5 Best Zombie Movies Nobody Talks About Anymore

There are tons of zombie movies out there. Directors like Sam Raimi and franchises like "28 Days Later" have helped define the genre, showing just how much fun it can be to watch people fight zombies. What's causing them? Are they runners like in "World War Z," or do they move a bit slower like in "Night of the Living Dead?" There are endless directions to go in, as long as something that can be called a zombie (or one of its various synonyms) is present.

There are plenty of great options when you're in the mood for a zombie flick, but sometimes you want to watch something that isn't always what's recommended on your streaming platform of choice. The popular films are fun, but what about the ones nobody talks about? These are the zombie movies that flew under the radar; despite being awesome, they aren't included on "best of" lists. From interesting found footage projects to zombie dramas, you need to add these ones to your watchlist.

The 2016 Korean zombie flick "Train to Busan" gets a ton of attention when people think of international offerings in the genre, but a Japanese flick from just a year later deserves the same amount of fanfare. "One Cut of the Dead" follows a team trying to film a zombie movie in a single take, but they come across something they weren't expecting during their efforts. If we say much more, we will spoil the movie!

The project boasts a 100% from critics and an 83% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Reviews compliment the style and narrative of the film, praising how it successfully combines horror and comedy. "It's a movie that rescues the tired zombie trope — without insisting on metaphor or satire," Peter Bradshaw wrote for The Guardian.

While "One Cut of the Dead" comes up on Reddit, zombie enthusiasts often turn to the more popular "Train to Busan," especially since it's considered one of the best zombie movies of all time. Both are strong options, but the former takes a found footage approach, infusing it with a bit more humor as the crew tries to make their project — even if you have to wait a bit for everything to come together. "This is a film where the slower, semi-confusing, semi-aggravating start is not only on purpose, but is amplified by the last hour of the film, and it has a purpose," one Reddit user wrote.

"Planet Terror" is all about Texans fighting zombies. These zombies are the result of a biochemical spill caused by the military, and it's turning everyone in the nearby city into zombies. There's no great way to fight them off, but the town doctor William Block (Josh Brolin) is helping people the best he can, since the biochemical agent is acting fast.

The movie is part of the 2007 anthology film "Grindhouse," but it isn't the half people think about when the double feature comes to mind. Quentin Tarantino's portion, "Death Proof," is what has had more staying power, though there is a group of fans that think "Planet Terror" is the superior film. "['Planet Terror'] was a fun, sexy romp. ['Death Proof'] was a boring scream fest," said one Reddit user.

Critics and audiences gave the Robert Rodriguez project nearly identical scores on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 76% and 77%, respectively. While reviews acknowledge that it is more fun to watch as a double feature with "Death Proof," it is an awesome zombie movie on its own. "'Planet Terror' is juiced-up, late-night excess from frame one," Nick de Semlyen wrote in a review for Empire. "Watch with beer in hand and tongue in cheek for optimal effect."

What happens when a Native American reservation barricades themselves from zombies? That's what "Blood Quantum" is all about. Zombies are people who suddenly contract a disease that makes them crave flesh, and it's mostly impacting white people. Things go awry when they let someone into their reservation who is infected but not displaying any symptoms.

"Blood Quantum" isn't just a zombie movie. There are so many more layers to the story, especially since the Indigenous characters are immune to the disease. Even the film's title itself has meaning; the term "blood quantum" refers to the program developed by the United States government to determine if someone has enough "Native blood" to be considered a member of a tribe. By using the term as the project's title, it's giving a new meaning to it and the characters' immunity to the disease. The layers aren't lost on the project's fans, either. "It's definitely a fresh take on a traditional horror genre. I also like that it has different layers to the conflict not just with the zombie infection," said one Reddit user.

Critics loved "Blood Quantum," giving it a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes; however, the bulk of its audience disagreed, based on the 42% Popcornmeter score. The audience reactions vary, from some not enjoying the performances to others disliking the overt political messaging of the film. Critics, on the other hand, enjoyed the depth of the project. "'Blood Quantum' seamlessly balances two very different things; it's proudly and unambiguously political, while simultaneously being just a banger of genre film," critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas commented.

Most know of the Black Plague, but in "The Cured," there's a zombie plague. There is a cure, but it doesn't work for everyone, which means there are still zombies roaming about. The movie follows Conor (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor) and Senan (Sam Keeley), two individuals who have been cured and are integrating back into their old lives.

While "One Cut of the Dead" leans into comedy, "The Cured" leans into drama, following the aftermath of the plague. People are receiving treatment, and the government is deciding what to do with the zombies that don't respond to the cure. It's a different vibe than the majority of movies in the genre, giving it a refreshing change of pace. "It's a clever concept that's fairly well executed," wrote The Hollywood Reporter's Jordan Mintzer.

"The Cured" has a 70% from critics and a 44% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. The style of the film, leaning more into the politics of a zombie outbreak than the action of it, didn't work for all audiences, but there's a group that appreciates it. "It really makes you feel things," said one Reddit user. "I also appreciated that it's different to most zombie movies and has a different perspective."

"The Girl with All the Gifts" is a British film all about the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse caused by a fungus. Scientists are studying children who could be the key to cure those who are infected — and one of those children, Melanie (Sennia Nanua), manages to get out of the facility. She happens to be a second generation zombie, which means it's less a parasitic relationship with the fungus and more of a symbiotic one.

It's an intriguing premise for the genre, but "Girl with All the Gifts" doesn't come up often when people talk about the best zombie movies. It received a limited release in the United States and only earned $4 million at the global box office. "It really went under the radar," one Reddit user commented.

With an 86% from critics and a 67% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, many reviews for "The Girl with All the Gifts" highlight the wide scope of the story and how topical it feels. Entertainment Weekly's Chris Nashawaty described it as "a film for people who thought they never needed to sit through another zombie flick."