“Train to Busan presents Peninsula” is not as awesome as the original “Train to Busan” film, but as an action-driven sequel, “Peninsula” is no doubt a pulse-pounding action film worth watching! Highly recommended!
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TITLE: Train to Busan Presents Peninsula
FILM RELEASE DATE: 2020
DURATION: 116 Minutes
DVD INFORMATION: Color, 16:9 widescreen, Korean 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, Subtitles: English
COMPANY: Well Go USA Entertainment
RELEASED: November 24, 2020
Directed by Yeon Sang-ho
Written by Park Joo-Suk, Yeon Sang-ho
Produced by Lee Dong-ha
Music by Mowg
Cinematographer by Lee Hyung-deok
Edited by Yang Jin-mo
Production Design by James Cheung
Starring:
Gang Dong-won as Jung-seok
Lee Jung-hyun as Min-jung
Lee Re as Jooni
Kwon Hae-hyo as Elder Kim
Kim Min-jae as Sergeant Hwang
Koo Kyo-hwan as Captain Seo
Kim Do-yoon as Chul-min
Lee Ye-won as Yu-jin
Four years after South Korea s total decimation in TRAIN TO BUSAN, the zombie thriller that captivated audiences worldwide, acclaimed director Yeon Sang-ho brings us PENINSULA, the next nail-biting chapter in his post-apocalyptic world. Jung-seok, a soldier who previously escaped the diseased wasteland, relives the horror when assigned to a covert operation with two simple objectives: retrieve and survive. When his team unexpectedly stumbles upon survivors, their lives will depend on whether the best or worst of human nature prevails in the direst of circumstances.
I have raved about filmmaker’s Yeon Sang-ho 2016 film “Train to Busan”. And the fact that the filmmaker returned with a stand-alone sequel titled “Peninsula” was no doubt exciting.
But having created a zombie horror film that was well-received, can a sequel be created, that would top the original or perhaps go in a different direction with the film in order not to upset fans of the original film?
I think for the most part, fans of “Train to Busan” never expected “Peninsula” to surpass the quality, storytelling and acting of the original, but because “Peninsula” was to be shown at the 2020 Cannes Film Festival and was canceled due to the novel coronavirus, the film would eventually get released in July 2020 and grossed $38 million worldwide, which is very good and studio made more than the film’s budget which was $16 million.
And now the film makes its way to home video ala Blu-ray courtesy of Well Go USA.
While “Train to Busan” was a zombie horror film with action but a lot of emotional drama, “Peninsula” is more of a zombie horror film that is pure-action. Two different types of films but are connected together to show that the zombie infection of Korea has gotten worse. And those who fled from Korea to other countries are looked at as refugees that no one wants to be around.
The film begins with Jung-seok (portrayed by Gang Dong-won), a South Korean military sergeant who has taken his sister, brother-in-law Chul-min (portrayed by Kim Do-yoon) and nephew on a boat to escape from Korea and go to Japan to avoid being infected and to escape. While on his way, a family begs for him to rescue them or at least rescue their daughters which Jung-seok leaves the family, as his own family is his primary concern.
While on the ship, Jung-seok hears that orders to go to Japan has been changed and everyone is being diverted to Hong Kong. Not knowing why this is happening, Jung-seok goes to find out why. While not knowing that in the same room with his family, is a man that has been infected and turns into a zombie.
As Jung-seok hears people screaming, he worries for his family and finds many infected, while his sister is holding his nephew who was also infected. He asks her to leave with him and leave the nephew behind but she can’t. All the infected then turn into zombies and Jung-seok has to escape, knowing he can’t fight all of them off and as he shoots his way out, his brother-in-law arrives back and sees the chaos and both watch in horror as his sister and Chul-min’s wife is being eaten by the zombies.
Fastforward four years later in Hong Kong, Jung-seok has not gotten over the guilt of seeing his sister and nephew dead. He and Chul-min are recruited along with two others by Chinese mobsters for a mission. There is a food truck in a quarantined peninsula in Korea, inside it are $20 million (US), if he is able to get the money, they get half. And they are told not to worry as zombies can’t see in the night.
As the four arrive in the peninsula, while they are able to find the truck with the money, what they didn’t expect is to be ambushed by a rogue militia known as Unit 631. And as the four are separated during the chaos, Jung-seok is rescued by two sisters, Joon and her young sister Yu-jin, not knowing if his brother-in-law or the other two are alive.
Who were the people that ambushed them? Who are these two sisters? And separated from each other, can Jung-seok and Chul-min find a way to survive? And if so, can’t they leave the Peninsula?
After watching “Train to Busan presents Peninsula”, my feelings of this film is that while its connection to “Train to Busan” is merely a zombie infection that originated in Korea, if you come into watching this film knowing they are two different types of films yet focus on survival. There is an emotional drama connection that is not as gratifying as how things were in “Train to Busan” but manages to carry over in “Peninsula” which involves the two young sisters and their mother and grandfather.
While “Peninsula” will make people feel that it’s seems like story elements were taken from a combination of “Walking Dead” and “Mad Max”, with humanity in the Peninsula gone straight down the gutter, the film is simply entertaining as the action is no doubt pulse-pounding, in your face action as you get to see both Jung-seok and Chul-min in two very different situations.
And I’ll leave it at that.
Both films are exhilarating in their own right, but as “Train to Busan” focused on a father and young daughter trying to survive against all odds, “Peninsula” shows us how humanity in that area, has went to a society of scoundrels. Innocent people caught are thrown into an arena to fend for themselves and survive against zombies, while Jung-seok knows he must go back and get the money (which is one of the requirements for him and others to leave) and also access a satellite radio, so he can get the heck out of the Peninsula which has thousands of zombies chasing after anyone living.
“Peninsula” looks great in HD and its action-packed soundtrack manages to utilize the sub-woofers and surround channels effectively.
Special features includes the Making Of, Interviews and Trailers.
Overall, “Train to Busan presents Peninsula” is not as awesome as the original “Train to Busan” film, but as an action-driven sequel, “Peninsula” is no doubt a pulse-pounding action film worth watching! Highly recommended!
PURCHASE THIS BLU-RAY ON AMAZON