The 10 Best Zombie Movies from the 2000s, Ranked

When you hear someone say "zombie movies are dead," do them a favor, and sit with them to teach them a lesson. The subgenre, probably horror's most controversial and relevant one, has just gone through some changes. However, at the heart of it, rules still apply. Yes, it has expanded to television with determination, but zombie films are still alive. In fact, even universes like the MCU have featured some of the living dead.

These changes are better analyzed as we take a journey through the landmarks that have defined horror rules and tropes. It was born in the late '60s with George A. Romero's extremely important film, Night of the Living Dead. In the '80s and '90s, it mixed with some other subgenres like comedy, which made it lose some of its gravity and relevance for social commentary. Romero's baby had evolved.

Then, in the 2000s, we saw a great progression. Original takes and stories, great balance with humor, and noteworthy makeup effects. It's easily one of the most important decades for the zombie subgenre, and for that reason, making the following list was extremely pleasant for us. These are the best zombie films of the 2000s.

10 Dead Snow (2009)

Dead Snow

Release Date

January 9, 2009

Director

Tommy Wirkola

Cast

Vegar Hoel, Stig Frode Henriksen, Charlotte Frogner, Lasse Valdal, Evy Kasseth Røsten, Jeppe Laursen

Rating

R

Main Genre

Comedy

A Norway import, Dead Snow enters comedy horror territory with an extremely original premise: during a ski trip in the Norwegian mountains, a group of young people face the improbable: Nazi zombies are actually a thing, and as Tommy Wirkola’s film shows, it makes for a solid story.

Why it Makes the List

Yes, it doesn’t make much sense, and most of it consists on great makeup effects that blend with the outlandish graphic violence of the film. But you can't expect more from a film with undead Nazis hunting innocent victims. It’s entertaining, it never stops, and it doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is essential for a film like this one. Lots of winks to The Evil Dead and other classics of the genre.

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9 Planet Terror (2007)

Planet Terror

Release Date

April 6, 2007

Director

Robert Rodriguez

Cast

Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodriguez, Josh Brolin, Marley Shelton, Jeff Fahey, Michael Biehn

Rating

R

Main Genre

Action

Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror, from his "homage to B-movies" venture alongside Tarantino called Grindhouse, tells the story of a band of survivors trying to fight zombies after a bioweapon is released, and all the living turn into the living dead.

Why it Makes the List

It's got Rodriguez's signature all over it, and features the best ensemble cast on this list. It is actually a very good film within the confines of its specific style. In fact, it's better than Tarantino's Death Proof, because it takes its concept to unimaginable depths of crazy. Insanely violent and gruesome (where else can you actually dripping goo that used to be a penis?). Besides, it deserves to be here only because of Rose McGowan's fantastic incorporation of a machine gun into her leg.

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8 28 Weeks Later (2007)

28 Weeks Later

Release Date

April 26, 2007

Director

Juan Carlos Fresnadillo

Cast

Robert Carlyle, Catherine McCormack, Rose Byrne, Jeremy Renner, Harold Perrineau, Idris Elba

Rating

R

Main Genre

Horror

In Juan Carlos Fresnadillo’s continuation of the zombie epic 28 Days Later, 28 Weeks Later, Europe is still under attack from the living dead. But authorities are slowly trying to regain control. The problem is that a couple of siblings break protocol and unwillingly open a door for the chaos to reign in London again.

Why it Makes the List

There are some sequels on this list, and that’s alright. Contrary to what some people say, they can have the power of surpassing the film that inspired it, and sometimes they follow up on a concept through a clever revision with different characters and style. It’s exactly what happens with Fresnadillo’s film, a riveting experience in horror that again tells the story from the side of survivors, only this time the director raises the stakes by emotionally linking them to a ruthless "zombified" man.

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7 Pontypool (2008)

Maple Pictures

The extremely underrated import from Canada, Pontypool, stars character actor Stephen McHattie, and tells the story of a radio announcer, who after a few distressing calls from the audience, starts noticing a pattern. Something's not quite right. Along with his manager and the assistant, they decide to lock themselves up in the station while something takes place outside. Something about riots, or something about people eating each other.

Why it Makes the List

It's far from your average zombie film. In fact, perhaps we shouldn't even call it that. If it weren't for the dispersed elements that, when connected, make up a great zombie film, it wouldn't make any sense to put it on the list. But all the pieces click, and we're damn proud of bringing Pontypool to light for you to see. The Z word isn't muttered at all, but tension rises the same. When Grant Mazzy, the shock jock radio DJ, understands how the infection propagates, Pontypool turns into a much smarter film than the average horror film.

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6 Zombieland (2009)

Zombieland

Release Date

October 7, 2009

Director

Ruben Fleischer

Cast

Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Amber Heard, Bill Murray

Rating

R

Main Genre

Comedy

Zombieland is more comedy than horror. In a similar vein to Shaun of the Dead, a quite emotional story is framed under a storyline about a catastrophe involving zombies and the further extinction of humans. In Zombieland, four people decide to form a party, and go on a trip across the United States to find a safe haven. The dynamics between the four of them are a delight. Chef's kiss.

Why it Makes the List

Directed by Ruben Fleishcher, the film features numerous and effective winks at pop culture that make it hilarious and original. From a clever intro to the sound of Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls" as zombie rules jump out from the screen, to its industry-famous cameo by a very special Ghostbuster. Chances are, you have already seen Zombieland in the past, but it deserves a rewatch only for its broad catalog of gag jokes. That and Woody Harrelson's exceptional performance.

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5 Rec 2 (2009)

[REC] 2

Release Date

September 15, 2009

Director

Jaume Balagueró, Paco Plaza

Cast

Jonathan Mellor, Manuela Velasco, Óscar Zafra, Ariel Casas, Alejandro Casaseca, Pablo Rosso

Rating

R

Main Genre

Horror

In Rec 2, the events take place immediately after Ángela gets taken in the very last scene of Rec. It tells the story of a group of soldiers who must protect a scientist who knows perhaps too much about the outbreak. Where do they go? Well, inside the department building where the Medeiros girl still lives, of course.

Why it Makes the List

Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza truly understood what they had to do when planning a sequel for Rec. If they had succeeded so much with the first film, why not follow up and enhance the film's experience with a similar film that runs on the same spirit? The film is exactly what you'd expect, and curiously, it never feels like a downgrade from the first film. In fact, it goes great in a double bill because everything clicks as a very long found footage zombie movie, and we don't see anything wrong with that. It's hard to argue against the film being one of the best horror sequels ever made, as in some ways it may be superior to the first film. But chill, we said, "in some ways."

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4 28 Days Later (2002)

28 Days Later

Release Date

October 31, 2002

Director

Danny Boyle

Cast

Alex Palmer, Bindu De Stoppani, Jukka Hiltunen, David Schneider, Cillian Murphy, Toby Sedgwick

Rating

R

Main Genre

Horror

In Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later, the story is very linear and basic. Written by Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation), it portrays Jim, a young man who wakes up from a coma to find out everyone is gone. The streets are deserted, and signs of violence are plentiful. When he runs into other "survivors", he finds out a virus was released, turning humans into animalistic predators.

Why it Makes the List

Boyle's decision to shoot on digital video is interesting and goes very well with the serious and realistic tone of the film. 28 Days Later is a modern horror classic that every genre fan should see at some point, and contrary to what people think, it isn't the first film with fast zombies. 1986's Return of the Living Dead featured some of those before the 2000s, when they became the rule. However, this was the film that blended the frantic living dead with a cinematography approach that made it claustrophobic and much, much more effective than what we had seen in the past. Other films on the list have the humor element and consequent relief resources. This one is the exact opposite, and this tonal shift adds a much-needed gravity to a genre that people like to look down on.

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3 Dawn of the Dead (2004)

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

Release Date

March 19, 2004

Director

Zack Snyder

Cast

Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Mekhi Phifer, Jake Weber, Ty Burrell, Michael Kelly

Rating

R

Main Genre

Horror

Released during the period when Hollywood was ecstatic about remakes, Dawn of the Dead tells the story of a group of strangers who end up inside a closed shopping mall when, one morning, hell turns loose on their town. As expected, zombies (very fast ones) are not the only threat. The dynamics of the group trying to plan a survival scheme end up rotting the fruit from the inside.

Why it Makes the List

In 2004, Zack Snyder had a huge opportunity to make a Hollywood entrance. He was given the job of reamking a George A. Romero film. Only he didn't. He planned his film shot by shot after reading James Gunn's script. In the end, his debut turned out to be an excellent film. Dawn of the Dead takes Romero's concept and twists it enough to be a remake only in name. Everything else reeks of a talented director controlling a production to the smallest detail and delivering a solid film. The opening scene in this one makes it worthy enough to be on the list. Actually, the ending is pretty darn great as well.

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2 Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Shaun of the Dead

Release Date

April 9, 2004

Director

Edgar Wright

Cast

Simon Pegg, Kate Ashfield, Nick Frost, Lucy Davis, Dylan Moran, Nicola Cunningham

Rating

R

Main Genre

Comedy

Edgar Wright's zombie comedy Shaun of the Dead sees Shaun and his friend Ed trying to make it through an undead-infested London. However, if it were only the two of them, perhaps it would have been easier. Shaun is actually a salesman that most people see as a good-for-nothing dude. Even his girlfriend is estranged, and only Ed remains. And yeah, his mum. Eventually, the whole gang joins the duo and Shaun of the Dead turns into an extremely clever and emotional comedy about survival, overcoming your fears, and finding love in the middle of chaos.

Why it Makes the List

Wright's film is like no other. It's got enough needle drops for a drinking game, and the relationship between Shaun and Ed is fascinating enough to make us feel envy. We all wish we had a friend like that. One that could accompany us on an Electro-listening afternoon, or even in the afterlife to play video games. Wright's horror debut, and the first film of the Cornetto Trilogy, is an impressive piece that will always have its place in "best of" lists because of its intelligent approach to the zombie genre, while not forgetting that comic relief can be great if portrayed well.

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1 Rec (2007)

[REC]

Release Date

November 23, 2007

Director

Jaume Balagueró, Paco Plaza

Cast

Manuela Velasco, Ferran Terraza, Jorge-Yamam Serrano, Pablo Rosso, David Vert, Vicente Gil

Rating

R

Main Genre

Horror

Rec is a meticulously planned horror adventure telling the story of a journalist making her midnight show alongside her cameraman. They're doing an episode about the real action for firefighters in Barcelona after midnight. They get a call, and decide to attend, and Ángela and Pablo go along. They enter an apartment building that soon gets put in quarantine. Why? Apparently, someone inside has contracted a virus that turns people into flesh-eating zombies.

Why it Makes the List

The greatest zombie film of the 2000s comes from Spain, and not only that, it also adds found footage to the equation. Yes, many flesh-eating ghouls show up, but the third act mixes the subgenre with some religious horror elements that will chill you to your bones. Rec has, without a doubt, one of the scariest final shots in horror history. We won't spoil it for you in case you choose to watch it tonight. But just be aware that you may have to sleep with your lights on after. This could also be one of the greatest Spanish horror films ever made.

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