Zombieland(2009).Searching for family. In the early twenty-first century, zombies have taken over America. A shy and inexperienced college student in Texas has survived by following his 30 rules: such as "look in the back seat," "double-tap," "avoid public restrooms." He decides to travel to Ohio to see if his parents are alive. He gets a ride with a boisterous zombie-hating good-old boy headed for Florida, and soon they confront a young woman whose sister has been bitten by a zombie and wants to be put out of her misery. The sisters were headed to an LA amusement park they've heard is zombie free. Can the kid from Ohio get to his family? And what about rule thirty one? Written by<jhailey@hotmail.com>... Synopsis Zombieland(2009)
Movie Title: Zombieland(2009)
Run Time: 88 min
Rating: 7.7 / 10
Genres: Comedy |Horror
Release Date: 2 October 2009 (USA)
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Writer: Rhett Reese,Paul Wernick... and other credits
Actor: Jesse Eisenberg,Emma Stone,Woody Harrelson
Arguably one of the finest horror comedies of all time is Edgar Wright's Shaun of the Dead, and since its release in '04, there have been a good number of wannabes. Based on the trailers for Zombieland, however, I thought that the film had some serious potential to match Shaun in terms of quality, possibly even usurp it. Having seen the film, I'm happy to say that Zombieland does just that.
Unlike many comedies in recent memory, in which the majority of laughs are already provided by the trailer, Zombieland is filled to the brim with laugh-out-loud moments, thanks largely to the brilliant cast. Eisenberg is awesome as the main protagonist, Columbus, portraying that sense of vulnerability and awkwardness, without becoming too Michael Cera-like. Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin are also terrific as the sweet, yet tough Wichita and the more-mature-than-she-seems Little Rock, respectively.
The real stand-out performance, though, is Woody Harrelson as the Twinkie-lovin', zombie-hatin' Tallahassee. Next to that of Woody Boyd on Cheers and Frasier, this is definitely the best performance of his career. There's also a painfully hilarious cameo appearance about mid-way through the film that would be a crime to spoil. Suffice it to say, this is – hands-down – the best cameo that I've ever seen in a film.
The most surprising aspect of Zombieland, to me, is how much heart there is. All of the characters feel warm and alive, and what drama there is to be found feels extremely sincere. Ultimately, you feel invested in the story and the characters, which – I think – is the most important thing any film of any genre can do.
Zombieland has instantly become a horror favorite of mine (comedic or otherwise). The – for the lack of a better word – quotable dialogue, consistently hysterical tone, and endearing characters, all come together to create a film that will undoubtedly become a cult classic.
