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After a mysterious disease turns sick people into zombies, the United States becomes a desolate, dangerous wasteland. Roaming this corpse-strewn countryside are four human survivors: dorky dude Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), who is trying to get back home to his family; Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), a butt-kicking cowboy running away from a personal tragedy; and sisters Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), who just want to head West and hit up the supposedly undead-free Pacific Playground amusement park. After a series of confrontations and miscommunications, the quartet ends up in L.A., where they soon discover that no place is safe -- not a famous actor's mansion, not a ride-filled fun land, not even the security of a newfound makeshift 'family.'
Zombieland is a movie made by horror nerds for their fellow fright dweebs. Those who've spent way too many dateless Saturday nights poring over the collective oeuvre of George Romero, Lucio Fulci, and Stuart Gordon will instantly fall in love with this sly combination of satire, slapstick, and splatter. The film doesn't even try to bring something new to the living dead dynamic. Reese and Wernick create real characters, place them in surreal circumstances, and let the laughs flow from the ridiculousness of their situation (a strategy also deployed by the brilliant UK spoof Shaun of the Dead). Sure, there are running gags about Columbus' personal rules for survival ('#1: Cardio,' '#17: Don't Be a Hero') and the 'Zombie Kill of the Week,' but the main narrative thread shows survivors coming together, working out their differences, and relying on hope -- and a healthy arsenal of weapons -- to see them through.
Fleischer's style bounces back and forth between stylized slo-mo sequences (among them, the amazing opening credits) and breakneck action scenes. This patchwork approach sells the film's aggressive outrageousness, but smaller moments resonate more, thanks to the able cast. Harrelson and Eisenberg make an entertaining odd couple, while Stone and Breslin convey a sense of optimism and post-outbreak possibilities. Indeed, the entire cast creates a unit worthy of its own fear farce franchise.
So just when you thought it was safe to go back to your favorite shopping mall, abandoned farmhouse, quarantined city skyscraper, or isolated Caribbean island, the zombie has decided to reclaim its previous monster movie mantle. With Zombieland as their ferocious audience-friendly comeback vehicle, the future looks very bright for these once overused fear factors.
Rolling back prices.
