Zombieland

There are not a lot of zombie movies like Zombieland. Zombieland doesn’t try to take zombie lore to a new place, instead it uses the new 28 Days Later style zombie plague and fast moving zombies, but what it does do is play up the comedic side of life in the zombie plague and make the focus one that does not concentrate on the horror of the situation.

I loved the four main characters in this film; all were entertaining and well played. However, I am in love with Woody Harrelson’s Tallahassee and Abigail Breslin’s Little Rock. Harrelson was expertly cast as a man-child, complaining, Twinkie-seeking man who finally found his skill in life – zombie killing. Tallahassee is hysterical and surprisingly thought out for a character that should just be quick remarks and brutal attacks. I also think my life may be complete now that I have seen the little girl from Signs as a shotgun wielding tough girl. Breslin is a phenomenal actor, one that I did not realize was already in her teens and I hope that she can transition into an adult star as she goes through these next few years because I think she will be absolutely phenomenal as she gets older and may be another Natalie Portman.

If you haven’t already heard there is a side-splitting cameo in Zombieland. I will not name who it is or who they play in the film but the cameo is one of the funniest scenes in the entire film – and this is a film that had me laughing from the first few frames. You cannot miss this cameo.

The one element that stood out for me in Zombieland as being what I will carry away from the film had to be the rules that Columbus creates for surviving the zombies. We are introduced to rule number one as the film opens – cardio. That’s right, immediately Columbus explains that the fatties died first when the infection hit for obvious reasons – they couldn’t outrun the zombies. Columbus scribbles down all of his rules in a notebook through the film and never shies away from talking about them. The film even pops up the rules as part of the image when it wants to underscore a moment in the film, like when Tallahassee should have followed one of the rules and limbered up before attacking something.

This is a movie that I want to see again. This is a movie that I think I would like even if I didn’t like the zombie sub-genre. If you appreciate well written, well put together comedies I do suggest you see and enjoy Zombieland even if it’s on DVD.

Director: Ruben Fleischer
Writers: Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick
Columbus: Jesse Eisenberg
Tallahassee: Woody Harrelsom
Wichita: Emma Stone
Little Rock: Abigail Breslin

Columbus: Don't be afraid to use your ammunition, that lady should have, would have, could have, saved herself. Rule number 4: Double Tap.