5 Great Zombie Movie Endings (& 5 That Were Disappointing)

Zombie movies have a tricky problem. They always start with the end of the world (or at least the end of a specific area), and as such, there isn’t really anywhere else to go. Writers can’t just magically solve the zombie problem – that would be cheap. So zombie movies seemingly have one of two options – kill all the characters or have them walk into some “unknown future” in which the zombie plague is still a threat.

Of course, there are different ways to do this, some of which are more interesting than others. These are five great zombie movie endings, and five that were disappointing.

10 GREAT: Night Of The Living Dead (1968)

Not only is the original Night of the Living Dead arguably the most important zombie film ever made, but it has what very well may be the greatest ending in zombie movie history.

After a horrifying night in which everybody dies, Ben awakens in the cellar and investigates the noises outside – only to be mistaken for a zombie and shot in the head by the local posse. This ending is a poignant the mixture of social commentary and grotesque pessimism that makes this downer ending such an indisputable classic.

9 DISAPPOINTING: Day Of The Dead (1985)

Romero fans agree that Day of the Dead is a great (and vastly underrated) zombie film, but it has a very rushed and weird ending that comes across as unintentionally confusing. After escaping the facility, Sarah is ambushed by a zombie waiting inside the helicopter. The film abruptly cuts to her waking up on some idyllic beach as John and Bill are fishing.

Even though it’s not the intention, this plays much like a dream (or a dying dream, at that), and the jarring ending may prove weirdly anticlimactic for some. It doesn’t help that the movie opens with a similar dream sequence that’s just as jarring and confusing.

8 GREAT: Resident Evil (2002)

The ending to Resident Evil is certainly a little cliché, but that doesn’t make it any less impactful. The movie goes in a very Walking Dead and 28 Days Later approach, as Alice wakes up alone in an abandoned hospital. She then ventures outside to see that all Hell has broken loose as the zombies and creatures have descended upon Raccoon City. She pumps a shotgun ready to do battle.

It’s great stuff, and the visual of the abandoned Raccoon City certainly leaves a lasting impression.

7 DISAPPOINTING: I Am Legend (2007)

Starring Will Smith, I Am Legend is a fantastic case for Director’s Cuts. The director’s cut ending is far more in keeping with the novel’s, as Neville realizes that he has become the boogeyman (i.e. the legend) to the now-dominant zombie-like humans. He abandons his borderline inhuman research, owing to this newfound knowledge and purpose.

The theatrical version, though, goes in a far more derivative direction, as Neville finds the cure and becomes a “legend” to humanity by sacrificing himself to protect a mother and son. It’s very boring, and it’s very cliché.

6 GREAT: Dawn Of The Dead (2004)

The original Dawn of the Dead ends in a typical manner, with the heroes riding off into an uncertain future. But the remake presents a real downer that puts the original to shame.

After going through all the work of setting up the trucks, making their way to the marina, and sailing to an island, the heroes make a terrifying discovery – the island is also populated with zombies. They quickly swarm the boat and everyone dies. It’s terrifying, and wonderfully gutsy, stuff.

5 DISAPPOINTING: Land Of The Dead (2005)

In 2005, George A. Romero returned to his iconic Dead series for the first time in twenty years with the then highly anticipated Land of the Dead. The results were certainly mixed, though. Of particular criticism was the ending, in which Riley deduces that the bloodthirsty zombies are “just looking for a place to go.” This, after infiltrating and eating tons of innocent people in the safe zone.

Land of the Dead made the divisive decision to humanize the zombies and make them more intelligent and in effect, sympathetic. Though admittedly gutsy, this is a creative decision that greatly divided the Dead fanbase.

4 GREAT: Shaun Of The Dead (2004)

Even though Shaun of the Dead is primarily a comedy, it still contains a lot of great and scary zombie action. The climax is particularly horrifying, as nearly every named character dies and the pub burns to the ground thanks to Ed’s Molotov cocktails.

Despite all this, the ending is oddly touching, as Shaun and Liz live a cozy life in Shaun’s old house, and he gets to keep playing video games with his good buddy Ed (who isn’t much different as a zombie).

3 DISAPPOINTING: 28 Days Later (2002)

28 Days Later is another movie that makes a fantastic case for the director’s vision. Danny Boyle and Alex Garland originally envisioned the movie ending with Jim dead and both Selena and Hannah walking off into an uncertain future.

However, this was considered too depressing by test audiences, and the ending was changed to a more optimistic (and boring) one in which the zombies die out by starvation and the group is rescued. 28 Days Later also faces the same problem that Day of the Dead does, since this ending comes immediately after Jim is shot, so it seems more like a dying dream than reality.

2 GREAT: 28 Weeks Later (2007)

28 Weeks Later has a lot of problems, but the ending isn’t one of them. By the end, London has been ravaged by the zombies and the resulting firebombings, and the virus has spread to Paris.

The final shot of the Eiffel Tower is iconic, and it spells doom for the rest of continental Europe and by extension, the world. It’s also very tragic that the mainland outbreak came from a child who just wanted to be flown to safety.

1 DISAPPOINTING: World War Z (2013)

Let’s cut to the chase: World War Z was all sorts of disappointing. That includes the ending. Here, humanity finds a “cure” for the zombie plague, and it finally allows them to fight back. It’s a clear set up for a sequel, and set ups are rarely satisfying from a purely narrative point of view – especially if the sequel never gets made!

World War Z was planned as a trilogy, but these plans were dropped after China announced that it would no longer be showing movies featuring ghosts or zombies. Since then, the second World War Z has been kicked in and out of development hell, seemingly with no hope of escaping this limbo.

About The Author

Nathan Sharp
(852 Articles Published)

Nathan Sharp is a writer from outside Toronto, Ontario. He has a love of movies and television, having enjoyed them for more than twenty years. His preferences include drama, action, and horror, with the former being a particular point of interest and fascination.

He also has a love of video games, particularly those of Rockstar.

Whether it be about film, television, or video games, Nathan loves a good discussion and has written hundreds of articles for Screen Rant.

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