Zombieland (Movie Review)

Movie Review
Zombieland
2009
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg
Director: Ruben Fleischer

For a concept that would be extremely horrifying if it ever was real, zombie movies are a lot of fun. Ruben Fleischer’s Zombieland keeps the fun zombie apocalypse theme going and for the most part is well done. If there are any issues with the movie it is not particularly outstanding nor is even close being the considered the best of the zombie-comedy drama. Don’t get discouraged by the previous sentence; Zombieland is a fun movie. It is just that once you finish watching it, you’ll discard your remaining popcorn kernels into the trash and walk away with very little emotional attachment to the film.

Zombieland initially follows the journey of Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) as he tries to make his way cross-country in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. Despite being a paranoid weakling, Columbus has been able to survive by following a list of self-written rules that errs heavily on the side of caution. One day, Columbus meets a man going by the name of Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) who basically has become a nomad desperately searching for a Twinkie who also takes great joy in decapitating zombies in rather morbid ways. During a visit for supplies at a grocery store, Columbus and Tallahassee are swindled by two girls going by the names of Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) who steal Tallahassee’s truck and supplies and leave the guys stranded. The guys end up finding the girls but cooler heads prevail and they all join together. Through Wichita, Columbus finds out that his hometown of Columbus (all the main characters in the movie go by nicknames that correspond to the cities that they are from) has been razed by zombies and basically in ruins. The girls are looking to head to California to go to a place called Pacific Playland; an amusement park that is one of the rumoured zombie-free areas in the country. With the guys having no place in particular to go, they decide to go with the girls to California.

It’s kind of appropriate that the major destination for the characters is an amusement park because just like a good amusement park ride, you have fun with it for the day but by the end, you’ve had your fill and want to move on to something else. Zombieland will keep you in stitches for the most part but there isn’t really anything memorable about the film or any hooks that will make you want to go back for repeated viewings. It’s not that the writing is weak (far from it) but it tries to do too much. The phrase ‘jack of all trades but master of none’ comes to mind when thinking about this film. The movie has comedy, horror, action, and dramatic elements and they’re all delivered in an acceptable manner but there’s nothing outstanding about anything in particular.

One thing came to mind while watching it was that Jesse Eisenberg was the perfect choice for the main role; although people unfamiliar with Eisenberg might be thinking that it’s actually a funny looking Michael Cera playing the main role. Eisenberg may not have the name familiarity that Cera has but has way more acting range than Cera probably ever will. Eisenberg’s acting doesn’t feel flat even though most of the time his role is the neurotic dork. His mannerisms are sharp and he’s able to show other emotions when the character calls for it. The other actors do a decent enough job but nobody has a performance that is going to become a pop-culture phenomenon. It can be a bit cheesy at times but the script sort of calls for that. The cameo appearance by Bill Murray though is one of the highlights of the movie and his performance is incredible (even though he’s playing himself). It is probably one of the best performances of his career. Even though his time in the movie is short, those few minutes of the film are outstanding. It may have helped the movie more if the Bill Murray was in the film longer but the other side of the coin is that it’s probably a good thing that he didn’t overstay his welcome. The movie wouldn’t have been as good if he was in the movie from start to finish although a couple of more minutes with him being Bill Murray would have been a nice diversion.

At least Flesicher and the writers of the movie (Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese) did a good job making sure all the little things were taken care of. The entire movie is solid enough to kind of believe that a zombie apocalypse is possible. From the explanation to how the zombie infestation began to how society fell apart is well done and leaves no room for plot holes. Another interesting concept is the idea of whenever Columbus quotes one of his rules or it’s being applied in an action sequence, the rule is superimposed onto the screen in a way that doesn’t take away from the action but is plenty noticeable to the audience.

Ruben Fleischer’s Zombieland is a fun movie that had a recipe for disaster if a few things were not handled right. Thankfully, the movie is solid from opening to closing credits. It’s enjoyable throughout but after it is all said and done, it will soon all be forgotten. It’s good, just not memorable. It’s a fun ride while it lasts.

☆☆☆