Sorry Walking Dead Fans, But Only One Story Has Ever Nailed What The Post-Apocalypse Would Actually Look Like

The Walking Dead may be the most popular zombie series, but one post-apocalyptic movie tells a much more realistic and logical story. Countless TV shows and films have attempted to show what the end of the world would really look like, from the action-packed Mad Max franchise to The Last of Us, which had a disappointing season 2. But a lot of the time, these stories are too flashy and dramatic, and they don't feel grounded in reality.

The Walking Dead universe has continued with more than one spinoff, although some are more gripping than others. After Fear the Walking Dead ended in 2023 after eight seasons, fans were glad to go on another dark, wild journey with Negan Smith (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Maggie Rhee (Lauren Cohan) on Dead City. But if fans want a truly clever and practical depiction of the apocalypse, there's one movie that deserves praise and attention.

Cormac McCarthy's The Road Is The Most Realistic Post-Apocalyptic Story (And Better Than The Walking Dead)

The Road, the 2009 movie based on Cormac McCarthy's novel, is the only post-apocalyptic movie that shares the brutal, terrifying, and bleak reality of the situation. The film follows a man (Viggo Mortensen) and his son (Kodi Smit-McPhee), who aren't given names and who are traveling around trying to survive. The Road's emotional ending is tough to watch, but it shares the main message of the story: that when the world is ending, people need to lean on each other.

Instead of showing different groups fighting, or centering around a cruel villain like Negan Smith (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) on The Walking Dead, The Road shows that everything, from plants to animals to people, have died. The novel and movie also show characters trying to find food and water, worrying about being killed or robbed, trying not to get infected or hurt, and wondering how to stay warm as the weather changes. While Negan is compelling and intriguing, and The Walking Dead has some haunting and moving moments between characters, it doesn't fully show the reality of this brutal situation.'

While a TV show that airs for 11 seasons has to create drama and conflict in order to keep viewers invested, which explains all the plot twists and upsetting deaths on The Walking Dead, The Road is a sparse, simpler story. That's why it works so well. The movie doesn't focus on villains, enemies, or obstacles that sometimes feel corny or random. Stephen King praised the movie, and fans of McCarthy's work appreciate that the author didn't hold back. McCarthy wrote about characters in dire scenarios, and while he sprinkled a bit of hope in there, the overall effect is heartbreaking.

Since fans appreciate the small moments between characters on The Walking Dead, it would have been great if the show had dialed back the violence and focused on the relationships more. However, since The Road doesn't have a huge cast, the movie ends up solving all the problems that the zombie drama has. The man and the boy are starving, scared, and uncomfortable, and the story emphasizes the total lack of resources, help, and support. That's why living in a post-apocalyptic society is really like.

The Walking Dead Was A Success, But Fans Continue To Point Out The Show's Unrealistic Aspects

While fans enjoy the spinoff The Walking Dead: Dead City and still rewatch the AMC series, they also frequently discuss the moments or character decisions that don't make much sense. In a Reddit thread, Redditor @Lulupoolzilla mentioned one confusing part:

The Walking Dead will always be a popular drama that is equally fun and devastating, and fans are still finding Easter eggs and seeing memorable scenes in a new light. But when compared to a movie like The Road that is grounded in reality, it's hard not to find some flaws in all 11 seasons.