ZOMBIELAND puts the ‘awesome’ in ‘Freakin’ Awesome!’ And I thought there wouldn’t be another equally fun and exciting horror comedy since Shaun Of The Dead. ZOMBIELAND will have you… laughin’, cheerin’ and wanting to kick some undead’s ass. It’s one of the most self-gratifying movie watching experiences ever. The thing about ZOMBIELAND is that you’re just gonna have to trust Harrelson do the driving because the rest.. is one wild ride after another, I guaran-damn-tee it. So nut-up or shut up.
Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) has made a habit of running from what scares him. Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) doesn’t have fears. If he did, he’d kick their ever-living ass. In a world overrun by zombies, these two are perfectly evolved survivors. But now, they’re about to stare down the most terrifying prospect of all: each other.
I’ve always been a follower of George Romero’s walking zombies and I’ve tried to resist liking the sprinting ones ala 28 Days Later and Zack Snyder’s Dawn Of The Dead but what’s fun about watching the undead sprint in ZOMBIELAND is that that aspect adds into the already hilarious storyline that includes the many silly yet effective survival rules of Columbus (Eisenberg). Screenwriting Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick have created one helluva joyride that doesn’t have a single dull moment whatsoever. It’s like a little road trip movie but with badass violence, funny humor, and the perfect guest cameo. Even when there’s one brief supposed heartfelt flashback, Reese and Wernick quickly divert it back to the comedy because they have no intention of disappointing their target audience who I’m betting will be coming back for more, to watch ZOMBIELAND again and again. At one point, the finale makes you think that there might be some martyrs but I’m glad it still ends on a high note and a twinkie. I wouldn’t mind a sequel at all.
With just 4 unique lead characters vs. a world full of zombies, what you get is a high octane entertainment with lots of blood dripping from between its teeth.
Director Ruben Fleischer may not have made many feature films in his career but ZOMBIELAND is evidence that the man knows what today’s generation would consider cool. Killing zombies using machine guns while driving a nice cadillac or pimping it up so that it would become a zombie killing machine or simply trashing an old store just for the fun of it, living in a big empty mansion, all that and more are the kind of things that just scream out cool. The set pieces and the cinematography make you feel like you’re in a vibrant Rock music video and you can’t ask for a more thrilling finale, that theme park scenario is a blaze of glory, literally. With every shot of Tallahassee (Harrelson) reloading his ammo in style, you’re gonna wanna idolize the man.
I don’t think there’s any more you can do to make Woody Harrelson anymore badass than he already is. The man is a living breathing walking charisma. As Tallahassee, Harrelson is like a nicer version of his character Natural Born Killer. Deadly with weapon and yet capable of compassion when he needs to be. At first he comes across as one of those tough guys, lone rangers who doesn’t want company but he probably decides to take on Columbus because he could use a muse or he finds a sense of pride in bragging and teaching him about his zombie-killing business. What’s even more awesome is that Tallahassee is a fan, just like you and I are fans, he gets excited when meeting his favorite star, dressing up and playing Ghosbusters, he’s a character we can relate to.
Jesse Eisenberg is like Michael Cera with more curly hair, he’s good at talking awkwardly fast and nervous, he’s no different from his role in Adventureland which of course makes him perfect to play Columbus who’s survived this long by following his own rules. The movie has its own comical ways of inserting those rules and reminding us of when and where they can apply. Hottie Emma Stone and child wonder Abigail Breslin as the con-sisters are just as interesting to watch.
Point is, don’t let yourself drown in boredom, go watch ZOMBIELAND and in the words of Tallahassee… “It blows… my mind!”
* Place the cursor on the image below to check my grade for this film
