Run for your life, zombies are attacking
Zombieland provides laughs upon guts upon even more laughs
Thomas Vo
Issue date: 10/6/09 Section: Detour
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Zombies have overrun the land. In comes Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), a recluse, wimpy, World of Warcraft-playing, unlikely survivor. He has survived by sticking to his basic rules: the Double Tap, Don't be a Hero, Cardio, and Beware of Bathrooms. Eventually he teams up with a few other survivors, on a road trip to nowhere.
Eisenberg plays his part well - sort of like a young Woody Allen combined with undertones of Michael Cera, in a good way. The stunning Emma Stone plays Wichita, a hard bitten survivor and the love interest of Columbus. Abigail Breslin plays Little Rock, Wichita's rifle-toting, cute little sister.
However, the funniest character in the film has to be Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson); a zombie killer on a journey to find the last Twinkie in America. That's right, the last Twinkie. Harrelson prides himself on his zombie-killing and his ingenuity in the process. Over-the-top, frightening, and lovable all at the same time, Harrelson really makes the movie shine.
That is not to say that the rest of the cast is lacking, quite the contrary. Eisenberg is sensational in his awkwardness and sarcastic narration. Stone and Breslin's characters are actually two con artists. There are even a couple of love stories intertwined amongst the ammunition and blood. There is also a cameo by someone totally unexpected, which turns out to be one of the most memorable scenes in the film.
The script, written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, is impeccable. First-time director, Ruben Fleischer, does a seamless job in making the story cohesive on screen. This movie has been listed as an action/comedy/horror flick, but I believe the most apt way to characterize it would simply be a "great zombie movie." Zombieland manages to keep its lighthearted tone, without being stupid and meaningless.
Perhaps the only negative thing about this movie is its runtime. Zombieland clocks in at a brisk 81 minutes. Although none of that time is wasted, it would have been nice to stay in "Zombieland" for a little longer.
If you're a zombie fan like I am, than you'll love the movie. If not, chances are you will still have a good laugh. Zombies. Twinkies. Guns. Political-social commentary. A Love Story. And a tagline that reads "Nut up or shut up!" What's not to love?
Grade: A