I really enjoyed the 2016 "Train to Busan" (aka "Busanhaeng") and so I was really excited when they announced that they were making a sequel, and I was anxiously awaiting to get to see it.
Now came the time that I got to sit down and watch "Peninsula" (aka "Train to Busan 2"). And I must admit that I am left here with a sensation of 'was that really it?'. This movie was lacking the intensity, excitement and entertainment value that the first movie had. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not saying that "Peninsula" is a bad movie. No. No. It just wasn't as good as the previous movie.
The storyline in the movie was adequate, although it was bordering on being a bit too far stretched and out there. I mean, set four years after the events that took place in "Train to Busan", you'd think that writers Sang-ho Yeon and Ryu Yong-jae would come up with a more plausible storyline than what they. Sure, the movie was watchable, but the storyline was weak. And the movie also suffered from being very generic and predictable.
The characters in the movie were adequate, and they definitely had a good ensemble of casted actors and actresses to perform in the movie. Just a shame that they were sort of held back by a lack of proper storyline and script.
The special effects in the movie were good, but not great. I mean, four years after the epidemic outbreak, and the zombies milling about were still just dirtied up people in tattered and dirty clothes, with bloody mouths? Come on. The movie was lacking gore and mayhem. Where were the zombies with the traumas, the ghastly wounds, the missing limbs? They were simply nowhere to be seen, and that was something that took away a great deal of enjoyment from the movie. It just didn't come off as being what you would expect.
"Peninsula" is a bit too much focused on cars, driving and chases, where it started to feel like writers Sang-ho Yeon and Ryu Yong-jae were trying to mix the "Fast and Furious" movies into the zombie movies. I am sure that someone out there enjoys that. I found it fun at first, but the numerous car scenes quickly wore down and became too much.
I must say that I was disappointed with what this 2020 sequel turns out to be. Sure, if you haven't seen the 2016 "Train to Busan" movie then you'll enjoy "Peninsula" a whole lot more. But if you, like me, have seen that predecessor and were looking forward to the sequel, then chances are that you will be sort of disappointed and disillusioned.
My rating of "Peninsula" is a six out of ten stars. While it is a zombie movie, it just doesn't have that particular outstanding zombie movie atmosphere and feel to it.
Now came the time that I got to sit down and watch "Peninsula" (aka "Train to Busan 2"). And I must admit that I am left here with a sensation of 'was that really it?'. This movie was lacking the intensity, excitement and entertainment value that the first movie had. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not saying that "Peninsula" is a bad movie. No. No. It just wasn't as good as the previous movie.
The storyline in the movie was adequate, although it was bordering on being a bit too far stretched and out there. I mean, set four years after the events that took place in "Train to Busan", you'd think that writers Sang-ho Yeon and Ryu Yong-jae would come up with a more plausible storyline than what they. Sure, the movie was watchable, but the storyline was weak. And the movie also suffered from being very generic and predictable.
The characters in the movie were adequate, and they definitely had a good ensemble of casted actors and actresses to perform in the movie. Just a shame that they were sort of held back by a lack of proper storyline and script.
The special effects in the movie were good, but not great. I mean, four years after the epidemic outbreak, and the zombies milling about were still just dirtied up people in tattered and dirty clothes, with bloody mouths? Come on. The movie was lacking gore and mayhem. Where were the zombies with the traumas, the ghastly wounds, the missing limbs? They were simply nowhere to be seen, and that was something that took away a great deal of enjoyment from the movie. It just didn't come off as being what you would expect.
"Peninsula" is a bit too much focused on cars, driving and chases, where it started to feel like writers Sang-ho Yeon and Ryu Yong-jae were trying to mix the "Fast and Furious" movies into the zombie movies. I am sure that someone out there enjoys that. I found it fun at first, but the numerous car scenes quickly wore down and became too much.
I must say that I was disappointed with what this 2020 sequel turns out to be. Sure, if you haven't seen the 2016 "Train to Busan" movie then you'll enjoy "Peninsula" a whole lot more. But if you, like me, have seen that predecessor and were looking forward to the sequel, then chances are that you will be sort of disappointed and disillusioned.
My rating of "Peninsula" is a six out of ten stars. While it is a zombie movie, it just doesn't have that particular outstanding zombie movie atmosphere and feel to it.