"Zombieland" Movie Review

This week we watched the zombie apocalypse comedy Zombieland (R), the first major film from director Ruben Fleicher. Jesse Eisenberg plays the film’s narrator, known simply as Columbus, as he attempts to survive the world after a virus turns everyone into zombies. He eventually teams up with three other survivors, played by Woody Harrelson, Abigail Breslen, and Emma Stone.

Ryan: I'll concede that zombie movies, in general, do not do much for me. Needless to say I didn't have high expectations going into watching Zombieland. Sometimes that's not necessarily a bad thing as Zombieland proved to be a quite entertaining flick. It's not a movie for everyone but it does have broader appeal than the typical zombie movie. It's a good balance of humor, action and horror and the result makes for an amusing film.

Andy: I was also very skeptical of Zombieland. Zombie movies have just about reached the overdone level of vampire movies, so even one that intends to be tongue-in-cheek seemed risky. The risk paid off, as Zombieland is good for reasons that have nothing to do with the zombies. It is clever, fun, and somehow comes across as both surprisingly subtle and richly self-indulgent, sometimes in the same scene. Such contradictions seem like they should weigh the movie down, but in Zombieland the rules are a little different.

Ryan: Zombieland is just one of those genre films that simply works. It's absurd but it stays within the confines of it's own rules and agenda. It doesn't try to say more than it needs to and it doesn't aspire to be anything more than a zombie comedy. I give major props to Ruben Fleischer, the director, for crafting a film that satisfies fans of zombie/ horror comedies as well as those other moviegoers that tend to stay away from those types of movies. He's not reinventing the wheel with the movie but his fresh take on the sub-genre is applaudable.

Andy: You have a pretty good idea of what you are getting into within the first five minutes of the movie. Eisenberg’s voiceover begins to explain his basic survival rules, with each rule appearing on the screen as it comes up. Then the opening credits begin with a series of super-slow motion, meticulously detailed scenes of zombies attacking in every-day life. It is the first of a few well-played scenes of decadent slow-motion throughout the movie, with each scene adding to the movie’s high quality aesthetic.

Ryan: Also in Zombieland's favor is its cast and that starts with Woody Harrelson. I was under the false impression that Harrelson doesn't make many movies anymore, but after scanning his resume I would amend that statement by saying that he doesn't make many relevant movies anymore. What I'm saying is that with the right material, Harrelson can deliver memorable performances and consequently one can strike this performance up in Zombieland as being one of his more notable outings.

Andy: Harrelson does lead the way in the cast of four. His performance is perfectly executed tough-guy bravado, but it is nuanced with a tough of depth that is necessary for any truly great performance. The other three players all do an admirable job, but Zombieland goes nowhere without Harrelson.

Zombieland is an unexpectedly fun and well executed movie that easily earns a B+.