Freaks Abound in Zombieland!

“Nut up or Shut up.” - Tallahassee

A memorable quote. A simple statement. And a complete summary of what Zombieland, the new horror comedy from director Ruben Fleischer,
is all about.

Set, (of course), in the near future where the world has been swept with a plague that causes the human race to become flesh-eating, goo-spewing, undead freaks, Zombieland tells the tale of a shy, cautious young man (Jesse Eisenberg), whom the film names “Columbus” (all the characters are named after their place of origin) and his struggle to find his parents (hopefully) amongst the zombie barren wasteland of what used to be America. Along for the ride is Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson in a film stealing performance), a tough as steel, cowboy hat wearing bad ass who has nothing left in his life but one goal: to find the last remaining Twinkies. Together with the female pairing of Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), the stage is set for one of the most over the top and funniest films of the year. It is relentless in its action, and takes no prisoners, hurtling its audience along for a thrill that doesn’t stop until the end credits.

Zombieland is pure escapist entertainment at its finest. While films about the post-apacolypse are often dark, tragic and offer little hope for their protagonists, Zombieland is hilarious, sweet, and surprisingly hopeful. It’s also ridiculously violent in it’s treatment of zombies. Tallahassee is quite the innovator in the ways that he dispatches the undead (just wait until the action packed theme park finale), and while the violence is particularly brutal at times, it is the kind of violence that evokes cheers from an audience rather than disgust. It’s crowd pleasing.

What makes the film work the most however, is, as with all good movies, the characters. Despite the fact that they are all maniacally brilliant at blowing away zombies, the four protagonists all have their own backstory that drives the film foward as more than simple fluff. Tallahassee’s quest for a Twinkie doesn’t seem that all far fetched when you learn about what he has lost in the post-human world (“Enjoy the little things” he says). The action beats are great in this movie, but the way the four main characters band together to make up what is basically the last surviving foster family in the world is the strength of the plot.

There’s also some fun usage of visual typography in Colombus’ “Zombie Rules”, which we learn about as the film progresses (often intergrated into the scene in a clever way), and a surprise cameo that is so great I refuse to say any more about it.

September and October are often the slow months for Hollywood films. With a few rare exceptions, it is the drop off period for studios, nothing particularly special comes out. Zombieland is special. It’s brutal, it's silly, it hilarious, and it leaves you with a great feeling as you exit the theater. It certainly won't be winning any Oscars, but it is still by far one of the most fun and enjoyable theatrical experiences of the year. I couldn't recommend it more.


Written By Jeff Butler