Every fan of zombie movies has wondered at some point whether they’d be able to survive the zombie apocalypse. Sure, the idea of a human-looking monster who wants to eat your brains is terrifying, but is that the same as being deadly? When it comes to certain movies, absolutely yes, but in a handful of cases, not quite. In fact, a few zombie movies are so survivable, it’s almost like the characters were trying to get killed.
With28 Years Laterkilling it both with critics and at the box office, we decided to rank a wide range of popular zombie movies from most survivable to least, starting with the ones where you’ve got a real shot of making it to the end and ending with the ones where you’re almost guaranteed to be zombie chow.
13Most Survivable: ‘Warm Bodies’ (2013)
Warm Bodies
R (Nicholas Hoult) is a zombie who spends most of his days attempting to eat people and noisily attempting to communicate with his best friend, M (Rob Corddry). One day, he meets Julie (Teresa Palmer), and everything changes. Bizarrely, he doesn’t want to eat her, but rather, protect her from the rest of the undead. However, the other zombies, including a deranged, completely inhuman version called Boneys, have other plans.
A New, Less Scary Take
The zombies inWarm Bodiesare not the type that most viewers would recognize. Yes, they lack a heartbeat and like eating people, but they’re shown to still be somewhat human, even turning completely back to normal by the movie’s end. If you come across a Boney, that might be it for your time in the apocalypse. But if you manage to avoid them, your odds of survival are high, even if you wind up being bitten.
Shaun of the Dead
Shaun (Simon Pegg) is a down-on-his-luck electronics salesman who lives with his best friend, Ed (Nick Frost). When the zombie apocalypse hits, the two come up with a plan to rescue Shaun’s mother, Barbara (Penelope Wilton), and his recent-ex, Liz (Kate Ashfield). However, as Ed’s antics continue to put the group in danger, Shaun must prove he has what it takes to be the hero his friends and family need.
Great Satire, Survivable Story
Shaun of the Deadis a brilliant,hilarious take on zombie movies, but the zombies aren’t especially scary or dangerous, at least compared to others on this list. They also seem to retain some of their humanity and many of their abilities, which suggests that it might be possible to reason with the zombies to prevent them from attacking altogether. Plus, it’s shown that the apocalypse ended as quickly as it started, with civilization essentially returning to normal in just a few months. If you’re able to make it through that first day or so, surviving the rest is easy, especially if you haveEd’s foreshadowing to help guide you.
Night of the Living Dead
When people think of classic zombie movies, most of them think ofNight of the Living Dead.Often considered the forefather of modern zombie cinema,Night of the Living Deadtakes place in a farmhouse where seven people become the target of the undead, here called “ghouls.” AfterNight of the Living Dead,George A. Romero would go on to direct many other zombie filmsthat took place in the same universe, includingDawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead,andSurvival of the Dead.Each of these films would add to and expand upon his zombie lore, in turn influencing many other zombie movies today.
Fear of the Unknown
Night of the Living Deadwas the hardest movie to rank on this list. The zombies are pretty slow but show some unique abilities, such as when Karen stabs her mother. Additionally,Night of the Living Dead’ssequels are much deadlier, which suggests that surviving Romero’s greater world could be quite the task. At the same time,the biggest threat inNight of the Living Deadcomes from other people, alongside the characters' lack of knowledge regarding zombies. So, if we’re primarily focusing on the zombie threat, we think viewers (especially those who have watched other zombie films) would have a pretty easy time surviving.
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10’Little Monsters' (2019)
Little Monsters
After meeting his nephew’s beautiful teacher, Audrey (Lupita Nyong’o), Dave (Alexander England) decides to chaperone the school’s next trip to get to know her. However, the trip quickly turns into a lesson in survival when zombies break out of a nearby U.S. testing facility. Now, Audrey and Dave must find a way to protect the kids, keep them calm, and get back home, all before the military takes drastic measures to contain the contagion.
Accurate Title
The zombies inLittle Monstersultimately only present a little threat. After all, they’re contained to a single area, so unless you were there, they’d pose absolutely no risk. Plus,Audrey and Dave are able to make it through their attacksafely with multiple children in tow. We’re not saying the zombies aren’t dangerous—after all, they do kill other characters—but they’re an entirely different, lower level of danger than others on this list.
9’Cargo' (2018)
The filmCargofollows Andy (Martin Freeman) as he and his wife Kay (Susie Porter) attempt to survive a zombie-infested Australia with their baby daughter, Rosie. Early on, Kay becomes infected, and things only spiral from there when her zombified form bites Andy. Knowing he doesn’t have much time left, Andy has one goal: find someone to keep his daughter safe. But in a world overrun by monsters, trusting other people isn’t easy.
Tragic and Tough To Survive
Cargois certainly one of the more tragic movies on this list, not to mentionone of the most realistic. However, in terms of survivability, there are several factors working in viewers' favor. For one, once infected, a person has 48 hours before they turn, which is ample time to separate them from the group. Additionally, many of the zombies dig and bury their heads instead of attacking people, rendering them fairly safe. In short, there might not be many resources, and the virus is always fatal, but it’s certainly possible to avoid the worst of this apocalypse through teamwork, careful planning, and not entering suspicious, abandoned boats.
8’Anna and the Apocalypse' (2018)
Anna and the Apocalypse
Anna (Ella Hunt) is looking forward to graduating high school and taking a year to travel. But when the zombie apocalypse hits, she and her friends must work together to get to their school and find their loved ones. Along the way, the group battles not just zombies but also teenage drama, all culminating in multiple songs, broken hearts, and of course, a fair share of deaths.
Underrated but Not Unsurvivable
Anna and the Apocalypseisan incredibly underrated zombie movie, treating viewers to a comedic version of the apocalypse that feels like a musical,festive version ofShaun of the Dead. The zombies in this movie pose a much greater threat than earlier entries, even taking down the army before the citizens could be evacuated. At the same time, the teens are able to kill the zombies pretty easily, and there’s a full musical number where an oblivious Anna is surrounded by zombies, yet remains completely unharmed. In short, Anna’s apocalypse won’t be a walk in the park to survive, but if you spend your time dancing instead, you might just make it.
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7’Zombieland' (2009)
Zombieland
Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) and Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) aretwo survivors of the zombie apocalypse. After teaming up with sisters Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), the group attempts to reach Pacific Playland, a place that’s rumored to be zombie-free. But en route to their destination, they’ll have to contend with menacing man-eaters, nightmares from their past, and even Bill Murray, all while trying to follow Columbus’s Rules to stay safe.
The Rules Make the Difference
The zombies inZombielandare fast, strong, and hungry. However, there’s one thing that renders them only semi-threatening, and that’s Columbus’s Rules. Similar tothe Rules in theScreamfranchise, these Rules almost function as a get-out-of-jail-free card, in that if a character abides by them, they tend to be safe. However, it should be noted thatthe zombies inZombieland 2are much deadlier, and if ranked on their own, sans the Rules, they’d likely secure a higher spot on this list.
Seven students arrive in Øksfjord for vacation, only to learn that the region was previously occupied by Nazis who were chased off by the townspeople. Soon after, hundreds of undead Nazi soldiers, led by Standartenführer Herzog (Ørjan Gamst), rise from the snow and attack the vacationers. Unable to call for help, the students are forced to fight for their lives against their horrifying Nazi zombie enemy.
The Biggest Monsters, But Not the Most Powerful
Like with the aforementionedLittle Monsters,the outbreak inDead Snowis fairly contained, making it easy for someone to survive so long as they’re literally anywhere else (or don’t steal the zombies' treasure). At the same time, the zombies here appear much more sinister than those inLittle Monsters,brutally tearing down the characters one by one and carrying out complex strategies in order to do so.
In thefrightening but hilarious sequel, it’s also shown that the zombies can control body parts that are no longer attached to them, even to reanimate other corpses, which makes killing them even harder. Plus, they’re literally Nazis, and there are few monsters throughout history that can compare—though a few on this list are slightly deadlier.
5’Resident Evil' (2002)
Resident Evil
Starring Milla Jovovich as an amnesiac named Alice,Resident Eviltakes place in the Hive, where a mysterious T-virus has been unleashed. Along with an elite team of military operatives, Alice must shut down the Red Queen—a computer that has locked everyone inside—and find a way to escape. But as the Hive becomes overrun by mutated lab animals and zombified members of the Umbrella Corporation, just staying alive becomes a challenge itself.
Bizarre and Frightening Franchise
Resident Evilis only partially based on the game series, but it’s still horrifying in its own right. Each new movie introduces evenscarier zombies and greater threats, such as the Majini zombies and Lickers. However, if we’re just going off of the first movie, there’s already plenty to fear. If the zombies don’t get you, it’s very possible the Red Queen will. And unlike other movies where containment helped keep the outbreak from spreading, here, it serves as a death sentence for those inside while ultimately proving useless for Raccoon City, which was destroyed by the movie’s end.
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4'28 Days Later' (2003)
28 Days Later
When a group of animal rights activists free a group of lab chimps, they accidentally unleash the Rage virus. 28 days later, Jim (Cillian Murphy) awakens from a coma into a world much different than he remembers. Soon after, he joins up with a few other survivors and finds himself at a mansion guarded by soldiers, only to learn that the people there might be ever scarier than the undead.
The Waiting Game
The Rage virus initially appeared to be contained to Britain, but it would later spread throughout Europe. In the most recent sequel,28 Years Later,a more intelligent form of the zombiecomes into being, which of course just makes things harder for survivors. Plus, the infection spreads easily, with a single drop of blood to the eye being enough to turn a person. However, the zombies here are unique in that, after a set amount of time, they die off, which ultimately renders them slightly less of a longterm threat than several others on this list.
