Zombieland Review

Published by Jeff Leins on: October 5th, 2009

In 2004, Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead revived the zombie comedy subgenre as a meta parody of George A. Romero’s classic flesh-eating series.  Just a few year’s removed from the British classic, newcomer Ruben Fleischer’s Zombieland ravages the bloodthirsty landscape once again for an equally fun ride and plenty of brutal carnage.

From the opening riffs of Metallica’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls” to the clamoring undead climax, the movie is all action, comedy, and many times a mixture of both.  The tight script by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick tells a bloody, funny survival story that manages to pack a hilarious punch and even sneak in a sweet romance subplot.

The decaying hordes of former omnivores serve as a backdrop to a quartet of survivors making their way cross country.  It picks up on an awkward, neurotic college student who calls himself Columbus, after the city where he hopes to find his family.  He’s played by a deadpan Jesse Eisenberg, who apparently can’t get enough of ___land movies after a charming, navel-gazing turn in Adventureland.

He survives the zombie plague by diligently following a set of strict rules.  Work on your cardio to outrun a snarling flesh-eater, double tap your attacker to make sure he’s dead (again), and always, always wear your seatbelt.  There are plenty more, each called back for a clever punchline throughout the light-hearted plot.

Columbus links up with a good ole boy named Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) with a knack for dispatching zombies and a hankering for a Twinkie.  The two have a natural chemistry, a rhythm mined for a little rapid fire dialogue amidst all the shotgun blasts and slow motion destruction.

The duo soon come across a pair of con artist sisters, Wichita (the cute Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin).  The estrogen adds some sass to make it more than about undead killing, but there’s still nothing funnier than seeing Little Miss Sunshine picking off zombies one by one.

An unexpected cameo from a comedy kingpin takes the movie on a detour, but a welcome goofy diversion that the target demographic will appreciate.  It sags a bit in the stray from the core, but picks up when the roller coasters are activated for the splatter-filled finale.

Zombieland proves there’s room for more than one wisecracking zombie comedy, and sets the bar for the parallel, competing vampire genre.  Whichever your preference, this entertaining movie is one to sink your teeth into.

4 out of 5.