As a horror movie connoisseur and a fan of foreign horror drama series, I am an avid watcher of zombie movies and TV series. I love the diversity between the kinds of horror movies you can find in America, versus the often strange and horrifying ones you can find in other countries, especially Korean zombie flicks! Disclaimer: Spoiler alert! Dead ahead! Also, these are my personal opinions and preferences and don’t reflect anyone else’s. Have fun!
Okay, so the premise of “The Last of Us” and “All of Us Are Dead” is very different, but also kind of the same. While “The Last of Us” deals with the aftermath of the zombie virus rather than the beginning of one, it still explores the same human emotions and types of relationships that can be found in “All of Us Are Dead.” There is something for everyone to love in each show, but which one you like best is really up to you. In my opinion, they are both excellent zombie series that hold their own in the vast realm of the undead. For those of you who need a refresher or have never watched the shows, my advice to you is to keep reading! And then go watch (or re-watch) both of these zombie gems for yourselves! You won’t regret it!
All of Us Are Dead:
I’ll start with “All of Us Are Dead.” The story is about trapped students who must escape their high school, which has become ground zero for a zombie virus outbreak. The origins of the virus are a bit complicated, and I didn’t fully understand the whole gist of it, but the results are the same! Bloodthirsty zombies are on the prowl, trying to find brains (and other body parts) to munch on!
Similar to “The Last of Us,” the main characters of “All of Us Are Dead” are reluctantly allied together in order to survive, facing outrageous odds with very little preparation. In “All of Us Are Dead,” a group of teens, who are struggling with personal relationships, identities, and parental issues, must unite to fight the hordes and escape their high school, hopefully reaching safety. While “The Last Of Us” has Ellie, immune to the zombie bite and the key to humanity fighting back against the cordyceps fungus, “All of Us Are Dead” features a variant zombie where the infected human turns into a half-zombie with violent urges but still retains their mental functions for the most part. It’s a lot of fun to watch! Some of my favorite scenes involve Lee Cheong-san vs Yoon Gwi-nam, fighting among the hordes and struggling to get the upper hand! Very cool!
I loved the crisp colors, the time spent on character introductions, the special effects, and the savagery of the zombies themselves! “All of Us Are Dead” really delivered in the violent zombies vs. helpless turned bad-ass teen category as well. So all in all, a very satisfying watch! Grab the popcorn!
Cons to “All of Us Are Dead” (in my personal opinion) included the weird explanation for the virus. I get it; it’s hard to come up with a reasonable explanation for the undead. But, as I said, the Jonas Virus from “All of Us Are Dead” is kind of confusing. In this horror series, the zombies are living beings infected with the Jonas Virus, created by Dr. Lee Byeong-chan with the intention of removing fear from humanity. It’s cool on a philosophical level, I suppose, but it’s a little hard to grasp for myself and probably a lot of zombie series watchers. I liked the elegance and simplicity that “The Last of Us” had when describing and dealing with the technicalities of the cordyceps fungus (which, while based on a real fungus, was handled very well). Apart from that, though, I don’t have many complaints about “All of Us Are Dead.” Out of 10, I would give it an 8 ½.
Okay, now it’s time for “The Last of Us”!
I am biased; I admit it. After playing through God knows how many hours of Ellie and Joel trekking through post-apocalyptic America and struggling to stay ahead of the zombie hordes, I am naturally inclined to be partial to “The Last of Us.” However, I thought the TV series really did a great job trying to capture the feeling of the game. Unlike “All of Us Are Dead,” “The Last of Us” is an adaptation of a (frickin’ amazing) video game series, and it really does capture the hopeless atmosphere as well as the determination to survive that is evident in the game version. The series (and the game) are about Joel and Ellie, a pair connected through the harshness of the world they live in, who are forced to endure brutal circumstances and ruthless killers on a trek across a post-outbreak America. I loved the characters and the actors who portrayed them (Don’t get me started on Bill and Frank, or I might just cry). The cinematography was beautiful, and the emotions were captivating. I loved the natural-looking light and the earthy tones.
My only critical points for “The Last of Us” are that some episodes (and characters) were more epic/heartbreaking/beautiful than others, almost like the writers were so invested in those individual episodes and/or characters that they couldn’t pull it off anymore for the rest of the series. Also, and this is just a bone to pick I have with nearly every horror movie in existence, they did use some common predictable tropes to make villains seem more villainous, which I found a bit annoying. Out of ten, I would give “The Last of Us” a solid 9.
Like I said, both works are wonderful additions to the zombie genre, and I would really recommend either one for watching because they truly are amazing zombie series. My opinions here are my own, and they may not reflect yours, so why not give them a try and see if you agree with me? Anyway, later undead fans! I’m off to watch some more horror films!
