable characters to the quotable lines and fun little Easter eggs has made this film highly rewatchable and beloved. It’s uncontested as one of the most remarkable films to come out of the 2000s, and today, it’s still cited as an all-time great that’s come to define the zombie subgenre.