The new zombie action heroes: Eisenberg (left) and Harrelson
Once in a while, there’s a film that reinvents the zombie genre. Zombieland isn’t that film – but that doesn’t mean it didn’t succeed in the whole “running away from mindless flesh hungry monsters” shtick. In fact, it succeeded and then some.
The film decides to bypass all the precursors that lead up to the zombie plight and goes straight to the voiceover of Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), a nerdy World of Warcraft college boy who is trying to make it to Ohio from Texas without getting devoured by the living dead. Along the way, he meets the wisecracking, Twinkie-craving, zombie-killing machine Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson). They get swindled by sisters, Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin); but they tend to stick together because there’s always safety in numbers. They all decide that they should head to Pacific Playland (this is after Columbus realizes there’s probably nothing in Ohio anymore) because it’s an amusement park that has turned into a zombie-free zone.
Hilarity, gruesome zombie killings and puppy love romance between Columbus and Wichita ensue.
The simple monikers that correlate with the character’s city of origin adds a giggle to this Shaun of the Dead-esque zombie comedy (or ‘zomedy,’ if you will). That and the fact that Eisenberg carries a brand of geeky humor that runs in the same vein as Michael Cera, but is more calculated and just as awkward. Harrelson charms with his roughneck swagger and Breslin tries her best to fit into the shoes of a tween Hannah Montana fanatic. As for Stone, well, she is just one of those girls you want to hang out with or bring home to mom. She also looks hot in leather. The team is strong and smart – just like the movie itself.
The movie is as fun as an amusement park ride and filled with lots of LOLs and OMG-worthy zombie massacres. With Columbus’s pop-up video “rules” cleverly interwoven into the scenes, the movie is a comedic survival zombie guide. And when a certain Ghostbuster makes a cameo, the movie just turns into this joyous celebration of the genre.
Zombies will never be out of style -and after Zombieland, they might be more in vogue – that and the hot snakeskin leather jacket Tallahassee dons in the final zombie showdown.
Overall critique: Good cast and lots of fun. Another zombie movie that is worthy enough to add to Hollywood’s ever-growing collection. It might even make you crave a Twinkie afterward. B
- Excited
- Fascinated
- Amused
- Bored
- Sad
- Angry
