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ZombielandGenre: Action/Comedy/Horror
Released: 2009
Rating:
Read this statement and tell me this does not get you excited and make you want to do back flips. Metallica's "For Whom The Bell Tolls" set to slow-motion blood filled zombie deaths. Let it sit for just one more second. Ok, now leave your computer and go watch this movie immediately.
As of today's date, Zombieland is the most fun I have had in theaters in 2009. Let me just go ahead and get all of the adjectives out of the way. This is one of the most bad-ass, scream at the top your lungs, over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek, ultra-violent and exhilarating movies I have seen in a long time. The fact that this movie is coming out via writers and directors who are basically no-names in the business, is just beyond me. This is Ruben Fleischer's major directorial debut and the writers, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, have worked on other films but this is their first major release. If I didn't look that up, I would have guessed this was written by a very big name writer and directed by Edgar Wright. Speaking of Wright, we all know him for his classic zombie-spoof flick Shaun of the Dead. Wright was able to combine a spoof movie with an original and catchy screenplay. It was obvious that he was spoofing old classic zombie flicks but he was able to still tell a great story around it. Now, if I were to compare Zombieland to Shaun of the Dead, I would honestly go with Zombieland. Being a huge fan of Shaun, that pains me to say, considering how similar the films are and the fact that Shaun came first. Well, Reese and Wernick must have learned a lot from that movie because they just came out with a completely new flick which took zombie films to the extreme.
The story is completely unoriginal, telling the tale of the earth being infected by a virus which turns everyone into zombies. As our main character, Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), tells us, we are now in the United States of Zombieland. There are roughly six human beings in the entire film, which leaves plenty of time for awesome slow motion zombie kills! Columbus opens the film with his voice over explaining his rules of survival. These 32 rules consist of staying in shape, always checking the back seats of cars and always make sure you "double-tap" the zombies. If you aren't familiar with the lingo, that means you shoot the zombie once and then again in the head to ensure their second death. These rules pop up all throughout the film, superimposed onto items, which creates a more light hearted and hilarious vibe. Columbus has been a loaner for a while, but once he comes across Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) things begin to look up for him. Tallahassee is a complete bad-ass and loves killing zombies. He states his business is killing zombies and business is good. Brad Pitt's character from Inglourious Basterds immediately came to my mind but I will let that slide since both films opened within a month of each other.
Both Tallahassee and Columbus come across two other survivors, Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Breslin), who happened to be loaners and sisters as well. After some back and forth between the two characters, they start making their way to California to a theme park called Pacific Funland, where apparently there are no zombies. Throughout their trip, they come across many surprises and the end game is not what they had expected.
Zombieland is short, sweet and completely to the point. It knows exactly what it wants to be. Therefore, the film is able to have fun with itself. The over-the-top slow motion effects and the excessive amounts of blood will just bring laughter to you. Even Eisenberg's hilarious voice over will keep you laughing for the entire eighty-three minutes. This movie was made for ADD people because once you sit down for the movie, you feel like you are just getting right back up.
When I say this movie is the most fun you will have at the theaters this summer, I mean just that. Is it better than Inglourious Basterds, District 9 or 500 Days of Summer? No, but that is a quality vs. entertainment question. While those are all better films, Zombieland is a movie you see and it feels like a ride, but for adults.
One of the best parts of the movie is a part that I cannot discuss without giving away a massive spoiler. There is a huge cameo appearance that everyone in the world will laugh at. I will just say that next to Neil Patrick Harris showing up in Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle, this is easily my favorite cameo. The events that take place during this cameo are so priceless and classic that your mind will just be completely blown.
Regardless of your taste in films, you are bound to have a great time, hence the 4.5 BDK rating. The film is funny, smart and even frightening at times. Harrelson was born to play this part and he plays it perfectly.