How Far Does Your Zombie Knowledge Go?
If you love playing Left 4 Dead, or any other zombie shooter for that matter, odds are that you’ll enjoy these movies. There is no actual Left 4 Dead movie, so you’ll just have to make due with these. Obviously these will all be zombie flicks, so if that peaks your interest then please read on.
10. I am Legend
Definitely one of Will Smith's best movies!
Will Smith’s dramatized adaptation of the short story I am Legend has become a cult classic. It is one of the first movies people think about when they think of zombie flicks. Ironically though, the monsters in I am Legend aren’t technically zombies. They’re supposed to be vampires in the original story, but who cares right?
Will Smith’s character is forced to search for a cure, all alone as the last survivor in New York City. His brilliant acting clearly demonstrates the oppressive power that is loneliness. Think of that next time you leave someone hanging in Left 4 Dead.
A couple of other things that this movie brings to the surface are the ultimate relationship between man and dog and the destructive power of zombie love (watch the alternate ending, it makes sense).
9. Fido
Look at how happy he is! It's almost cute
This is one of the few zombie comedies out there, and it is fantastic! The movie takes place in an alternate world where a massive space cloud has reanimated all dead. After millions lost their lives in the Zombie Wars, one brilliant man finally came up with a solution. It was a collar that you could place on zombies that would quell their desire for human brains, or in other words, domesticate them.
Yup! Fido is the 1950’s happy go lucky spy on your neighbor kind of movie in which people keep zombies as pets and servants. Of course, the collars don’t always work right…
If you learn anything from this movie, it is that zombies have feelings too, bad guys usually get eaten, and death might not be all that terrible!
8. Dead Snow
There are always Nazi zombies. It doesn't matter where you go, they'll still find you
A group of 7 students are camping out in the Norwegian mountains during Easter break. What could possibly go wrong? Turns out that their chosen camping location is the graveyard for a squadron of Nazi’s during World War 2, only these soldiers don’t like to stay dead.
The plot is laughable but the movie is still very entertaining. There is gore aplenty and enough violence to make you feel slightly ashame. It does teach you some important lessons about zombie survival: Power tools make for great impromptu weapons, hiking on Nazi graves in the mountains is a bad idea, and always look where you’re running in the woods. Getting disemboweled by a tree branch is not a fun way to go.
7. The Night of the Living Dead
Old but still really good!
This could be considered the cult classic that started, or at least revolutionized, the entire genre. An annual visit to their father’s grave goes very wrong when the dead start walking again. The undead hunger for brains and they feed off of the living who are desperately trying to survive.
One of the things worth noting in this movie is that cooperation is key to survival. Not everything ends well for the group we get to know due to selfishness and cowardice. Be a team player and help out, it will only make things better. Also, stay away from graveyards, just do it. When was the last time you heard of something good happening at a graveyard?
6. Resident Evil
Waiting for the jump scare
While this movie franchise that is loosely based off of the video game series now has had multiple titles released, it is the first movie that really brought out the true spirit of the zombie. Resident Evil 1 was both action-packed and horrifying. The Umbrella Corporation had released the T virus which had infected the entire facility. You watch as the response team goes in to salvage what is left… It doesn’t end well.
As you learn in the movie, it only takes one lowly zombie to bring you down. In Left 4 Dead it doesn’t matter how many zombies you can mow over with your weapons if you miss the little guy around the corner.
Another thing that Resident Evil did which was great was to bring in new kinds of zombies, and devil dogs as well for that matter. No two zombies are alike, they are all of equal worth!
5. Warm Bodies
Love is in the air I guess
Who doesn’t love a good romance story between a girl and her zombie friend? Of course, tensions arise after she finds out that he ate her dead boyfriend’s brains… I guess that’s a no go in relationships. So there is a lesson for you, cannibalism is never a good way to pick up girls.
Interestingly enough, as the zombies start feeling emotions again, they gradually become human. It is a fun and unique look at the zombie genre and it ought to teach you never to judge a book by its cover… Or a zombie by its dead flaps of skin.
Actually no, never mind. It’s disgusting! I can’t condone making out with someone who ate the brains of your ex while his flesh is rotting. You should watch it anyways though; it is a really funny movie!
4. 28 Days Later
He is walking pretty well for someone that just got out of a coma
This movie franchise is horror incarnate. The thrill of zombie movies was taken to the next level in this film and its sequel. No longer were the zombies slow and lumbering corpses, they were infected humans with severe aggression issues. They would hunt you down at full sprint which made them significantly scarier than before.
In only 28 days the entire country of England has been infected with the rage virus. One comatose patient awakes in the hospital only to find the city, and his country, completely deserted. What a fun little surprise huh? He quickly meets a group of survivors that he bonds with and they head for the border. There is supposedly a cure to be found there… supposedly.
If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, it is important that you always keep your radio on. Most zombie movies contain emergency broadcasts that are very important to hear. Also, since even the smallest drop of blood can get you, it is important that you cover up!
3. Shaun of the Dead
The zombie apocalypse is just an opportunity to become something great
Shaun of the Dead is a great example of how even in times of dire crisis, like in a zombie apocalypse; there are still real life issues to deal with. Shaun was a normal electronics store worker that recently got dumbed by his girlfriend and is constantly berated by his parents. When the dead come back to life, Shaun views it as a way to get a fresh start and prove himself to those around him.
Zombie apocalypses don’t have to be terrible. There is good to be found in almost all things. Be an optimist like Shaun and live your life to the fullest… that way you might stay dead after you die.
2. Zombieland
If there is a Twinkie, they'll find it
If the game was a comedy, then this would be the absolute perfect Left 4 Dead movie. 4 Strangers are brought together in this twisted zombie comedy, and they all have to lean on each other to survive. Their motives are all very different. One simply wants to find his parents, another wants to bring her sister to a safe place, and the last one is on a very serious quest to find the last Twinkie on Earth. They do have an expiration date you know.
In a post-apocalyptic world it is common for people to not trust each other. This move proved that sometimes it is worthwhile to lower your barriers and let people in. Also, another very important thing to remember is that if you ever find yourself in a zombie apocalypse; don’t trick your friend with the shotgun that you are a zombie as a prank. You’ll only end up with a hole in your chest.
1. World War Z
This zombie movie lived up to all the hype
This is one of the newest movies in the genre since its release a couple of years ago, and it was amazing. I went to see it at the theaters and sat on the edge of my seat the entire time. The whole duration of the film is fraught with anticipation, it never lets you relax and take a breath. It is the perfect Left 4 Dead movie!
Brad Pitt did an excellent job in showing how even the most hopeless zombie situation can be turned around with courage and a little bit of the deadliest STD of your choosing (watch the movie, you’ll get it). Two other important lessons from this movie are family first and don’t trip while you’re holding a gun.
What Left 4 Dead movies do you love? Let us know in the comments below.
