Zombieland (2009)
By: Ruben Fleischer (director), Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick (writers)
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin
The film stars Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin as survivors of a zombie apocalypse. Together they take an extended road trip in an attempt to find a sanctuary free from zombies, following a set of “rules” designed to keep them alive where others have failed, killing zombies in a variety of creative ways while trying to “enjoy the little things” in a ruined world. [Wikipedia]
Zombieland apparently currently holds the title of top-grossing zombie film in history, and it’s really no wonder. Clever presentation and genuinely funny moments keep it buoyant and enjoyable without tipping the film into parody a la Shaun of the Dead. I laughed out loud (By myself, at home) more times during my viewing of this film than I can recall, but it’s not fluff. There’s just enough morality threaded through the story to give it some weight and help it strike the perfect balance between giggles and gore.
The plot is the typical post-apocalyptic road fare, but where our heroes are going really isn’t that important. It’s all about the journey: will Columbus ever kiss Wichita? Will they remember to follow the Rules? Will Tallahassee ever eat another Twinkie? Is that actually Bill Murray? The characters are all entertaining and honestly likeable in their own right, and it’s a good time just watching them interact with each other.
The dialogue is filled with surprise zingers that seem to come out of nowhere, and maybe I should be more grossed out by the undead noshing on each other, but it’s hard to be affected by the gore when you’re laughing. The movie isn’t particularly scary, but I don’t think that’s the point. Overall, Zombieland was a very enjoyable experience, and I would gladly watch it again.
Hey, I just watched this yesterday for the first time as well? It really was everything you said here. I was grateful that none of the characters fulfilled their character tropes in an annoying way (ie, Wichita being Try-Hard Badass, or Columbus being Mr Nice Guy (TM)). They were fantastic and adding zombies into the fray only made it fantastic.
I still didn’t get the clodpole of Wichita and Little Rock amusement park scene; but I suppose even the most savvy, careful people slip up in a moment of nostalgic desperation. OR AM I THINKING ABOUT THIS MOVIE TOO HARD.
LOL, I think you might be thinking about it too hard, although I agree. The one aspect of the film that I was dubious about was the amusement park and the way these two normally savvy ladies handled the situation.