Netflix’s New Zombie Movie Combines the Undead and ‘The Raid’ in the Best Possible Way

Scene from Netflix's new zombie movie showing intense hallway combat, blending horror and action like 28 Years Later and The Raid

Netflix has dazzled the international streaming audience yet again with its latest original movie — a gory and relentless zombie thriller that’s being described as a mix between 28 Days Later and The Raid. The untitled — though a subcultural nickname has taken off, “Deadfall” — movie throws you headfirst into a high-octane, claustrophobic nightmare where adrenaline and terror intersect in perfect, pulse-pounding harmony.

The comparisons are not just cheap marketing stunts. If 28 Years Later gave us the doom of fast zombies and society’s collapse, and The Raid brought bone-breaking, corridor-to-corridor action, this filthy new Netflix joint manages to split the difference and deliver a tour de force of the two — feeling like a kind of horror-action renaissance.

A Relentless Narrative of Survival

The film focuses on Jae-min, a discharged military soldier who now works as a fire inspector, trapped in a rotting high-rise apartment complex. The building’s inhabitants have been infected with a mysterious viral outbreak that transforms them into bloodthirsty, fast-moving zombies.

As the infected surge rapidly from the basement, Jae-min ascends through the floors in a desperate struggle to reach his daughter, who lives on the top floor.

Ain’t no time for sentimentality here — every scene feels like a desperate race against time, as the infected move with horrifying speed and strength.

But even amid the gore and madness, there are enclaves of humanity, emotion, and resilience.

South Korean actor Park Seo-jun delivers a gut-ripping, riveting performance as Jae-min, wielding a charisma that elevates the film beyond genre conventions. His journey is not only one of survival but of confronting past demons, both literal and metaphorical — floor by floor.

Direction That Can’t Breathe

Directed by the celebrated Kim Sang-hoon (known for The Man From Nowhere), the film doesn’t flirt with danger — it dances with it.

The camera is often handheld and kinetic, mirroring The Raid’s intensity.
Characters are followed through narrow corridors, stairwells, and collapsing rooms at breakneck speed.

Kim employs light and architecture as storytelling tools. One unforgettable stretch sees the power go out, forcing survivors to navigate in near-total darkness as the infected hunt by sound alone.

It’s a masterclass in tension, recalling the best moments of horror cinema while fraying the audience’s nerves.

Practical Effects Over CGI

What truly sets this zombie movie apart is its commitment to practical effects:

No over-reliance on digital blood or CG swarms.
The makeup work is grotesque and realistic, giving the infected a disturbingly lifelike appearance.

Fight Choreography That Stuns

Inspired by martial arts cinema.
Melee fights are raw, brutal, and realistic.
Expect bones cracking, blades clashing, and relentless bloodshed.

One unforgettable set piece involves a homemade spear, a fire hose, and a crumbling stairwell — widely hailed as one of the most inventive zombie action sequences in recent memory.

Not Just Action — But Allegory

Beneath the chaos, the film delivers a sharp layer of social commentary.

The high-rise building — once a gleaming symbol of prosperity — now decays as a metaphor for income inequality and urban neglect. As Jae-min climbs higher:

He encounters selfish landlords, predatory gangs, and citizens hiding in fear.
Each floor reveals a different form of moral collapse and social disintegration.

The movie critiques institutional failures and shows how fragile societal decorum is when faced with existential threat.

In this sense, the film bears the thematic weight of 28 Years Later — reminding viewers that the real monsters are often human.

Critical Reception and Fan Frenzy

Since its worldwide release, the film has landed in Netflix’s Top 10 across more than 40 countries.

Critics’ Praise:

Empire: “A white-knuckle masterpiece of horror-action fusion.”
Variety: “A new benchmark for zombie storytelling.”

Fan Reactions:

Horror enthusiasts are dissecting every frame on Reddit and Twitter.
The film is being compared to Train to Busan, Rec, 28 Years Later, and The Raid.
Memes abound featuring Jae-min, bloodied but unbowed, ascending stairs like a soldier of the apocalypse.

Despite debate among genre purists — are these creatures really “zombies”? (they’re technically infected with a rage-inducing virus) — the fear they invoke is universally agreed upon.

Is This the Future of Genre Films on Streaming?

Netflix has long invested in genre storytelling, particularly international horror and action hybrids. But this new release may be a watershed moment.