‘Zombieland’ is the Perfect Zombie Film
-----With a funny trailer, plenty of hype, and cool actors; ‘Zombieland’ had the ingredients of a classic. Having potential and seizing potential are tow very different things however, so I was eager to see just how good, or bad, ‘Zombieland’ would turn out to be. In what is one of the year’s best surprises, it passes all tests with flying colors, proving to be more fun than anyone could have expected.
-----The fast plot picks up right away in a ravaged United States, now known as “Zombieland.” The geeky Columbus is a survivor of the ravenous accursed, due to his list of survival rules. One thing his rules can’t account for is his loneliness in the destitute landscape he finds himself traveling through. And that’s when he meets foul mouthed gunslinger Tallahassee.
-----Jesse Eisenberg is the main player of the four-person ensemble that heads ‘Zombieland.’ Doing as he did in this year’s ‘Adventureland,’ Eisenberg plays a somewhat cooler, if oddly similar, version of the Michael Cera routine. And while he wasn’t the problem in the disappointing ‘Adventureland,’ he is no doubt better in this role, where he has departed, if only minimally, from the Cera stereotype. He plays a cooler, more likable kid this time around, contrary to his previously staunch Cera portrayal. And if everyone likes ‘Zombieland’ as much as I did, Eisenberg will surely become the more acclaimed of the two in time, despite Cera’s recent success in a number of bad movies. Also perfectly cast is Woody Harrelson in the role he was born to play, that of the semi-insane, Twinkie-obsessed, Tallahassee. With excellent comedic timing and an indisputable chemistry with Eisenberg, Harrelson consistently gets riotous laughter from the audience. Harrelson and Eisenberg’s team-up quickly becomes one of Hollywood’s best buddy-comedy duos of all time. Joining them in a strong edition to the small but talented cast are Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin, as sisters who made their living as conmen before the apocalypse. The two perfectly mesh with the already established Harrelson-Eisenberg double act, and the four are always entertaining. Avoiding the stereotypes and archetypes of such roles, they play four completely unique and hilarious characters, sharing screen time with a precision that should make a legend of first-time-Director, Ruben Fleischer.
-----So what does one look in a zombie-action-comedy? Actually, it’s a surprisingly simple formula. You need a good amount of action, some adrenaline-stirring scares, a few solid serious undertones, and most importantly, non-stop laughs. And while the formula is simple on paper, it’s amazing to see the number of ways that things can go wrong, as years of mediocre zombie-outings have proven. Even the best of these, including the cult classic, ‘Shaun of the Dead,’ seem to struggle with the balance between serious and comedy, having the two come in waves, rather than meshing them smoothly. ‘Zombieland’ is the answer to all of that. With a fast but steady pace, a short but ample runtime, and more laughs than just about any movie this year, ‘Zombieland’ is the zombie flick you’ve been waiting for. It does this by answering the simple question, “What would one do if faced with a zombie apocalypse?”
-----The first five minutes of the film is basically perfect filmmaking, and the rest of the film follows through with this notion. The low budget film looks as impressive as if it had the budget of a ‘Transformers’ movie. The blood and guts are funny and gross, the action believable and gritty, the locations barren and desolate, and the cinematography cool and unwavering. One of the film’s proudest efforts comes from the music department, adding brilliant contemporary rock with an inspiring and dark theme. It’s a perfect example of a film using the money it has for the best, capturing the pivotal look and style that the filmmakers no doubt intended for their masterpiece. The script also comes into play as one of the year’s most clever endeavors, making the bold and fantastically funny decision of putting “Zombieland” survival rules up onscreen when applicable. The result is an audience eagerly awaiting the inevitable “double tap” to appear after a zombie is killed the right way, and laughing all the harder when it does.
-----Amidst all of the action and laughs, there is also a surprisingly strong message behind ‘Zombieland,’ neither preachy nor contrived. Columbus and his ragtag team of survivors have to relearn the values of trust, and the lot form a companionship rivaled by few onscreen friends, in the tradition of films like ‘Lethal Weapon’ and even ‘The Lord of the Rings.’ The age-old tale of the importance of family and belonging are told in new and hilarious ways, both genuine and endearing. And while the film stands alone, it also paves the way for any number of potential sequels sure to be seen in upcoming years.
-----Ultimately, what makes ‘Zombieland’ so great is its realization of what it wants to be, and its ability to superbly execute that vision. It mercifully skips all of the generic explanations of how the zombies arrived, and even avoids epic aspirations that could have weighed down the common-man viewpoint the film is told from. The final product is an experience that gets more reaction from its audience than thousands of inferior films, and is no doubt some of the most unabashed fun you’ll ever have at the theater! Not to mention containing one of the funniest cameos of all time from a certain, (censored for your benefit).
-----Tidbit: Eisenberg has appeared in two movies this year with the title ‘(something)-land.’ The first of these, ‘Adventureland,’ is the first Green Hat Review on the alphabetical scale, while ‘Zombieland’ is the last title alphabetically. How did I notice these trends you ask? Well, to be quite frank, I have no life.
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