11 Best 90s zombie movies

The 1990s were weird, wild, and packed with zombies. From splatter comedies to gothic gorefests, this decade gave us an undead line-up as chaotic as it was creative. Whether you’re into brain-munching madness or romantic necromancy (yes, really), there’s something for every kind of horror fan here. Here’s our definitive list of the best 90s zombie movies…

Dead Alive

• Released: 1992
• Director: Peter Jackson
• IMDb rating: 7.5/ 10
• TOMATOMETER: 89%

Peter Jackson’s Dead Alive (1992) is a gloriously deranged splatterpunk horror-comedy that delivers everything a genre fan could want – and somehow does it all incredibly well. Set in the late 1950s, it follows the timid Lionel Cosgrove, whose budding romance with the spirited Paquita is sabotaged by his domineering mother Vera. After Vera is bitten by a grotesque rat-monkey hybrid at the zoo, she slowly rots into an unstoppable zombie menace, triggering a full-blown undead apocalypse. Packed with Evil Dead-style chaos, a Kung Fu priest, relentless gore, and outrageous set-pieces, Dead Alive masterfully balances brutality with laugh-out-loud slapstick, making it an unforgettable experience. Beyond the insane carnage, Dead Alive explores darker themes of exploitation and emotional manipulation, with Lionel caught between the decaying grip of his mother and the predatory schemes of his sleazy uncle.

Its practical effects are jaw-droppingly good (minor stop-motion quirks aside), and the non-stop pacing leaves no room to breathe — much like a Mike Tyson fight. If you’re into blood-soaked mayhem delivered with a wicked sense of humour, Dead Alive is a cult classic you absolutely cannot miss. If you want to know more about our opinion of this movie, you can read our Dead Alive review. This one also made it onto our best 150 horror films of the 1990s list.

On the flip side, if this has too much gore for your liking, don’t worry — the next film swaps out the buckets of splatter for kick-ass action.

Army of Darkness

• Released: 1992
• Director: Sam Raimi
• IMDb rating: 7.4/ 10
• TOMATOMETER: 68%

Released the same year as Braindead, Army of Darkness (1992) is a completely different – but equally awesome – zombie movie. When Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) gets sent back to 1300 A.D. he must battle an army of the dead (the deadites) and get the Necronomicon if he ever wants to get back home. Armed with a chainsaw hand and his boom stick, Ash faces medieval knights, witches, and his own evil doppelgänger in a hilarious, action-packed quest.

The third Evil Dead movie is pure, unadulterated fun. Sure its a 90s zombie movie but its also an action-comedy. Even as a horror die-hard its impossible not to love the over-the-top-ness, blatant pandering to the male fantasy, and smart-arse comebacks. This movie came 47th in our best 150 horror films of the 1990s list also… groovy!

The next movie in this list will be another makes use dark comedy, so if you like the sound of this one – you’re likely to dig the next.

Cemetery Man

• Released: 1994
• Director: Michele Soavi
• IMDb rating: 7.0/ 10
• TOMATOMETER: 63%

Horror legend Michele Soavi took the zombie genre and twisted it into something unconventional. The result of that is Cemetery Man (1994). In a small, isolated Italian town, Francesco Dellamorte serves as the weary caretaker of a cemetery where the dead mysteriously rise from their graves.

With only his simple-minded assistant Gnaghi for company, Dellamorte spends his days battling the undead, navigating the town’s indifference, and wrestling with his growing sense of alienation. His life begins to spiral further into surrealism and despair when he falls in love, setting off a chain of strange, darkly comic, and increasingly haunting events. This movie also, you guessed it, made it onto our mega-list of 90s horror classics.

Night of the Living Dead

• Released: 1990
• Director: Tom Savini
• IMDb rating: 6.8/ 10
• TOMATOMETER: 68%

This next film isn’t just an official remake of George A. Romero’s iconic Night of the Living Dead — it also marks the directorial debut of legendary special effects artist Tom Savini, and features a standout performance by Tony Todd. Night of the Living Dead (1990) carries some serious horror credentials, so it comes as no surprise this one came 67th in our best 150 horror movies list. If you haven’t seen either the original or the remake, here’s what you need to know.

What begins as a quiet visit to a rural cemetery quickly descends into chaos when Barbara is forced to flee an unseen terror. Seeking refuge in an isolated farmhouse, she joins forces with another survivor, Ben — but safety is fleeting. As more survivors emerge, the tension inside the house becomes as dangerous as the flesh-eating horde gathering outside. With fear, distrust, and desperation setting in, the group must make impossible choices to survive the night — because in a world overrun by the dead, the real danger might just be the living.

Fans of Romero may appreciate the next movie on this list, being a parody of Dawn of the Dead…

Bio-Zombie

• Released: 1998
• Director: Wilson Yip
• IMDb rating: 6.4/ 10
• TOMATOMETER: –%

Spoofing Romero’s Dawn of the Dead (1978) and being similar in some aspects to Dead Alive (1992) – Bio-Zombie (1998) is the Chinese answer to a zombie horror-comedy. Bio-Zombie tells the story of two small-time hustlers, Woody Invincible and Crazy Bee, spend their days selling bootleg goods and getting into trouble.

After a series of reckless choices and unlucky encounters, they find themselves trapped inside the mall with a deadly threat spreading fast. As chaos erupts, alliances shift, survival becomes the only goal, and Woody and his companions must fight their way through a nightmare far worse than anything they could have imagined.

This is a less known gem, and those who like to explore the lesser-trodden path of horror movies can watch the next movie here on this page!

Zombie Genocide

• Released: 1993
• Directors: Darryl Sloan, Andrew Harrison, Khris Carville
• IMDb rating: 6.4/ 10
• TOMATOMETER: –%

Co-director Darryl Sloan has made this ’90s Irish DTV zombie gem freely available on YouTube—so there’s no excuse to miss it. Four friends return to suburbia after camping, only to find the streets deserted. A horrific disaster has occurred in their absence, and now they must fight against the walking dead. But the town itself is a ticking time bomb – ready to detonate. A true indie cult classic!

Wild Zero

• Released: 1999
• Director: Tetsuro Takeuchi
• IMDb rating: 6.3/ 10
• TOMATOMETER: 100%

In this zombie parody, aliens are overtaking the planet, transforming mankind into zombies. After saving his heroes, Guitar Wolf, from their manager, wannabe rocker Ace finds himself caught up in the chaos. He didn’t expect to require Guitar Wolf’s help so soon.

This is yet another zombie flick that earned its place in our best 150 horror movies list. Its ridiculous, but well loved by those who watch it.

Return of the Living Dead III

• Released: 1993
• Director: Brian Yuzna
• IMDb rating: 5.9/ 10
• TOMATOMETER: 55%

This third installment of the Return of the Living Dead franchise tells the story of a teen sneaking into a military base with his girlfriend and witnesses a disturbing experiment involving reanimation gas. After a tragic accident, he makes a desperate decision that unleashes horrifying consequences. As the couple goes on the run, they face threats from both the undead and the living, while the girl’s transformation takes a dark and painful turn.

This flick takes more of a romantic turn than most zombie movies do, but it is not the only romantic 90s zombie movie in this list… read on!

Maniac Cop 2

• Released: 1990
• Director: William Lustig
• IMDb rating: 5.9/ 10
• TOMATOMETER: 62%

This holiday horror is about renegade police officer, Matthew Cordell (Robert Z’Dar), who once roamed the streets of New York City, unleashing his brutal brand of vigilante justice on its citizens. Good cop Jack Forrest (Bruce Campbell) wants to put those horrific events behind him, but the world has other plans for him!

During the Christmas season, the Maniac Cop returns from the dead to seek revenge on Forrest with an all-too-familiar murder spree. Cordell has risen from the dead, eager to wreak his ruthless havoc once more.

The Boneyard

• Released: 1991
• Director: James Cummins
• IMDb rating: 5.6/ 10
• TOMATOMETER: –%

This 90s zombie movie most notably features a demonic poodle which brings to mind the cover of Give Yourself Goosebumps: Please Don’t Feed the Vampire! This DTV cult classic tells the tale of an unsettling investigation of a troubled psychic and her detective partner as they uncover sinister secrets hidden within a mortuary.

What begins as a routine case quickly unravels into a nightmare filled with ancient lore, unsettling rituals, and a dark presence that refuses to stay buried. As strange occurrences mount and the line between the living and the dead begins to blur, the pair must confront a terrifying force that threatens to consume everyone trapped inside.

Switching gears, this next film is more puppy love than demonic doggo!

My Boyfriend’s Back

• Released: 1993
• Director: Bob Balaban
• IMDb rating: 5.5/ 10
• TOMATOMETER: 13%

Perhaps the most wholesome addition to this list is My Boyfriend’s Back, the dark rom-com about a teenage boy rising from the grave to win the heart of a girl at school. Bizarre and tongue-in-cheek, this is probably not what comes to mind when thinking about 90s horror movies.

Despite the low Tomatometer score, there’s an undeniable ’90s nostalgia here, with all the camp you could ask for. It’s the perfect palate-cleanser after our splatter-and-slapstick marathon—proof that you don’t need gallons of blood to deliver undead fun. If you’ve made it this far, you owe it to yourself to finish on a high school dance.

That’s a wrap… now go resurrect your VHS player and hit play!