Train To Busan Presents: Peninsula (2020) Review

Directed By: Sang-Ho Yeon

Starring: Dong-Won Gang, Jung-Hyun Lee

Synopsis: Four years after South Korea’s total decimation in TRAIN TO BUSAN, the zombie thriller that captivated audiences worldwide, acclaimed director Yeon Sang-ho brings us PENINSULA, the next nail-biting chapter in his post-apocalyptic world. Jung-seok, a soldier who previously escaped the diseased wasteland, relives the horror when assigned to a covert operation with two simple objectives: retrieve and survive. When his team unexpectedly stumbles upon survivors, their lives will depend on whether the best—or worst—of human nature prevails in the direst of circumstances.

Review: Peninsula is a highly anticipated sequel to Train To Busan. Director Sang-Ho Yeon opens up the world of his zombie apocalypse a little more and doesn’t retread the footsteps of the first movie. The first movie was so tense and had you on edge. Peninsula on the other hand has a couple of intense moments but is more of an action movie.

As we established this movie is more action orientated and we get loads of action scenes from shootouts, car chases, fist fights and some gladiator esque zombie vs man fights.

Peninsula has a Fast & Furious meets Mad Max meets Escape From New York with our lead hero kicking serious ass John Wick style.

The action sequences are quite spectacular with hordes of zombies chasing our survivors through a desolate city littered with cars. The only slight let down is the heavy CGI used for the car chase sequences it can some what take you out of the movie and make it feel like your in a cut scene for a video game. Don’t let that hinder you though because once you adjust to the way the car scenes are shot it doesn’t really pose as a harsh negative.

With the shift of tone being more action heavy we get some cool shoot ’em up set pieces. One highlight was a rescue scene where our hero Jung Seok goes full John Wick taking down zombies and bandits with some pretty cool gun work and jiu-jitsu.

Ah yeah, bandits you ask? Well living amongst the dead are ex-soldiers who have become slightly unhinged, they have adapted to the new surroundings. They use fireworks to distract zombies while they go around the city looting what they can. The firework segment reminded of George A. Romeros Land Of The Dead. They also have their own colsseum where they label human captives with numbers spray painted on their backs and pit them against the zombies.

Peninsula was so much fun, while the first movie was a tense emotional roller-coaster ride, Peninsula lets rip and pays tribute to the action/horror genre and really shines through. If it was a US movie you could easily picture Carpenter or Romero at the helm.

It’s been a while since we have been given a decent action/horror featuring zombies and this movie satisfies all cravings.

I am looking forward to seeing if we get a third entry in the franchise. Peninsula is the sequel we have been waiting for.