Do we really need another zombie comedy after the sublimely silly “Shaun of the Dead?”
If it involves a rompin,’ stompin’ Woody Harrelson … you betcha.
“Zombieland” strips away the social commentary weighing down George A. Romero’s recent “Dead” epics and the hand wringing over why the dead are suddenly springing back to life.
It goes right for the jugular – and the funny bone – doing far more damage to the latter.
“Zombieland” opens with one of the few remaining humans, nicknamed Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), sharing his tips for staying alive in a world overrun by the undead.
Cardio is crucial to staying alive, as is “double-tapping” zombies to make sure they’re dead – again. Each lesson is shown in bold type, a recurring gag which gets funnier with every repetition.
Columbus teams up with Tallahassee (Harrelson), a natural zombie slayer, but the two are no match for a pair of girl grifters (Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin).
Both duos are trying to reach friendlier terrain – any place where zombies don’t overrun the land.
“Zombieland’s” killer trailer captures the essence of this efficient thrill ride. Clever sight gags rub elbows with snarky punch lines, all the while our heroes mow down zombies in spectacular fashion.
Harrelson’s grandiose performance overshadows the wax paper-thin plot. It’s easy to dismiss his work here as just another aggressively comic romp. It’s far better than that.
He creates a stir whenever he’s on screen, whether he’s snapping off an outlandish one-liner or simply staring down his neurotic partner in zombie slaying.
And what a blast to see Harrelson square up with Eisenberg, two actors whose disparate screen personas complement the other. The mix clicks from their opening scene, and while a “Zombieland” sequel isn’t necessary who wouldn’t want to see these two team up again?
“Zombieland” slows to a crawl mid-film, not a good sign since the movie’s running time is only 81 minutes long. And while the film’s signature cameo (no spoilers here!) is grand fun, the joke overstays its welcome.
Director Ruben Fleischer can’t deliver the kind of scares a good horror film demands, but his comic pacing is darn near perfect.
“Zombieland” should be required viewing during the upcoming Oscar season – a kinetic jolt to clean the palate from movies “for your consideration.”
(Photo: Jesse Eisenberg tries to flee a pair of flesh eating undead in “Zombieland”/Columbia Pictures)
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Your review is spot on, Christian. The first and last 25 minutes work well. But the middle 30 is a real drag — with the exception of the cameo you mention. In all, a fun diversion. And, by the way, did you stay through the credits for bonus cameo action?
Rule #33: Always stay through the credits.
Rule #34 … cranky movie critics often bail as soon as credits don’t reveal a wacky blooper reel … so I screwed up here!