Zombies have played wonderful movie villains over the years and, when zombies are walking the earth, you need those who are brave enough to slay them.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
An array of zombie movies have hit the big screen and many of them feature and unforgettable hero that does battle to save themselves and those around them. We take a look at some of the best big screen zombie slayers.
- Elizabeth Bennet - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
We are talking about zombie killers as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies has hit the big screen this week and we get to see Elizabeth Bennet as we have never seen her before... as a kick-ass chick who is ready to take on these undead foes.
We are used to seeing the prim and proper Elizabeth in the Jane Austen classic, but, this time, around, we see her swap her bonnet for a sword and prepares to go to battle - putting many of the men around her to shame.
Lily James takes on the central role as she leads the Bennet sisters Jane Lydia, Mary, and Kitty, played by Bella Heathcote, Ellie Bamber, Millie Brady, and Suki Waterhouse, in the adaptation of the novel of the same name by Seth Grahame-Smith.
While Elizabeth is focused on pushing the zombie invasion back and claims she will not swap her sword for a ring, there is some time for this heroine to enjoy a little romance.
Burr Steers is in the director's chair while Sam Riley, Matt Smith, Charles Dance, Jack Huston, Lena Headey, and Sally Phillips complete a fantastic cast list.
- Shaun - Shaun of the Dead
Hard to believe, but it was 2004 when Shaun of the Dead hit the big screen and it remains one of the best British films of the last decade or so. The movie saw Edgar Wright in the director's chair and Simon Pegg in the central role of Shaun.
To be honest, Shaun is not your usual zombie-slaying hero and hero status is thrust upon this unlikely soul in Shaun of the Dead. Here is a man who is struggling to keep his personal life on track when his world is turned upside down as flesh-eating zombies invade.
Armed with a baseball bat, Shaun soon get the hang of sending the zombies packing as he becomes quite the hero with dozens of kills under his belt - shame he couldn't quite save all of the people that were closest to him.
Shaun of the Dead was a movie that mixed the zombie genre with some great comedy and Wright and Pegg teamed up to pen the screenplay. Kate Ashfield, Nick Frost, Lucy Davis, Dylan Moran, and Bill Nighy were just some of the other names that made up a great British cast list.
The movie went on to be a huge in both the UK and the U.S. and widely regarded as one of the best British movies of all time.
- Tallahassee - Zombieland
Zombieland is another of the more recent zombie films as it hit the big screen back in 2009 and saw Woody Harrelson take on the role of Tallahassee.
Tallahassee is one of the survivors after mad cow disease turned into mad person disease that becomes mad zombie disease and took over the U.S. and travels around with Columbus.
While things may be bad and danger is around every corner, Tallahassee has a way of passing the time... coming up with an array of violent ways to kill zombies... something he seems born to do and keeps him alive.
But Tallahassee is much smarter than he lets on and battles of keep Columbus, Wichita, and Little Rock alive so he can keep this makeshift family together. He has one of the biggest zombie body counts and is proud of his achievements.
Zombieland is one of the best zombie horrors to hit the big screen in recent years and is a movie that really is a whole lot of fun with great performances from Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin.
- Alice - Resident Evil Series
Another kick-ass chick comes in the form of Alice, who has been killing zombies in the Resident Evil movies to keep herself alive.
It was back in 2002 when Milla Jovovich took on this role for the first time and she has reprised this role on four other occasions; the last was Resident Evil: Retribution back in 2012.
From the moment we met her, Alice has been a woman not to mess with but as the franchise has gone on, she has become one of the best big screen heroines in recent years. The weapons have got bigger and the stunts have got bigger as we have gone along, and Jovovich has really shown herself to be a terrific action hero.
Paul W.S. Anderson has written the scripts for all of the movies and directed three films in the series so far; he is set to return for Resident Evil: The Final Chapter next year.
Jovovich will reprise the role of Alice in a film that will see humanity on its last legs as she continues to battle to survive. Ali Larter, Ruby Rose, and Ian Glen are also on the cast list.
- Ash - The Evil Dead Series
When it comes to zombie movies, The Evil Dead series are up there as some of the best. It was back in 1981 when Sam Raimi brought The Evil Dead to the big screen and we saw Bruce Campbell take on the central role of Ash for the first time.
Also written by Raimi, the film follows five friends who travel to a cabin in the woods, where they unwittingly release flesh-possessing demons.
Ash becomes the hero of the film as he battles to save his friends; showing battle and leadership qualities that seem to come to him naturally.
Ash really is one of the best zombie film characters of all time and Campbell went on to reprise the role in The Evil Dead II (1987) and Army of Darkness (1992) - enjoying some iconic horror movies moments over the years.
The Evil Dead is widely regarded as one of the best zombie horrors of all time and inspired a legion of movies in this genre over the years.
Other worthy mentions include Francesco Dellamorte (Cemetery Man), Selena (28 Days Later), and Ben (Night of the Living Dead).
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is out now.
Tagged in Resident Evil