Movie with Abe: Zombieland

Zombieland
Directed by Ruben Fleischer
Released October 2, 2009

A world with hardly any humans where zombies lurk around every corner isn’t necessarily a subject to be taken lightly. The most common genre which produces zombie movies is horror, and inducing terror isn’t something that’s usually showcased as funny. Yet “Zombieland” turns the notion of the undead running around trying to turn the last remaining humans into something gut-bustingly (often literally) hilarious. The extraordinarily effective parody boasts a spectacular cast that leads the charge and extremely entertaining dialogue fuels the film and keeps the energy of the dying human race alive. Killing zombies has never been so much fun.

The characters in “Zombieland” don’t have first names but are referred to instead by the areas from which they hail. The first protagonist to appear, Columbus, introduces the state of things and describes how life works in this newfound world plagued by disorder. Columbus outlines his list of rules that help to ensure his continued survival, and his recommendations pop up on the screen on top of the action. It’s his unique way of looking at his very unique, devastating situation that keeps the film aloft and thoroughly entertaining. Before any other people who are still people even show up, the geeky, nervous-looking Columbus has managed to charm the audience into rooting for his rather unlikely survival.

Fantastically enough, Columbus, played by the talented Jesse Eisenberg, who has already broken out with films like “Roger Dodger,” “The Emperor’s Club” and “The Squid and the Whale,” isn’t the best character in the film. That honor goes to Tallahassee, portrayed by the off-the-wagon Woody Harrelson, who has rarely been so completely unhinged and absolutely hilarious in everything he does. His very particular way of attracting zombies to his weapons, which include everything from shotguns to banjos, is priceless, and the way he speaks to the considerably more squeamish Columbus is just as spectacular. The two females rounding out the cast shouldn’t be overlooked since they’re both excellent as well. Emma Stone (“Superbad”) has an unmatched fiery quality about her and interacts marvelously with the two men. The young Abigail Breslin (“Little Miss Sunshine”) seems years older than she is in an impressively mature, fun performance. The four remnants of civilization make for a magnificently dysfunctional team capable of both humorous and occasionally dramatic interactions and camaraderie. They’re all perfectly cast in a film that highlights all the best elements of zombie movies and turns them into truly funny scenarios. “Zombieland” has an edgy, wicked sense of humor that’s fully loaded from the very start and doesn’t even think of letting up.

B+

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