Zombieland

A horror/comedy lacking in the horror department

In a post-apocalyptic America (Zombieland) over-run with zombies, four survivors team up to help each other survive. The unlikely foursome include the timid white virgin, Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg; the main cast members are named after towns which relate to them); the gun-totting cowboy on his personal quest for the final Twinkies, Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson); and ‘matchstick sisters’ Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) who con their way to survive.

An ongoing joke throughout the movie are Columbus’ simple set of rules to survive the zombie quagmire. These rules, and fear, have kept an unlikely hero like Columbus alive. He presents it in a quirky narrative form, followed by a hilarious example. Some of these rules include ‘cardio’, ‘checking the backseat’ and ‘limbering up’.

The main purpose of Zombieland is to display creative ways of killing zombies; dropping a piano on an unsuspecting undead is just one of a few. Zombieland is the funnest time I’ve had watching a movie all year. I was somewhat disappointed though, that it was too funny. There simply wasn’t enough scares for it to fall strictly under a horror comedy. I fear (ironically) that this factor will disqualify it as legendary horror/comedy like American Werewolf in London and the Evil Dead trilogy.

The opening credits ranks as one of the best of 2009 along with Watchmen. The slow-mo depictions of the world being transformed to zombieland; one of my favourite slow-mo scenes was a father-son three legged competitor being chased down by the other zombie father-son combos.

This was one of my most anticipated movies of 2009 and my expectations were fulfilled. Everything needed for a fun film was there; witty humour, streets of blood, realistic makeup and a brilliant cherry-on-top cameo from Bill Murray. Like I said, this is simply not a pure horror/comedy and don’t expect anything like formula as Drag me to Hell (the best horror movie of 2009). If you’re up for some fun and a visual rollercoaster, this has to be on top of your must-watch list.

I give it 3 and a half toasters.

Rated MA