Review of Zombieland (2009) by Tomislav A — 11 Feb 2014

While watching this I couldn't help but think of the movie 'The Return of the Living Dead'. They're very similar in that they don't really have much in terms of plot except are simply based around it's one central apocalyptic theme. Of course 'The Return of the Living Dead' was more comic bookish and had nudity. This film is devoted to just the comedy and gore without being creative enough. It's simplistic, almost too simplistic, about it's zombie ambitions. Funny, yeah, it's borderline funny to a point, but didn't provide anything clever other than it's characters. Particularly Woody Harrelson's character and his twinkie hunt. Eisenberg's, Stone's and Breslin's characters weren't very interesting. They were almost annoying.

With that, the film will quench the thirst of any zombie fan and I think that's entirely the point of why it was made. To cash in on the Zombie craze. This was just a year before the television show 'The Walking Dead' popped up and would be four more years before 'World War Z' would make it's way to a theater near you.

Due to a case of Mad Cow Disease (terrible idea for why people turn into zombies), the world has essentially been turned into Zombieland. People are scarce and only a few survivors remain. That being a nerdy, introvert named Columbus (the characters don't use their real names, only the capital of the state they're from) who is trying to get to Ohio to see his folks. He hitches a ride with a Elmer Fudd on steroids type named Tallahassee who is going to Florida. Two girls enter the mix, Wichita & Little Rock, who are heading to Pacific Playland. At first the girls and the guys don't get along due to mistrust issues and survival self-indulgence, but they warm up to each other.

Like I said before this movie doesn't have much going for it other than it's characters and their situation. As a filler, you get Columbus spouting his rules for Zombieland, Tallahassee mashing up things & a cameo appearance that feels more like the only highlight in the entire film. Other than that, it's just okay as a time waster.