10 Unique Zombie Horror Movies That Do Things Different- Ranked

Welcome to Ranking Horror. Yesterday we took a look at 10 Forgotten About Zombie Horror Movies. Today, we are keeping that theme going as we check out 10 Unique Zombie Horror Movies That Do Things Different.

But what do we mean by different? Well, we simply mean horror movies that don’t follow the typical zombie horror movie formula. After all, it gets old pretty fast, right? Every zombie movie does the same old thing: groups of ambling monsters out for blood and a group of survivors fighting for their lives. It’s all a bit too familiar.

These movies all approach the zombie horror subject in a unique way and are unafraid of taking chances. Whether it is zombie movies with romance elements, zombies as pets, or zombies that have chosen an altogether more passive approach to life, these movies all give us a unique take on a very familiar subject. Without further ado, let’s take a look.

10. Anna and the Apocalypse (2017) – A Very Undead Musical

Why it Ranked: What would happen if you took a very formulaic zombie themed horror comedy and then stuck a bunch of High School Musical-style songs in it? Well, Anna and the Apocalypse would happen, that’s what. Full disclosure: I don’t like this one nearly as much as a lot of people do, hence its place on this list. I am not a big fan of musicals or zombie movies, so this is a very bad combination for me. Especially considering the songs are mostly unremarkable and the dance sequences are lacklustre. Still, it’s a zombie horror musical. How many of those are there? Definitely a unique zombie horror movie that does things different.

Synopsis: A high school student and her friends must fight, sing, and dance their way through a zombie outbreak in their sleepy town during the Christmas season.

Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, AMC+, Shudder

9. Burying The Ex (2014) – Til Death Do Us Part (And Then Some)

Why it Ranked: This one is a little less unique but only for one specific reason: there are three romantic horror movies that all released within the same time period and follow a very similar plot: Life After Beth, Nina Forever, and 2014’s Burying The Ex. They are all pretty decent movies, so pick your poison. Burying The Ex comes by way of legendary horror director Joe Dante and benefits from a Hollywood cast. All three of these similar movies are somewhat metaphorical, telling a story of holding onto the past and the damage it can do to the future. It’s an interesting take on the whole zombie thing with a few laughs along the way.

Synopsis: A man’s life is turned upside down when his controlling, deceased girlfriend returns from the grave to reclaim him just as he starts a new relationship with a fellow horror fan.

Where to Watch: Tubi, Amazon Prime Video, Plex

8. Little Monsters (2019) – Kindergarten Cop with a Body Count

Why it Ranked: A collaboration between Australia, the UK, and the USA, Little Monsters takes us into a school trip setting where a teacher is forced to team up with a kid’s entertainer and a lousy musician. The always excellent Lupita Nyong’o heads up a decent cast in this Zomedy. It mixes the all too familiar zombie thing up by featuring a bunch of kids as the potential victims in waiting. Giving our protagonists, the hapless musician Dave (Alexander England), a children’s entertainer (Josh Gad) and the teacher, plenty of incentive to fight. The horror is slightly hamstrung by the young characters but it is still a movie with plenty to offer.

Synopsis: A school teacher, a failed musician, and a children’s entertainer must protect a class of young children from a sudden zombie outbreak during a field trip to a petting zoo.

Where to Watch: Hulu

7. Freaks of Nature (2015) – The Monster Mash-up

Why it Ranked: Freaks of Nature brings together two of horror’s most beloved icons: zombies and vampires. It feels weirdly apt in the increasingly tense society we live in today, telling a story about the paper thin line between chaos and order. It wanders into teen romance drama territory too much to be thoroughly enjoyable, but it is quite funny and definitely a unique zombie horror movie. I mean, how many times will you see a human, a zombie, and a vampire team up and run naked through the neighbourhood? Not many, I can tell you that. It is a ridiculous, high-energy display of genre blending.

Synopsis: In a town where vampires, humans, and zombies live together in uneasy harmony, an alien invasion forces three teenage outcasts to unite to save their home from total destruction.

Where to Watch: Amazon (Rent/Buy), Apple TV (Rent/Buy)

6. Fido (2006) – Man’s Best Friend (With a Pulse Problem)

Why it Ranked: Seeing Scottish comedian Billy Connolly as a pet zombie was not on my horror bucket list, but when it works you just have to go with it. The messages at the heart of Fido quickly become obvious: this is every bit the commentary on American middle class society. Connolly is just so damn good as the titular Fido and the movie is so witty and sharp that it’s hard not to be entertained. It feels incredibly unique against a backdrop of all too familiar zombie fare, opting for 1950s suburbia satire instead of gritty survival tropes.

Synopsis: In an alternate 1950s where zombies have been tamed and used as domestic servants, a young boy develops a close friendship with his family’s zombie servant, which leads to complications when the control collar fails.

Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, Tubi

5. Cooties (2014) – Don’t Eat the Chicken Nuggets

Why it Ranked: Cooties is a laugh riot and a great example of a movie that does things different. Zombies are almost exclusively grown adults, making the idea behind this film incredibly unique. Instead of adults, we have a bunch of school kids biting ankles and causing havoc. Elijah Wood heads up a great cast in this zombie horror comedy that is laugh out loud funny and seems to go under people’s radars. Don’t expect anyone here to hold back due to the young nature of the monsters: Cooties is ruthlessly violent. It is an awesome option for something very different.

Synopsis: A contaminated batch of chicken nuggets turns a primary school into a bloodbath when the students transform into savage zombies, leaving the misfit faculty to fight for their lives.

Where to Watch: Lionsgate+, Amazon (Rent/Buy)

4. Warm Bodies (2013) – A Zombie with a Heart

Why it Ranked: Can a zombie horror movie actually be a story of love and romance? Well, a few of the movies on this list clearly think it can and Warm Bodies is one of them. Nicholas Hoult is an undead zombie with a heart in this movie that is both funny and quite touching. The zombies look fantastic here and you might be surprised at how enjoyable it is. It is a perfect date night option for zombie lovers. Warm Bodies is a great ZomRomCom that does things different by letting us inside the head of the infected.

Synopsis: After a highly unusual zombie rescues a girl from an attack, the two form an unlikely bond that sets in motion a sequence of events that might just cure the undead plague.

Where to Watch: Hulu, Amazon (Rent/Buy)

3. Hidden (2015) – The Duffer Brothers’ Quiet Gem

Why it Ranked: Hidden is a very refreshing take on the zombie apocalypse genre that definitely goes in a direction you may not expect. It’s tough to talk about it without ruining one of its biggest surprises: suffice to say, it is a very satisfying one that transforms the movie in a way you may not expect. Slow moving and high on drama, you will need to stick with this one through its entire runtime to get to the real meat of the story. Starring the fantastic Alexander Skarsgård, Hidden is tense and atmospheric enough to make the journey a great one.

Synopsis: A family has been living in a bomb shelter for 301 days to avoid a terrifying viral outbreak, but their fragile sanctuary is threatened when they are discovered by the mysterious “Breathers.”

Where to Watch: Amazon (Rent/Buy), Apple TV (Rent/Buy)

2. #Alive (2020) – Survival in the Digital Age

Why it Ranked: South Korea’s #Alive is guilty of being a fairly formulaic zombie movie as far as flesh eating monsters go, but how it approaches the presentation of it is where it feels incredibly unique. This isn’t a simple story of a group of survivors seeking sanctuary: this is one single person, stuck in an apartment, and completely ill equipped to protect himself. It keys into the always online nature of modern life and the isolation of high-rise living. It feels quite unique thanks to the single character focus and isolated setting. Awesome stuff that makes for a very relatable apocalypse.

Synopsis: A young video game streamer is trapped in his fourth-floor apartment as a mysterious virus turns the residents of Seoul into mindless, aggressive killers.

Where to Watch: Netflix

1. Pontypool (2008) – Silence is Golden

Why it Ranked: Pontypool is one of my favourite zombie horror movies of all time. The thing is, however, it does things so differently that it really doesn’t feel like a zombie horror movie at all. It acts like a War of the Worlds radio broadcast for the modern age. Slow paced, the majority of the film consists of viewers phoning into the radio show to relate their experiences. It’s utterly compelling stuff, genuinely funny, and even quite touching in parts. Stephen McHattie is fantastic as the film’s lead and, while it doesn’t quite make the landing, no other zombie horror movie feels quite like Pontypool.

Synopsis: A radio shock jock in a small Canadian town broadcasts live as a deadly virus, transmitted through specific words in the English language, turns the local population into mindless killers.

Where to Watch: AMC+, Shudder, IFC Films Unlimited

Burying the Typical Formula

There we have it: 10 films that prove the zombie genre isn’t just about headshots and barricaded doors. From the linguistic nightmares of Pontypool to the satirical suburbia of Fido, these unique entries show that there are still plenty of ways to make the undead feel fresh again. Hopefully, these have given you a few new ideas for your next horror night.

We are always looking for horror that takes risks, so check back soon for more lists. If you loved these unconventional picks, why not check out some more of our zombie horror rankings? I’ll be back soon with more lists. Stay spooky.

🧟 Quick Picks: Zombie Horror With a Twist

• 🏆 The Intellectual Choice: Pontypool (2008)
• 😱 The Biggest Surprise: Hidden (2015)
• 🎭 The Satirical Gem: Fido (2006)
• 💝 The Romantic Fix: Warm Bodies (2013)
• 🏫 The School Nightmare: Cooties (2014)