Remains doesn’t waste any time with the setup. A bomb goes off in the distance and the beginning of the end of the world has started. Anyone exposed to the blast turns into a flesh hungry Zombie. This leaves the small group of survivors in Reno Nevada in a struggle for their lives.
As I was watching it I couldn’t help but start to wonder if the writers had seen Train to Busan. And the Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula. Especially after the Zombies go dormant in the dark, and the survivors use a remote controlled car to distract the Zombies.
Then I did some digging. Remains was made in 2011, and predates both of those movies by at least six years. I guess that means that maybe the writers of Train to Busan had watched Remains instead.
You will also recognize several famous actors, which isn’t always the case in some little known Zombie movies. Of course the main character Tom, is played by Grant Bowler, and he’s been in a ton of movies. Ramsay is played by Lance Reddick, better known as Charon, the hotel manager from John Wick. (FYI, don’t be disappointed, he’s only in it for a few minutes.) Rest in peace Lance, you were amazing in everything I ever saw you in.
Spoilers Below
As the movie progresses, the tone changes. The military convoy becomes the “bad guys” instead of the Zombies. This is when things started to remind me of Night of the Comet. Which came out in 1984. The soldiers who show up in Remains don’t last long. After trying to steal food, Tom leads some of the soldiers into an ambush and lets the zombies take care of the rest.
With the hotel compromised, Tom and Tori decide to try and get out of town again. This leads to an amusing, if failed, attempt to use a tiny car to escape the garage.
After retreating to the roof, Tom and Tori watch as the general’s daughter Cindy spins her vehicle out. They of course decide to go help and Tom uses a magic show “Hamster Wheel” prop to save Cindy.
While our three survivors are resting for the night, the new breed of more dangerous Zombies that Cindy warned them about have flooded into town. It’s time to escape or die. With the help of the bomb that Cindy had on her, they hope they might just be able to escape.
Cindy almost bites it because of her long hair, and then Tori’s true nature comes to the forefront as she decides to go it alone after cold clocking Tom and bashing Cindy in the face.
What happens to bad friends? They get their lips bitten off before getting caught in a bomb blast, then swarmed by a horde.
When the second bomb goes off it gives Tom and Cindy just the distraction they need to get in the car and head out.
Somehow Tori is still mostly in once piece. Or at least kind of. Now she is turned into a super badass zombie. You know, just in case someone wants to make a second movie.
Remains Scoring
Remains scored a 71/100 and is Worth Your Time. It is what I would call a Popcorn Movie, its fun to watch, and consistent from start to end. I was really happily surprised with just how well done Remains was. This was a low budget movie. According to the internet, it was only one million bucks to make, which is nothing when it comes to movies. Even in 2011.
| Review | Year | Score | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zombieland | 2010 | 100 | Comedy / Action |
| Train To Busan | 2016 | 100 | Action / Infection |
| 28 Days Later | 2002 | 100 | Action / Infection |
| World War Z | 2013 | 100 | Action / Infection |
| Night Of The Living Dead | 1968 | 100 | Action / Horror / Classics |
| Dawn Of The Dead | 1978 | 100 | Action / Horror / Classics |
| #Alive | 2020 | 100 | Action / Infection |
| Serenity | 2005 | 99 | Action / Sci-Fi |
| Flesh And Blood | 2018 | 99 | Shorts |
| The Girl With All The Gifts | 2016 | 95 | Action / Infection |
| Land Of The Dead | 2005 | 94 | Action / Horror |
| Resident Evil: Apocalypse | 2004 | 93 | Action / Infection |
| Resident Evil | 2002 | 92 | Action / Infection |
| Rampant | 2018 | 91 | Action / Infection / Mid Evil |
| Day of the Dead | 2008 | 90 | Action / Infection |
| Cooties | 2014 | 89 | Comedy / Action |
| Night of the Comet | 1984 | 85 | Comedy / Action |
| The Return of the Living Dead | 1985 | 85 | Comedy / Action |
| Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula | 2020 | 84 | Action / Infection |
| Zombieland: Double Tap | 2019 | 83 | Comedy / Action |
| Fido | 2006 | 82 | Comedy / Action |
| Shaun Of The Dead | 2004 | 81 | Comedy / Action |
| 28 Weeks Later | 2007 | 80 | Action / Infection |
| I Am Legend (2007) | 2007 | 80 | Action / Infection |
| The Evil Dead | 1981 | 80 | Classic / Action |
| Zombie | 1979 | 80 | Action / Horror |
| Overlord | 2018 | 79 | Action / Horror |
| It Stains The Sands Red | 2016 | 79 | Action / Infection |
| Infection | 2019 | 79 | Action / Infection |
| Plan Z | 2016 | 78 | Action / Infection |
| A Little Bit Zombie | 2012 | 78 | Comedy / Action |
| Dead Rising: Endgame | 2016 | 77 | Action / Infection |
| Day of the Dead | 1985 | 77 | Action / Horror / Classics |
| Wyrmwood: Apocalypse | 2021 | 77 | Action / Infection |
| The Dead | 2010 | 76 | Action / Infection |
| Freaks of Nature | 2015 | 76 | Comedy / Action |
| Here Alone | 2016 | 75 | Suspense / Infection |
| Cockneys Vs. Zombies | 2012 | 75 | Comedy / Action |
| Shed of the Dead | 2019 | 74 | Comedy / Action |
| The Battery | 2012 | 74 | Drama / Infection |
| State of Emergency | 2011 | 73 | Action / Infection |
| Survival Of The Dead | 2009 | 73 | Action / Horror |
| Alone | 2020 | 73 | Action / Infection |
| The Rezort | 2015 | 72 | Action / Infection |
| Dance of the Dead | 2008 | 72 | Comedy / Action |
| Dawning of the Dead | 2017 | 72 | Action / Infection |
| Remains | 2011 | 72 | Action / Infection |
| Daylight's End | 2016 | 71 | Action / Infection |
| Witness Infection | 2021 | 71 | Comedy / Action |
| The Army of the Dead | 2021 | 71 | Action / Infection |
| The Dead 2: India | 2015 | 70 | Action / Infection |
| Zombie Hunter | 2013 | 70 | Action / Infection |
| Dead Rising: Watchtower | 2015 | 70 | Action / Infection |
| Zombie Night | 2013 | 70 | Action / Infection |
| For A Few Zombies More | 2015 | 70 | Action / Infection |
| Night of the Living Deb | 2015 | 70 | Comedy / Romance |
| Resident Evil: Afterlife | 2010 | 70 | Action / Infection |
| Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse | 2015 | 70 | Comedy / Action |
| Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead | 2014 | 70 | Action / Infection |
| The Valley Of The Dead | 2021 | 70 | Horror / Infection |
| Bird Box | 2018 | 69 | Action / Horror / Possession |
| Exit Humanity | 2011 | 69 | Action / Infection |
| Among The Living | 2022 | 69 | Suspense / Horror |
| Ravenous | 2017 | 68 | Action / Infection |
| Blood Quantum | 2019 | 68 | Action / Infection |
| Republic Z | 2018 | 68 | Action / Comedy |
| The Night Eats The World | 2018 | 67 | Suspense / Infection |
| Forget Everything And Run (F.E.A.R.) | 2021 | 67 | Suspense / Horror |
| Quarantine | 2008 | 67 | Infection / Horror |
| Trench 11 | 2017 | 66 | Action / Horror |
| Cargo | 2017 | 66 | Suspense / Infection |
| How To Kill A Zombie | 2014 | 66 | Action / Comedy |
| Ultimate Zombie Feast | 2020 | 66 | Shorts/ Action |
| Zoombies | 2016 | 65 | Awesomely Bad |
| Zombie Town | 2007 | 65 | Action / Horror |
| Dead County | 2021 | 65 | Drama / Horror |
| Zombie Apocalypse | 2011 | 64 | Action / Infection |
| Quarantine 2 | 2011 | 64 | Action / Infection |
| The End? | 2017 | 64 | Horror / Infection |
| Red Spring | 2017 | 63 | Action / Infection |
| Resident Evil: Extinction | 2007 | 62 | Action / Infection |
| Virus:32 | 2022 | 62 | Horror / Infection |
| Resident Evil Retribution | 2012 | 61 | Action / Infection |
| Resident Evil: The Final Chapter | 2016 | 60 | Action / Infection |
| Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead | 2023 | 60 | Comedy / Action |
| Life After Beth | 2014 | 59 | Comedy / Action |
| Diary Of The Dead | 2007 | 58 | Action / Horror |
| Revelation Trail | 2013 | 57 | Action / Horror |
| My Mates vs. The Zombie Apocalypse | 2015 | 56 | Comedy / Action |
| Eat Brains Love | 2019 | 56 | Comedy / Horror |
| Anna And The Apocalypse | 2017 | 55 | Musical / Infection |
| Deadsight | 2018 | 55 | Suspense / Infection |
| Bong of the Living Dead | 2017 | 54 | Action / Infection |
| Amigo Undead | 2015 | 54 | Comedy / Horror |
| The Dead Undead | 2010 | 53 | Action / Infection |
| Black Friday | 2021 | 53 | Action / Horror |
| Deadheads | 2011 | 52 | Comedy / Romance |
| Redcon-1 | 2018 | 52 | Action / Horror |
| Day of the Dead: Bloodline | 2018 | 51 | Action / Infection |
| Dead Don't Die in Dallas | 2019 | 51 | Action / Infection / LGBTQ |
| Disaster L.A. | 2014 | 50 | Action |
| Road Wars | 2015 | 50 | Action / Infection |
| Within the Woods of Undead County | 2016 | 49 | Action / Infection |
| Zombie Strippers! | 2008 | 49 | Horror / Comedy |
| I Am Alone | 2015 | 48 | Action / Infection |
| Rise of The Zombies | 2012 | 48 | Action / Infection |
| Day Zero | 2023 | 48 | Horror / Infection |
| Valentine DayZ | 2018 | 47 | Action / Infection / Awesomely Bad |
| Savageland | 2015 | 46 | Horror / Drama |
| Lethal Virus | 2021 | 46 | Action / Horror |
| Infected | 2019 | 45 | Shorts |
| Zombie Warz: Falls The Shadow | 2011 | 45 | Action / Horror |
| Block Z | 2020 | 44 | Action / Infection |
| Bridge of the Doomed | 2022 | 44 | Horror / Infection |
| The Dead Don't Die | 2019 | 43 | Spoof / Drama |
| Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City | 2021 | 43 | Action / Horror |
| Strain 100 | 2020 | 42 | Action / Infection |
| The Plague | 2006 | 42 | Action / Horror |
| When the Fever Breaks | 2019 | 41 | Suspense / Infection |
| Before Dawn | 2013 | 41 | Drama / Action |
| Infected | 2021 | 41 | Action / Horror |
| Hostile | 2017 | 40 | Action / Infection |
| Zombie Undead | 2010 | 40 | Action / Infection |
| Dead Before Down | 2012 | 39 | Horror / Supernatural |
| Gangs Of The Dead | 2006 | 38 | Action / Infection |
| Zombies | 2017 | 37 | Action / Infection |
| American Zombieland | 2020 | 36 | Comedy / Infection |
| Another World | 2014 | 35 | Action / Infection |
| Deadlocked | 2020 | 35 | Action / Infection |
| Dead Trigger | 2017 | 35 | Action / Infection |
| Zombie Diaries 2 | 2011 | 35 | Action / Infection |
| Cannon Fodder / Battle Of The Undead | 2013 | 35 | Action / Horror |
| KL24: Zombies | 2017 | 34 | Action / Infection |
| Evilution | 2009 | 34 | Action / Horror |
| Antisocial 2 | 2015 | 33 | Action / Infection |
| Re-Elected | 2020 | 33 | Comedy / Suspense |
| Antisocial | 2013 | 32 | Action / Infection |
| Aquarium of the Dead | 2021 | 32 | Comedy / Horror |
| Dead 7 | 2016 | 31 | Action / Infection |
| By Day's End | 2020 | 31 | Suspense / Infection |
| Pandemic | 2016 | 30 | Action / Infection |
| Attack of the Southern Fried Zombies | 2017 | 29 | Comedy / Action |
| Zombie Hood | 2013 | 28 | Action / Infection |
| The Dustwalker | 2019 | 27 | Action / Parasite |
| Day of the Dead 2: Contagium | 2005 | 26 | Action / Infection |
| Anger Of The Dead | 2015 | 25 | Action / Infection |
| Solar Impact | 2019 | 25 | Action / Horror |
| The Last Hope | 2017 | 24 | Action / Infection |
| The Day of the Living Dead | 2014 | 23 | Drama / Detective |
| Zombie Road | 2018 | 22 | Shorts |
| Zombie Wars | 2007 | 21 | Action / Infection |
| Last Rites Of The Dead | 2019 | 20 | Drama / Thriller |
| Army of Thieves | 2021 | 20 | Heist / Horror |
| The Mad | 2007 | 19 | Comedy / Infection |
| The Living Dead | 2020 | 18 | Horror / Drama |
| Zone of the Dead | 2009 | 17 | Action / Infection |
| Killer Weekend | 2018 | 16 | Comedy / Not Zombies |
| G Zombie | 2021 | 15 | Drama / Infection |
| Quarantine L.A. | 2013 | 14 | Action / Infection |
| Driven | 2020 | 13 | Drama / Suspense |
| The Hive | 2014 | 12 | Demonic Possession / Horror |
| The Horde | 2016 | 11 | Action / Gore |
| The Last Starship | 2017 | 10 | Action / Infection |
| Rebirth | 2020 | 10 | Action / Horror |
| Rise of the Zombie | 2013 | 9 | Drama / Action |
| Rising Undead / Rise of the Undead | 2005 | 9 | Action / Horror |
| Flu | 2013 | 8 | Infection / Not Zombies |
| Plague | 2014 | 8 | Suspense / Drama |
| Red Days | 2016 | 7 | Action / Infection |
| The Returned | 2013 | 6 | Drama / Romance |
| Apocalypse Nerds | 2012 | 5 | Comedy / Action |
| Zombie with a Shotgun | 2019 | 4 | Infection / Drama |
| Soon Enough | 2018 | 3 | Action / Drama |
| Range 15 | 2016 | 2 | Comedy / Action |
| Army of the Dead | 2008 | 2 | Action / Horror |
| Eyes Of The Dead | 2015 | 1 | Action / Infection |
| Pandemic | 2009 | 1 | Drama / Action |
| Nazi Undead | 2018 | 1 | Paranormal / Horror |
| Dead End | 2003 | 0 | Horror / Thriller |
| Broadcast Dead | 2018 | 0 | Horror / Thriller |
| Afflicted | 2013 | 0 | Drama / Infection |
| Carriers | 2009 | 0 | Drama / Not Zombies |
| Curse of the Blind Dead | 2020 | 0 | Horror / Not Zombies |
| All My Friends Are Dead | 2021 | 0 | Horror / Not Zombies |
