With the wide array of zombie movies of late, one never knows what they are in for. Will the new one be funny like “Shaun of the Dead,” or serious, like “World War Z?” “Zombieland,” produced in 2009, is a film that somehow defies formula while being formulaic, is funny but is somehow not an all-out comedy, and mixes elements of romance, road trips, and, of course, zombies. The film pits sheltered twenty-something ‘Columbus’ (Jessie Eisenberg) against an America filled with zombies and a trio of unpredictable human survivors. The result is decidedly worth the effort. “Zombieland” is an entertaining and sweet film that effortlessly blends the action of killing zombies with the classic coming of age tale.
Columbus (the characters in the film are named after their hometowns) narrates the opening which orients us to his ‘rules for survival.’ Some of these are to the point, such as beware of bathrooms and always check the backseat, while others are more humorous. “Cardio is important,” he narrates as he runs from a trio of zombies, double-barreled shotgun in tow. Titled with huge, flashing letters such as “CARDIO,” Columbus’ safety guidelines are humorously hammered home. We learn some more backstory, such as the fact he is unsure of the fate of his family back home, has led a sheltered life, and lacks much of life’s finer experiences. In time, he meets a rough and tumble survivor ‘Tallahassee’ (Woody Harrelson), who seems to be obsessed with killing zombies and finding Twinkies in equal measure. and two sisters, Wichita and Little Rock, played by Emma Stone and Abagail Breslin. A loose camaraderie is formed that carries us through the rest of the film.
“Zombieland” is humorous both in the situations its characters find themselves in, and the tongue-in-cheek way it presents its zombies and its gore. Films like “World War Z” or even “The World’s End” attempt to give a reason to the zombie’s existence or purpose. That simply does not exist here. They are presented as a given, as an end unto themselves which the foursome must avoid, confront, or kill. Best seen during numerous confrontations as Columbus, Tallahassee and others shoot zombies with shotguns or UZIs, or using a number of handheld weapons such as baseball bats or carnival hammers, the zombies’ end is chronicled both humorously and definitively. The gore in the film is gratuitous and plentiful, but is used mostly for comic relief. This is a welcome change, especially amidst the epidemic of overly sickening gorefests such as “Evil Dead” (2013) or any of the “Saw” franchise.
Probably the most enjoyable part of the film is the relationships the four characters have with each other, and the backstory given them. Some are clichéd, such as hard-nosed loner Tallahassee who will doubtless warm up by the end, as well as guarded Wichita, who is set on a romantic collision course with the awkward Columbus. But it’s all forgivable. Harrelson and Eisenberg form an enjoyable bond throughout, amidst many zombie killings and Hostess truck ransacks. In one laughable scene, following one of his many rules, Columbus limbers up before an attack. “Does a lion limber up before he tackles a gazelle?” Tallahassee taunts.
Likewise, the sister-sister relationship between Wichita and Little Rock is explored well, and hints at pain and loss both have experienced prior. There’s also a hysterical scene where Little Rock, only 12 years old, fails at knowing the names of reggae legend Bob Marley or actor Bill Murray. This latter works into the film in humorous ways, particularly during a cameo Murray makes that is both hysterical and pleasing. The character development given all four is spot on, in a way often reserved for stark dramas, not zombie-killing comedies. Of them all, I enjoyed the relationship developed between Tallahassee and Columbus the best, with the fledgling romance between Columbus and Wichita a close second. With a great script by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, “Zombieland” becomes about more than killing zombies or post-Apocalyptic America. This is a fun film about coming of age, family, and about sticking together. As such, a shared bottle of wine and conversation between Eisenberg and Stone is one of the sweeter scenes I’ve seen in a while, where it ran the risk of landing little more than flat convention.
“Zombieland” is just a fun movie. Those who like zombie films will probably enjoy it more than others, but it honestly offers something for everyone, from lovers of horror to lovers of comedy. The performances are all enjoyable, the settings are varied (the film starts in Garland, Texas and ends in California in an amusement park), and the film has sympathy for its characters. In the mood for a comedic adventure-drama with a lot of dead zombies? Here you go.
– by Mark Ziobro
