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| FILM DETAILS | Certificate
15 | | Cast
Amber Heard
Emma Stone
Abigail Breslin
Woody Harrelson
Jesse Eisenberg. | | Directors
Ruben Fleischer. | | Screenwriters
Paul Wernick
Rhett Reese. | | Running Time
82 minutes |
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Zombieland (15) Plot
After a virus has swept the world and turned 99% of the population into ravenous zombies, four survivors hook up on a perilous journey to LA: nervous Columbus (Eisenberg), badass Tallahassee (Harrelson) and con-team sisters Wichita (Stone) and Little Rock (Breslin). Review
By now, you’ve probably heard about The Cameo. Still, just to be on the safe side, we won’t spoil the identity of The Cameoer, but otherwise it’s true: halfway through Ruben Fleischer’s absurdly assured debut, Zombieland, there’s a ‘surprise’ appearance from a major comedy star that is so daffy, so self-effacing and so perfectly pitched that it virtually shuts the book on any other celebrity cameos from hereon in. As The Star gamely takes the piss out of his (or her) career and the perceived egocentric nature of celebs, indulging in knockabout recreations of his (or her) most-vaunted blockbuster, Zombieland – a movie that had seemed, for all the world, like just another zombie comedy – is inarguably brilliant.
Thankfully, what precedes and follows The Y’Know is arguably brilliant, and worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as the genre-leader, Shaun Of The Dead. That movie, stylish as it was, spent a lot of time grounding the action in reality, but Zombieland takes place in an unabashed fantasy world where little old ladies can crush zombies with grand pianos, Looney Tunes-style, and where the zombie apocalypse is merely an excuse for four characters to have the run of America, driving around like they own the place, wallowing in luxury mansions and – occasionally – bumping into, and summarily dispatching, some zombies.
But, despite the title, the zombies don’t really matter in Zombieland. Oh, they’re there, alright, occasionally threatening and always ready to be splattered, but Fleischer and his writers, Reese and Wernick, are refreshingly interested in putting flesh on their characters’ bones, as opposed to stripping it off.
And what characters they are – normally in zombie films, the heroes’ ranks are padded out by unlikeable zombie fodder just treading water until they get munched. But Zombieland’s greatest achievement is in presenting four wholly likeable characters in whose ultimate survival you become wholly invested, whether they’re gambolling gaily around with The Cameoer or, in one neat road trip sequence, boring each other to tears with arguments about everything from Willie Nelson to Hannah Montana.
Admittedly, Emma Stone’s cynical Wichita and Abigail Breslin, as her little sister, are somewhat underwritten, but in Harrelson’s ice-cool Tallahassee, a man with an innate talent for turning the undead into the just dead, and Eisenberg’s Columbus, propelling the story with a wry young-Woody-Allen voiceover and his list of paranoid, survivalist rules, Fleischer has a classic buddy movie team at his disposal. Throw The Cameo in there, and the result is a zombie flick that stands, shoulder-to-decomposing-shoulder, with the best the genre has to offer.
Verdict
Very funny, often thrilling and full of neat little touches that should make it entirely rewatchable, Zombieland sees Fleischer join the ranks of directors – Romero, Wright, Raimi, Snyder – whose first films aren’t just zombie films, but great films.
Reviewer: Chris Hewitt
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| RE: Zombie Rules Rule | | not a bad film at all, but no where close to the genius that shaun of the dead showed , while i think there is some terrfic banter between the cast and some clever ideas with the rules that are made and how they are presented, i did feel there was a serious lack of zombie killing action for 45 minutes of the film (in what is a short film already) and hilarious ways with which they are dispatched and for a film called zombieland, i expected a lot more zombie and a little less... Read More
| | | foxandwesker About me | | 20:08, 08 November 2009 | Report This Post | |
| | | | Zombie Rules Rule | | | finally a zombie film where the humans have some brains, rather than trying to deal with the moral dilemma of having to kill a zombiefied friend or relative, they behave like we all think we'd deal with a world full of zombies and just kick ass. this film rocks ... Read More
| | | abductee About me | | 19:38, 06 November 2009 | Report This Post | |
| | | | Zombieland Review | | | I found this great review on Zombieland
http://www.itsnotatumour.com/kesleyitsnotatumourcom/che ers-actor-battles-the-undeadkesley-wilson-goes-out-on-a -day-trip-to-zombieland/ ... Read More
| | | bicyclerepairman About me | | 12:25, 31 October 2009 | Report This Post | |
| | | | RE: A bit hyped | | It was ok, but didn't even come CLOSE to living up to the hype.
Plus, there was a heart wrenching moment where you found out the fate of his 'puppy', which was so horrifically moving, it was completely out of keeping with the general tone of the film. Superbly acted though.
It's good... but not great. Too short, and I couldn't stand the female characters. ... Read More
| | | Drone About me | | 10:20, 31 October 2009 | Report This Post | |
| | | | A bit hyped | | | When I arrived at the cinema to watch zombieland tickets had already sold out. I was excited about seeing the film as many critis had sung its praises, but I was a little bit let down. Some of the dialouge is very funny, but it's not amazing. The action looks slick, good effects, but there's really not enough of it. I was expecting a grand finale but instead felt that the film just fizzed and then popped. It seemed over way too fast. I thought they'd be in the amusement park a lot longer. Worth ... Read More
| | | Smootle About me | | 02:14, 28 October 2009 | Report This Post | |
| | | | RE: Superb | | L: hatebox
Would I still like this film even if I found Shaun of the Dead mediocre?
sp;
It has 'zombies' - beyond that it bears very little resemblance to Shaun of the Dead. But you're talking about sense of humour here, so no-one would have a clue if you'd like it! ... Read More
| | | elab49 About me | | 09:03, 26 October 2009 | Report This Post | |
| | | | RE: Superb | | Caught this at my local Cineworld last night with the missus and it's a lot of fun! I wouldn't put in the same league of comedy horror like Peter Jackson's early stuff, Sam Raimi's efforts or SOTD but it's an enjoyable romp all the same. Gives the cast enough depth to care about them and contains a pair of inventive set pieces - the closing scene being a prime example.
Oh and then there's i]cameo...absolutely inspired! /5
... Read More
| | | Qwerty Norris About me | | 08:59, 26 October 2009 | Report This Post | |
| | | | RE: Superb | | |
L: hatebox
Would I still like this film even if I found Shaun of the Dead mediocre?
dont particularly like Shaun of the Dead, but loved this. ... Read More
| | | adambatman82 About me | | 17:13, 25 October 2009 | Report This Post | |
| | | | RE: Superb | | Would I still like this film even if I found Shaun of the Dead mediocre? ... Read More
| | | hatebox About me | | 16:56, 25 October 2009 | Report This Post | |
| | | | RE: Superb | | Could people reading this thread please try to remember it is a review thread? By its nature there will be discussions of a film. Cameo aside, plot details generally will be discussed in this thread within the context of reviews - it is what the thread is for.
So if you don't want to know what happens in the film - why on earth are you reading the review /b] anyway? p;
... Read More
| | | elab49 About me | | 15:06, 25 October 2009 | Report This Post | |
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