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Zombies in Zombieland as quick as the humor
AP Photo
In this film publicity image released by Columbia Pictures, Jesse Eisenberg, left, and Woody Harrelson are shown in a scene from, "Zombieland."
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Zombieland
(out of four)
• Stars: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin.
• Director: Ruben Fleischer.
• Rating: R
• Running time: 82 minutes.
• Showing: Grand 18, Wynnsong 12, Carmike 10, Starmount, Creekside, Carousel Luxury.
• Reviewer's opinion: A fast, funny blend of buddy comedy, road picture and zombie horror saga, with lively performances all around. Not for squeamish viewers.
Published: October 1, 2009
A plague of zombies, started by a burger tainted with mad-cow disease, has wiped out civilization. Only a few humans remain, those who have the survival skills to keep one step ahead of the zombies.
Such as a gun-toting redneck survivalist (Woody Harrelson) who has learned to kick butt and not slow down enough to take names. Or a nervous nebbish (Jesse Eisenberg) who has formulated a list (31 and counting) of steps to evading the flesh-hungry hordes. Or two sisters (Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin) who rely on quick wits they honed as con artists before everything went crazy.
Welcome to Zombieland, the inventive, wickedly funny zombie comedy from writers Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese and director Ruben Fleischer. While not as clever as the current top-of-the-body-pile, 2004's romzomcom (romantic zombie comedy) Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland is a lot of fun, with likable characters, a vivid depiction of post-zombie apocalypse America, and some really gruesome zombies (be warned, the film's R rating is well-earned).
These aren't the slow-moving undead of the George Romero films and Shaun. They're the fast-paced, frenetic, infected types as seen in 28 Days Later, the 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead, or the brilliant 2008 British miniseries Dead Set. Among zombie aficionados, this is an important distinction to make.
The characters join forces to make their way across country, hoping to find refuge from the hungry masses. Fearing that they will get too close emotionally if they know each others' names, they decide to refer to one another only by their hometowns. Tallahassee (Harrelson) is on a singular quest for snack food and is eager to come up with inventive new ways to kill zombies.
Wichita (Stone) and Little Rock (Breslin) are on their way to an amusement park where they believe they can find shelter.
And Columbus (Eisenberg) just wants to not get eaten, and perhaps find a way to impress Wichita along the way.
Though this is decidedly a parody, the zombies are treated in a straightforward, scary manner.
The humor comes from the living characters and their reactions and interactions.
In fact, there are extended sequences with nary a ghoul in sight, as the characters hit the road and get to know each other. Much of the movie was filmed in Georgia.
Along the way, there's an amusing celebrity cameo I won't spoil here, some good scares, and lots of tips from Columbus' list of ways to survive a zombie apocalypse.
You never know, it might be good info to keep in mind.
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